1864: A Black Man Says Why He Fights

Black soldiers were key to the North's victory in the Civil War. Several Madison soldiers were part of the 28th U.S. Colored Troops. They were among several black units who were sacrificed in the fiasco at the "Crater" at Petersburg, Va. One of them, Osbury Allums, died in the battle, which is the subject of the movie, "Cold Mountain. In a letter to a friend Charles, written on Dec. 3, 1846, Madisonian Morgan Carter gave his reasons for serving in the army.

From a private collection at Fort Ward Museum Historical Park, Alexandra, Va., and reprinted in The Black Civil War Soldiers of Illinois: the Story of the Twenty-Ninth U.S Colored infantry. University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, S.C. Edward A. Miller, 1998.

“Feale a little down but [I] soon rally when i think in what principal i am fighting which is for the benefit of my race,” Carter wrote. “[i] have been in a good many veary close places but by the Lords will I have escaped with my life so far.

i have been wounded twice once by a piece of shell on the long to be Remember [ed] field of blood shed and slaughter of 30 of July. there many a poor fell [low] lost theare life for thear country and theare people. But Poor fellows they died a noble death. and in the course if it is necessary i Will give up my life most willingly to Benefit the Collored Race

you youre self [know] that we have bin trampled under the white mans heal for years and now we have a chance to Ellivate oure selfs and oure race and what little I can do towards it will do so most willingly if i should die before i Receive the benefit of it i will have to consolation of noing that generations to come will Receive the blessing of it.

and i think it the duty of all the men [of] our Race to do so when they can.”