Odd Wisconsin Archive
A Black Civil War Soldier from Wisconsin Tells His Story
Last week Reps. John Gard and Barbara Toles introduced a resolution to honor Company F of the 29th Infantry, U.S. Colored Troops, for their service during the Civil War. Credited to Wisconsin for recruiting purposes, most of Company F was actually raised in Illinois and Missouri, its soldiers taking the places of white Wisconsin residents who would otherwise have been drafted. In the course of the war, many liberated slaves joined Wisconsin troops in the field and some came north with them when the war ended. In all, 353 black soldiers served in Wisconsin units. One of these was Peter Thomas, shown here as a young man, who moved to Wisconsin after the war and rose to prominence in Racine. He tells his story in this interview from the Racine Journal, February 22, 1922.
:: Posted in Odd Lives on February 4, 2005
Did You Know?
The Wisconsin Historical Museum is currently featuring Odd Wisconsin objects in the latest exhibit: Odd Wisconsin. And don't miss the Odd Wisconsin book by author Erika Janik published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press.
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