Preface
A 30-foot stone sculpture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is now open to the public on the Mall in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the sacrifice for freedom that defined Dr. King's life. The monument showing Dr. King emerging from stone is surrounded by walls with inspirational quotations from his speeches and writings. The erection of this monument to an African American in our nation's capital is a significant event demonstrating this country's emerging acceptance and recognition of the contributions of people of African decent to our nation's history.
Another monument dedicated to freedom can be found in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, with the inspirational inscription: "This Monument is erected by those who revere the patriotism, and wish to perpetuate the memory, of the Brave men, who aided in saving the nation and securing the Blessings of Liberty to all." The Soldier's Monument in Carlisle's Courthouse Square lists the names of 17 local officers and 327 enlisted men who died as a direct result of their service "during the Great Rebellion." It can be noted that no name listed is of a man who served with the United States Colored Troops (USCT). As this country commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, it is time that the participation of African Americans in this conflict be recognized.
The United States Colored Troops (USCT) Project is a group effort started by Cumberland County Historical Society (CCHS). As part of this effort, while serving as an intern at CCHS, the author asked volunteers Janet Bell, Ruth Hodge, Lisa Brousse and Larry Moser to participate with the project. The group has conducted research to locate any information on USCT who were born, lived, or died in Cumberland County using a variety of local sources as well as the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The effort continues and anyone with information about Cumberland County USCT veterans is encouraged to share that information with CCHS. Shippensburg University History Professor Steven Burg has researched the USCT buried in Shippensburg's cemeteries. This paper presents the results of research about Civil War veterans buried in Union Cemetery, Carlisle.
Dr. King's body only partially emerges from his stone sculpture to denote a life cut short and a life's work not yet finished; in somewhat the same way our knowledge about the USCT is emerging as we honor Cumberland County's USCT Troops during the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War. What follows is a brief synopsis of what has been learned about the lives of the men from the USCT that are buried in Carlisle's Union Cemetery. It is hoped that this information and subsequent information that is learned about other African American soldiers from the county will provide a complement to the Soldier's Monument. Maybe at some time in the future it will be appropriate to erect a monument recognizing the contributions of these men.
A brief summary of the information learned about the men buried at Union Cemetery reveals: they lived in the same neighborhoods overlapping the First and Fourth Wards; they used each other as affiants in support of pension and disability claims; more than five were born in Virginia and at least one was born a slave; many were members of the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church on Pomfret Street in Carlisle; many lived well into their 70s and 80s; they were laborers, janitors and store owners who enjoyed excellent reputations in the community; virtually all were married and had many children who, at the time of their fathers' deaths, lived in other places including New York, Africa, California, Rhode Island, and Pittsburgh . All USCT Regiments contributed to Union success and all USCT of Cumberland County contributed to the region's rich legacy.
The following article is adapted from a speech given as part of the commemoration of the role of the Union Fire Company of Carlisle, Pennsylvania in the American Civil War, read before the Union Fire Company on April 21, 2011. Much of the material is derived from research for an upcoming book, "The Union Legacy," that will be published for the 225th anniversary of the company.
John and Leo Faller were brothers from Carlisle Pa. who served in the same unit during the war. Their letters to family members provide excellent insight into the thoughts of a typical soldier.