The events at Camp William Penn were being closely watched by its champions and critics alike. In order to be sure that all went well with this first real large scale experiment of enlisting black soldiers, Douglass was working with abolitionists right in the neighborhood around the Camp - such as Lucretia Mott, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Harriet Tubman, and William Lloyd Garrison. This must have been an incredible time to be a member of the 3rd Regiment; Alfred Fields from Williamson County, Tennessee was right in the middle of it all.
The importance of the 3rd Regiment as the first African American troops to be trained at the Camp was commemorated by the presentation of this beautiful flag that was made for the men.
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Presented by a committee of ladies of Phila. Oct. 1863
3rd United States Colored Troops.
Digital ID: (b&w film copy neg.) cph 3b32595 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b32595
Reproduction Number: LC-USZ62-86078 (b&w film copy neg.)
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
David Bustill Bowser, a black artist who painted Abraham Lincoln and the white abolitionist John Brown, designed the colorful regimental flags.
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On July 29, 1863, the men participated in a moving ceremony in which they were presented with a handmade American flag.
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| August 4, 1863 in the New York Times |
Presentation of a Flag to the Philadelphia; Colored Regiment.
. . .
Yesterday afternoon the Third Colored Regiment, now steamped at Camp William Penn on Chelton Hill, about eight miles from the city, and half a mile from the North Pennsylvania Railroad, were the recipients of a large and handsome American flag, presented to them by the Committee who were instrumental in raising the regiment.
The occasion was celebrated by a flag raising, at which speeches were made by GEO. H. EARLE, Esq., and Judge KELLEY.
A special team left the depot of the North Pennsylvania Railroad at 3 1/2 P.M., consisting of fourteen cars well loaded with colored persons, and among tham a sparking of white ladies and gentlemen, all bent on witnessing the ceremony. A band, composed of colored musicians, escorted the excursion party.
Shortly after the arrival of the excursion train at Chelton Hill, the regiment was formed and taken to an adjoining field, where they were put through a series of field maneuvers, which were executed with commendable promptness and witnessed by about fifteen hundred spectators, comprising all colors, ages and sexes.
After an hour spent in drilling the regiment, they were marched to the camp-ground near by, and formed into a hollow square around a lofty flag-pole, at the peak of which the emblem of our nationality was destined to float to the breeze. About 5 1/2 o'clock the raising of the flag took place, the colored band attached to the regiment playing the "Star-Spangled Banner." Immediately afterward Col. LEWIS WAGNER, the commander of the camp, mounted a rough stand, and proposed three cheers for the Star-Spangled Banner, which were given by the regiment with a will.
Mr. GEORGE H. EARLE then mounted the stand, and proceeded to address the regiment and concourse of visitors who were present.
MR EARLE's SPEECH.
Mr. EARLE said he felt very happy to say a few words on this occasion, but was unable to say all he felt. He informed those assembled that they stood on consecrated ground -- that had witnessed a struggle during the Revolutionary war. The inspiration of the present moment is as from Heaven, and like the voice of the Great Creator, for it is the day that tells us that America is calling into the service all her servants for the purpose of protecting her nationality, regardless of color.
Your enemies in the North opposed sending you to the field, but no men are more respected than you when under arms. Your enemies have said you would not fight. Have you not fought already? We knew what you could do, and therefore did not think it necessary to search history to prove any of your deeds. Not a farmer in the neighborhood complains of any improper conduct on the part of any of you. Nothing has been destroyed while you have been encamped here, and you have conducted yourselves with entire propriety. Show me another regiment that can say as much.
At Milliken's Bend your brethren fought well and reflected honor on you; the same can be said of the conduct of the colored troops at Morris Island. Their Colonel said, "Take that battery." and it was taken. A colored man bore the colors in the fight, and faced all dangers presented to him. Baton Rouge was another example of the bravery of colored troops.
Why should you not fight? Are not your hearts in the present struggle? Are you not fighting for the freedom of your own race? You fight for the principles of PATRICK HENRY, "Give me liberty or death."
The speaker felt that the men before him would do all in the line of duty that the Committee who raised the regiment expected of them. Fifteen months ago the creation of a negro regiment would have caused a riot in the city, but public opinion was changed, and officers and men are respected now. The speaker then paid a glowing tribute to the American flag. After some further remarks, in the course of when he urged the members of the regiment to perform all services required of them, Mr. EARLE retired with applause.
A number of cheers were given by the regiment at the conclusion of Mr. EARLE's remarks, after which Judge KELLEY stepped forward for the purpose of saying a few words.
JUDGE KELLY's SPEECH.
He said he had come for the purpose of speaking, but simply to witness the proceedings of the day, and what he had to say should be made very short, as he was anxious to witness the battalion firing of the regiment with blank cartridge. He had, however, a very important secret to impart to the white people present, and that was that JOHN BROWN's soul was matching on, and, with the help of God, it would continue to do so, and that with the aid of soldiers of African descent, the flag that now floated proudly above their heads would soon wave over a country in which there were nothing but free men. He told the regiment that they had redeemed their race in Philadelphia from a prejudice that had long existed against them, and that prejudice was that the colored race were a race of cowards. You must show the world that the free men of African descent in the North can fight as well as their slave brethren in the South have done. You are to proceed to Florida, and the Colored race are to make that State a Free State of our Union.
As soon as you leave for the seat of war, another regiment will be formed on the ground you now occupy, and they will soon follow you to fight for your race. The black man is to make Florida free, and if France attempts to create an empire on this continent, the tropical regions of the country was swarm with legions of black men, who will frustrate any attempt on the part of European potentates to carry out any of their schemes on this continent.
The article then went on to state that, "The regiment is entirely full, well armed with new muskets, and thoroughly equipped in every respect. They will make a street parade through the city on Saturday and will leave for Florida as soon as the complement of commissioned officers has been appointed."
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P.S. Duval & Son, United States Soldiers at Camp "William Penn" Philadelphia, PA:"Rally Round the Flag, Boys! Rally Once Again, Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom" (Philadelphia: Published by the Supervisory Committee for Recruiting Colored Regiments, 1210 Chestnut Street), 1863. Chromolithograph with hand-coloring.
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This is the first hint we get of Alfred Fields' future destination - they are heading to Florida!
However, because of continuing racism in Philadelphia, the 3rd regiment was not allowed to parade in the city. The August 8, 1863, edition of the Christian Recorder, a black newspaper published by the African Methodist Episcopal Church, explained the situation:
“At the latter part of last week several of our daily papers published the gratifying intelligence that the Third Regiment of Philadelphia Colored troops would come into the city from Camp William Penn, to go through the evolutions of a street parade. The day came, but with it also came the postponement of the promised treat indefinitely. This has been a source of grievous disappointment to a great many, both colored and white.”
[Camp William Penn’s Black Soldiers In Blue By Donald Scott – November ’99 America’s Civil War Feature http://www.historynet.com/camp-william-penns-black-soldiers-in-blue-november-99-americas-civil-war-feature.htm]
The Christian Recorder noted the 3rd Regiment’s great anger about not being able to parade shortly before it departed.
[N]ot only were the friends of the regiment disappointed, but when the intelligence reached the encampment it caused a great commotion amongst the men, amounting, as we have been told, almost to a state of mutiny, which had been the consequences of so frequently disappointing the men on this account. What right any man has to interfere with colored, more than with white troops, we cannot conceive. Does the government want to get them up in some dark corner, and prepare them to do just what white men are prepared to do in the dark? It should be remembered, that these men are human beings, and have their five senses, and feel just as well as the whites do. They are not ignorant of the manner in which they are treated; and of course they know what they are, and the kind of treatment they deserve. And the men who would interfere with, or molest them in any way, deserve the severest punishment. We, therefore, hope that both the Government and Philadelphia will redeem themselves from last week’s doings.
Unfortunately, the men of the Third never did get their parade, Rather, they left for Charleston on August 17, 1863. Here is how it was described in the Philadelphia Inquirer:
The Philadelphia Colored Regiment.; ITS DEPARTURE FOR CHARLESTON.
The Third colored regiment, . . . took their departure for Charleston yesterday morning. The regiment left camp at half-past seven o'clock, and taking the cars of the North Pennsylvania Railroad, arrived at America and Master streets about nine o'clock. The line of march was then taken up, . . . where they embarked on board the steamers Star of the South, . . . , and Cumbria, . . . . The streets through which they passed were crowded with citizens.
At Poplar-street wharf they were met by an immense crowd of colored friends and relatives, who had waited for over an hour to welcome them. The steamers did not leave the wharf until 11 1/2 o'clock, during which time baggage, &c., was taken aboard. As the steamers moved away from the wharf, the regiment received a perfect ovation; the people gave cheer after cheer, and the troops left amid great enthusiasm. They were also greeted with the heartiest cheers from the wharves and vessels along the river front, as they moved down the river. As the vessels containing the regiment moved down the river, the men crowded the decks, waving caps, handkerchiefs, &c., and singing the anthem of "John Brown's body lies mouldering in the grave."
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So, while the 3rd Regiment did not leave in a grand parade, it does sound as though the African American community of Philadelphia and some of the rest of the city's citizens did turn out to send them off to War.
And they went straight into battle - they were soon participating in the famous siege of South Carolina’s Fort Wagner at Morris Island. On July 18th, the 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry had participated in the initial bloody assault on the Fort. The US forces continued to press the Confederates at the Fort and the 3rd US Colored Infantry - including presumably Alfred Fields, was immediately put into the trenches, and shared in the hardships. The loss during this siege to the 3rd USCT was six killed and twelve wounded - but Fields appears to have escaped unharmed.
Early in the year 1864, the regiment moved to Florida. A remarkable letter to the editor of the Christian Recorder newspaper in Philadelphia from Sergeant Thomas Rockhold of Company D of the 3rd Regiment, dated May 29, 1864 gives some incredible details about what the men were doing in the early days in Florida. Private Fields was in Company E, but we can surmise that his activities were likely very similar to those of many of the men described in this piece. It is important to know that at the same time the 3rd Regiment was in Florida the 8th Regiment - which had arrived at Camp William Penn after them - had been sent to Florida. This Regiment was new and entirely untested in battle. They wound up being slaughtered in the disastrous Battle of Olustee which is referenced in the letter below.
Head Quarters 3d U.S.C.T.
Jacksonville, Florida,
May 29th, 1864.
MR. EDITOR: - I, now, this beautiful Sunday afternoon, sit myself down, according to promise, to write a few lines to you, hoping they may find you and all your friends enjoying good health.
I will commence my correspondence with you by giving you my Florida Expeditions. Our regiment left Hilton Head on the 6th of February, for Jacksonville, Fla., and we arrived there on the 8th. Just as soon as we landed we were ordered to camp. Here we remained until the 8th of February, when we received orders, in the night, to surprise the rebel camp, called "Camp Finagan," about ten miles from Jacksonville. We got to the rebel camp about 1 o'clock at night, but were too late to do any good; but we had the pleasure of liberating some of our flesh and blood. There were about two hundred slaves at that place that had the pleasure of saying: "We are free from the chains and fetters of slavery." On the morning of the 9th we were ordered to fall in and march to the next station, called by the natives of the State, "Ten Mile Station." . . .
On the morning of the 10th of February, we started to the next station, called Baldwin, the junction of all the railroads that lead to Georgia, Mobile, and Charleston. We arrived there about noon of the same day, and went into camp; some of us to do picket duty, and some to do provost guard duty; . . .
There we staid one week, while that awful slaughter came off at Olustee; but as God knew best, we did not have to go up there to be murdered like dogs.
On the 15th of Feb., the fight took place; and on the 16th, early in the morning, the wounded came in by the wagon load, and ambulances loaded down. But the worse of all, was to see the poor soldiers come in with no hats on, and some with arm and hands off. Our regiment stayed at Baldwin till all of the wounded were off the field; and about 10 o'clock at night, we took up a line of march for Jacksonville, down the railroad, to keep the rebels from flanking us, and cutting off our communications with the army. We got as far as Camp Finagan that night, where we bivouacked. We rolled logs together and made up camp-fires; though tired and worn out, we made some coffee in our tin cups, and it tasted as good as if our mothers had made it. The next morning, at half-past eight o'clock, we started for, we didn't know where, but we went in camp on Stocklain's Road, and stayed two days; and on the third day, we were ordered on the railroad, about three miles from the main road. . . .
Since I have been staying at Jacksonville, I have attended four cotillion parties, given by the colored ladies of this place.
I will bring my letter to a close, by bidding you good-bye. May God bless you, and may you be prosperous in all your undertakings.
I hope to hear from you soon; and I hope the next letter I write may be better.
Yours until death,
THOMAS R. ROCKHOLD,
Orderly Serg't of Co. D, U.S.C.T.
On the return of the troops to Jacksonville, after the disastrous battle of Olustee, the Third was drilled as a heavy artillery regiment, and garrisoned the forts in the area.
In September 1864, small parties were frequently sent out into the surrounding country, the expeditions occasionally extending far into the interior, for the purpose of freeing slaves and destroying property belonging to the Confederate government.
According to one account, on one occasion, a group of twenty-nine enlisted men of the Third - perhaps Alfred Fields? - and one private of another regiment, all under command of Sergeant Major Henry James, scouted about sixty miles up the St. John's River in boats, rowing by night, and hiding in the swamps by day. The men marched thirty miles into the interior, gathered together fifty or sixty runway slaves and several horses and wagons. They burned store-houses and a distillery belonging to the Confederate government and returned bringing their recruits and loot into camp. On their way back to camp, they were stopped by a group of Confederate cavalry, which they beat off after a short fight, and the men of the 3rd managed to cross the St. John's without losing a man, carrying with them their wounded. The courage and good conduct displayed by the men of the 3rd in this incident - made up entirely of African American soldiers - was deemed to be "highly creditable", and were commended in an order by the General commanding the Department of the South.
It was somewhat remarkable, that the regiment never lost a man as prisoner. Apparently the men believed that immediate death was preferable to the treatment likely to be experienced as prisoners. On one occasion, a soldier who had been surrounded and driven into the river, stubbornly refused repeated calls to surrender, and was killed on the spot. |
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Source of information regarding the 3rd Regiment: Bates, Samuel P. History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65, Harrisburg, 1868-1871.
The Civil War came to a close on May 9, 1865, and then the regiment was posted at Tallahassee, Lake City, and other points in Florida. On May 22, 1865 Private Fields was placed on police duty but its not clear in which city. The regiment remained in service in Florida, until October 1865.
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| Muster Out rolls |
Then on Oct. 31, 1865 Alfred Fields mustered out of the US Colored Troops with his unit in Jacksonville, Florida, and at this point his trail runs completely cold. I can find no records for an Alfred Fields in Florida, Pennsylvania or Tennessee - or any where else for that matter - in the years after the war. Perhaps he changed his name.
But his story is still one worth telling. A slave from Williamson County, Tennessee who manages - somehow - to make his way to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, then enlists in one of the first African American regiments of the Civil War, is among the first to train at the largest and most famous Camp, listens to Frederick Douglass give a rousing speech to the US Colored Troops, fights at the famous battle of Fort Wager, and then participates in freeing his fellow man in Florida. Just what we know of the period of his life from July 7,1863 to October 31,1865 was astounding. I only wish we knew the rest.
