Category Archives: US Colored Troops

The 24th USCT Regiment was organized at Camp William Penn on February 17, 1865.  In May, it was stationed at Camp Casey in Virginia outside of Washington, DC; then in June it was moved to Maryland to guard Confederate prisoners. … Continue reading →

After being organized in January 1864, the 25th USCT Regiment was deployed to Texas, although it never reached its intended destination.  The steamer that carried the regiment was caught in a storm and sprung a leak, and the men barely … Continue reading →

The 41st USCT Regiment was organized at Camp William Penn in the fall of 1864. This regiment participated in several engagements in Virginia: “On the 27th of March [1864], in connection with the Twenty fourth Corps, under command of General … Continue reading →

The recruiting for the 8th USCT Regiment began in September 1863 at Camp William Penn, and the regiment was deployed to Florida on its first assignment in February 1864.  After a time of looting supply lines and taking prisoners, the … Continue reading →

The 22nd USCT Regiment was organized in January 1864 at Camp William Penn in Pennsylvania.  The regiment joined the Army of the James, Eighteenth Corps near the end of that month, and was assigned to construct earthworks along the James … Continue reading →

The 127th USCT Regiment was organized in September 1864 and received training at Camp William Penn. Records indicate that this regiment only participated in a single battle: “On arriving at the front, it was incorporated with the Army of the … Continue reading →

The 3rd USCT Regiment, which was organized in August 1863, was the first unit to receive training at Camp William Penn, located outside of Philadelphia. (You can read about this regiment’s flag raising ceremony in a previous post). The War … Continue reading →

The Battle of Port Hudson on May 27, 1863 did not include USCT regiments organized in Pennsylvania, but it was among the first major engagements of the Civil War that involved African American regiments. The Union’s efforts in late May … Continue reading →

As USCT regiments were organized in northern states, they were often honored at ceremonies held in local cities or at their training camps. A previous post described a flag raising ceremony at Camp William Penn. This article in Frank Leslie’s … Continue reading →

Jeffry Wert’s article in Pennsylvania History provides a great overview of Camp William Penn’s operation between 1863 and 1865 as well as interesting details on events that took place at the camp. While “the record is mute” as to who … Continue reading →