6th United States Colored Troops

United States Regiments & Batteries * United States Colored Troops

The 6th Regiment United States Colored Troops lost 8 officers and 79 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 5 officers and 132 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.

1863
July 28 to September 12 Organized at Camp William Penn, near Philadelphia, Pa.
October 14 Moved from Philadelphia to Fort Monroe, Va. then to Yorktown, Va.
October Duty at Yorktown attached to United States Forces, Yorktown, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina
December 5-24 Wild’s Expedition to South Mills and Camden Court House, North Carolina
1864
January Attached to 2nd Brigade, United States Forces, Yorktown, Va., 18th Corps, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina
February 2-6 Wistar’s Expedition against Richmond
March 1-4 Expedition to New Kent Court House in aid of Kilpatrick’s Cavalry
March 2

New Kent Court House
March 4

Williamsburg
March 9-12

Expedition into King and Queen County
March 17-21

Expedition into Matthews County
April Attached to 2nd Brigade, Hincks’ Colored Division, 18th Corps, Army of the James
May 4-June 15

Butler’s operations south of the James River and against Petersburg and Richmond
May 4

Capture of City Point
May-June Fatigue duty at City Point and building Fort Converse on Appomattox River
May 20

Attack on Fort Converse
June 15-18

Before Petersburg
June 15
Bailor’s Farm
June 15 to December 17 Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 18th Corps
June-August In trenches before Petersburg and fatigue duty at Dutch Gap Canal
August 27 Moved to Deep Bottom. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 18th Corps
September 29-30

Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights

Three members of the regiment were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions:

Medal of Honor from the Civil War eraLieutenant Nathan Huntley Edgerton “took up the flag after three Color Bearers had been shot down and bore it forward, though himself wounded.”

Sergeant Major Thomas R. Hawkins for the “rescue of regimental colors.”

First Sergeant Alexander Kelly “Gallantly seized the colors, which had fallen near the enemy’s lines of abatis, raised them and rallied the men at a time of confusion and in a place of the greatest danger.”
September 29

Fort Harrison
October 27-28

Battle of Fair Oaks
November In trenches before Richmond
December 7-27

1st Expedition to Fort Fisher, North Carolina

Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 25th Corps, then 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 25th Corps
1865
January 7-15

2nd Expedition to Fort Fisher, North Carolina
January 13-15

Bombardment of Fort Fisher
January 15

Assault and capture of Fort Fisher
January 19

Sugar Loaf Hill
February 11

Sugar Loaf Battery
February 18-20

Fort Anderson
February 22

Northeast Ferry and Capture of Wilmington
March 1-April 26

Campaign of the Carolinas

Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 10th Corps, Dept. of North Carolina
March 6-21 Advance on Kinston and Goldsboro
March 21 Occupation of Goldsboro
March 23-24

Cox’s Bridge
April 9-14 Advance on Raleigh
April 14 Occupation of Raleigh
April 26

Bennett’s House

Surrender of Johnston and his army.
May-September Duty in the Dept. of North Carolina
September 20 Mustered out