Civil War Service Record of Edward Bell, 1863
This document is the Civil War Service Record for Edward Bell, who was a former slave in North Carolina and went on to enlist in the 35th United States Colored Troops. The 35th USCT, which evolved from the First North Carolina Volunteers, was the first Union colored regiment from North Carolina and was made up primarily from former slaves. This document recorded the soldier's age, height, complexion, eye color, hair color, birth place, and former occupation. It also recorded when, where, and by whom they were enlisted. At the bottom the service record is a section entitled "Remarks" that would include any details about the soldier's service that the writer deemed important enough to include. Most of the time, this section would include battles fought, whether or not the soldier had been wounded or killed, or other details about discharge or other relevant matters. In this document, Edward Bell was listed with having a "dark" complexion and with a former occupation of "laborer," which is what they frequently put down if the man was a former slave. In the "Remarks" section it is recorded that Edward Bell was wounded at the Battle of Olustee which was a major battle fought by the 35th USCT in the Union attempt to seize Florida. He would then be discharged for disability at Summerville, South Carolina in 1865.
Compiled Military Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served with the United States Colored Troops: Infantry Organization, 31-35th, The National Archives, Fold3.com. Accessed October 22, 2014.
Danielle Brinton
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Enlistment, Freedpeople, Slavery/Slaves, Soldiers
Wartime North Carolina
Unknown, Civil War Service Record of Edward Bell, 1863, Civil War Era NC, accessed January 28, 2021, https://cwnc.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/items/show/2749.