US Colored Troops in the Timbuctoo Cemetery

This burial ground, known as the Timbuctoo Cemetery, serves as the resting place for several African American Civil War soldiers, as well as many of the early residents of Timbuctoo whose markers have long since disappeared. Three regiments of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) are represented here: the 22nd USCI, 6th USCI, 29th USCI, and the 29th Connecticut Infantry (Colored). Most of these soldiers mustered into service at Camp William Penn near Philadelphia for a three-year enlistment, serving as Privates, Corporals, and Sergeants in various companies. While most were free-born and some could read and write, they all shared a common eagerness to fight for their freedom and citizenship. Charles Love, notable among them, enlisted in the Regular Army after the Civil War and served until 1894.

Among the Civil War soldiers, five veterans were mustered into the 22nd USCT, which was recognized for its high number of New Jersey volunteers. This distinguished regiment fought in several major battles and uniquely participated in President Lincoln’s funeral procession in Washington, DC, as well as the Army’s pursuit of John Wilkes Booth.

Civil War Pension files and additional military records offer a wealth of information about each soldier's war experiences. These files also contain an impressive level of detail regarding their lives post-war, including the names of spouses and children, vocations, challenges in documenting their military service for pension eligibility, and other intriguing matters. A brief biography of each soldier is included here; however, research is ongoing, and additional information will be added as it is discovered.

This section Copyright 2018 by Gail Astle. All rights reserved.