Indianapolis --

Civil War Round Table

by

Richard Skidmore
Hanover, Indiana

How can it be -- 179,000 Blacks served in the Union Army's black regiments, yet we know so little about them and their service. Black soldiers fought in 39 major battles, 17 were awarded the Medal of Honor, and 39,300 died. Yet, their exploits, courage and emotions are seldom revealed.

"Black Civil War Soldiers: Almost Invisible" will trace three soldiers' experiences. Each had been a slave, each struggled in the culture of the time, each proudly served his country. One, Osberry Alums from Hanover, Indiana, was killed in a dramatic Civil War battle. Another, Benjamin Mills, was wounded and lived out the remainder of his life in Louisville. The third, John Forson, a corporal, came home to farm and is buried in the old Graysville area, north of Hanover.

As the title suggests, the story of Black Soldiers in our Civil War has been hidden from view. The presentation explains this time-honored gap in our history as well as the laws and customs of the 19th century that led to it. Most importantly, the 55-slide program gives a small voice to the contribution of Black Soldiers, these three in particular.