Uncovering the service and travails of Capt. Edward S. Daniels of 35th Infantry USCT, Part 1

I have decided to take the journey with Captain Edward S. Daniels beginning with when he enlisted with the 35th Infantry USCT on April 28, 1863.  Remember in the last post, we had discovered that he first enlisted and served with the 1st Massachusetts Infantry in May 1861.  See African Americans served in 1st Massachusetts Infantry in 1861 before USCT.   Well, Captain Daniels life as in the 35th Infantry USCT includes prison and illness in South Carolina. We will reveal his story as we travel through his Civil War record.

I feel an extensive review of his service will help us understand the life of a Captain in the USCTs, and we will discover resources to document more of the history of Civil War ancestors which we may have not previously considered.  Hopefully, at the end of this journey, we all will we wiser because of it.

His Civil War service record was on Footnote.  The second image in the file shows that he started in Company E of the 35th.  He was light skinned with grey eyes and auburn hair.  Born in Old Cambridge Massachusetts, and was a "jeweller."  He signed up for a period of three years.
 

Image 3, 35th US Colored Infantry » D » Daniels, Edward S (28) at Footnote.com

Confusion about regiment names

After USCT regiments were officially recognized by the Federal government, names of the regiments which were formed previously were renamed.  While we know that Daniels was wounded while serving with the 1st Massachusetts Infantry, and mustered out in October of 1861, I have not as of yet been able to account for the time lapse between 1861 and his enlisting in the 35th in April 1863.  See Civil War Colored Troops: 35th Infantry (New York Military Museum)

I have, however, discovered that the 35th Infantry USCT was previously the 1st Regiment North Carolina Colored Volunteers which were organized in New Bern, North Carolina on June 30, 1863.  Daniels record says he enlisted with the 35th Infantry USCT in April 1863, but it was not organized until June of that year.  Image 5 of his file indicates that he enrolled in the 1st Regiment North Carolina Colored Volunteers on April 28, 1863 in Boston, Massachusetts and was mustered in on May 18, 1863 in New Bern, NC. See Thirty-fifth United States Colored Troops (First North Carolina Colored Volunteers)

Image 5, 35th US Colored Infantry » D » Daniels, Edward S (28) at Footnote.com

Colored Troop Under General Wild Liberating Slave in North Carolina, Son of the South

 Account of First North Carolina Colored Volunteers, December 16, 1863


History can reveal many gems to those who search it out.  It makes expanding a search really worthwhile.  I found an article at Chronicling America which illustrates the things that were truly important to African American troops and contraband.  It is entitled:

"General Wild's Expedition After Guerrillas"

"Enthusiasm of the Colored Regiment"

"They Hire Teachers to Attend Them in the War"

This account was submitted by Champlain, H. M. Turner from the camp near Portsmouth, Virginia on December 11, 1863.  Anyone who was not strong enough to enter battle stayed in the camps.

Turner says that six days previous Brigadier General Wild left on a expedition with his colored soldiers, "the first and 5th United States colored troops, the 2nd North Carolina Colored Volunteers, and detachments from the 55th Massachusetts and the 1st North Carolina."  It is not known if Company E, Daniels company was among them.

"The troops went off with a full determination never to be captured alive.  Hundreds of them when leaving waved their hats, and most clamorously halloed, death before imprisonment."

The troops from several companies pooled their money and paid teachers who traveled from all over $7 to $30 dollars a month to travel with their regiments to teach them during leisure hours.  How wonderful to be able to know that even though they had embarked on the most important fight for freedom, they made time for education.  Many of the teachers refused to be paid. To read this article in its entirety, see: Daily national Republican. (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, December 16, 1863, Image 1

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Daily national Republican. (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, December 16, 1863, Image 1

African Americans served in 1st Massachusetts Infantry in 1861 before USCT

African Americans enlisted with the 1st Massachusetts Infantry in May 1861 before serving with the United States Colored Troops as officers according to "Massachusetts in the army and navy during the war of 1861-65, Volume 2" By Thomas Wentworth Higginson (included in second book below).  This dispels the falsehood that African Americans did not serve in the Union Army until the United States Colored Troops was organized.

Higginson explains that the list beginning on page 484 is far from complete.  He had difficulties at the time with being allowed to research at the Record and Pension Office in Washington.  It appears he was able to extract information from the Massachusetts regiment rolls where a record of the troops was recorded when they were promoted as officers to serve as USCT's.

Edward S. Daniels

He also explains that there are inaccuracies.  For this reason, I took the liberty of researching an officer, Edward S. Daniels, who enlisted May 23, 1862 and was a Private in Company A.  He was discharged on October 4, 1862 and later became a Captain with the 35th USCT Infantry until his discharge on May 18, 1866. See page 487.

Company A of the 1st Massachusetts was organized under Colonel Robert Cowdin on May 23, 1863.  Edward S. Daniels is also listed in the following book "First Regiment of Infantry, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia: Colonel Robert Cowdin," By United States Army on page 18.

History and documentation

You can read more about the history of the 1st Massachusetts Regiment here: Civil War in the East.  Edward S. Daniels' is also found in the U. S. Civil War Record and Profile database at Ancestry.com.  He was 26 when he first enlisted in May of 1861 and he was wounded while serving with the 1st Massachusetts Regiment.  A record of his service in both regiments is included.

For background on the 35th United States Colored Infantry, see the thesis, JUST LEARNING TO BE MEN: A HISTORY OF THE 35TH UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS,1863-1866 by SHANA RENEE HUTCHINS and Thirty-Fifth United States Colored Troops (First North Carolina Colored Volunteers).

Daniels' Civil War Service Record is on Footnote.  It is a huge undertaking, but I would suggest that anyone who researches a Civil War soldier study the history of the regiments, battles, commanders, and biographies and records of fellow troops, etc. to be able to get an understanding of what your ancestor went through during the Civil War.  You may also find connections to other family members who served.

We will discuss Edward S. Daniels further in a future post.  He happened to be one of 800 prisoners exchanged and brought to Anapolis on March 7, 1865.  See CITIZEN PRISONERS RETURNED BY STEAMER GENERAL SEDGWICK AT ANNAPOLIS, MARCH, 7, 1865