Reminiscences of two years with the colored troops: Personal Narratives of events in the War of the Rebellion, being papers read before the Rhode Island Soldiers and Sailors Historical Society. No. 7, Second Series

In Short

This personal memoir records the wartime service of an officer in the Fourteenth Rhode Island Heavy Artillery (Colored) during the American Civil War. Stationed primarily in southern Louisiana, the author and his regiment guard vital river supply lines, build strategic earthworks, endure deadly malarial disease, and face down sudden enemy guerrilla raids. The narrative captures the daily realities of military life—from organizing literacy classes for former slaves to administering justice as a provost marshal in the Reconstruction Era. It endures as a vital, highly detailed eyewitness account of the African American troops who helped secure Union victory.

The Story

The narrative opens in the summer of 1863, when the state of Rhode Island struggles to meet its military quotas as white enlistment slacks. Governor Smith secures permission to organize a regiment of African American soldiers for heavy artillery duty. The author accepts a commission as second lieutenant, reporting to Camp Smith on the Dexter Training Ground before moving to Dutch Island in Narragansett Bay. There, midst fierce winter storms, the troops undergo rigorous drill until January 1864, when they board the transport steamer Daniel Webster bound for the Department of the Gulf.

The sea voyage presents severe hardships, including overcrowded quarters, sea-sickness, a shortage of fresh water, and a near-miss collision on a Florida coral reef. Reaching the mouth of the Mississippi River on February 2, the vessel ascends to New Orleans. Shortly thereafter, the command is ordered to English Turn, an isolated post fifteen miles downriver. While stationed there, the soldiers suffer heavily from a malignant form of putrid sore throat, forcing them to bury their dead in the elevated levees because shallow graves instantly fill with groundwater.

In April 1864, the battalion moves upriver to Plaquemine to relieve the Forty-Second Ohio. Here the environment proves far more hostile. The surrounding countryside swarms with Confederate guerrilla bands, and hostile local residents openly scowl at the sight of black men wearing Union blue. The troops immediately begin fortifying an four-bastioned earthwork fort to defend the post. The narrative details violent encounters, including the destruction of a cotton-laden steamer by fire, frequent night alarms, and a sudden, violent raid by Texan cavalry in August 1864. During this assault, several Union pickets are captured and murdered in cold blood by the raiders.

As the war draws toward its conclusion in 1865, the author is detailed to staff duty in Brashear City and later serves as Provost Marshal in Donaldsonville. In this civil-military capacity, he presides over local legal disputes, shocking the community by accepting the legal testimony of a former slave against a white defendant. Following the collapse of Confederate forces in the trans-Mississippi department, the regiment consolidates at Carrollton and finally embarks for New York and Providence in October 1865, returning home to be disbanded after two years of honorable, unheralded service.

How It Unfolds

The regiment forms After initial hesitation regarding the enlistment of African American troops, the author accepts a lieutenant’s commission and joins the newly organized unit at Camp Smith. The troops endure months of cold, hard training on Dutch Island before receiving orders to board an army transport bound for the South.

The passage South Crowded into the hold of the steamer Daniel Webster, the men face severe water shortages, insipid distilled sea-water, and sea-sickness while steering clear of rebel cruisers. The voyage includes a terrifying moment when the vessel strikes a sandbar off the coast of Florida before safely entering the Mississippi River.

Life at English Turn Establishing camp downriver from New Orleans, the soldiers adjust to semi-tropical surroundings, build makeshift quarters, and share stories with local colored families. Fatal cases of sore throat quickly break out, forcing the regiment to use the river levees as a makeshift cemetery.

Fortifying Plaquemine Moving upriver to relieve Union forces, the troops encounter scowling local residents and direct threats from Confederate prisoners held in the local jail. The battalion spends months digging bastions, constructing earthworks, and remaining on high alert against constant guerrilla activity in the surrounding swamps.

The Texan raid On an August morning, mounted Texan raiders attack the picket lines, driving officers into the fort and firing upon contrabands throughout the town. The enemy captures several Union pickets and executes them, prompting formal protests between military commanders over the brutal treatment of captured colored soldiers.

Peace and provost duty As rebel armies collapse in 1865, the author assumes staff duties and becomes Provost Marshal at Donaldsonville, where he enforces civil law and breaks local tradition by accepting black testimony. The regiment finally leaves Louisiana in October, receiving a warm welcome upon returning to New York and Rhode Island.

The People

• Captain J.M. Addeman — The narrator and author of the text, who initially doubts the plan to enlist black troops but accepts a commission as second lieutenant in Company H. He wants to fulfill his military duty honorably while ensuring the safety, health, and fair treatment of his men. Facing extreme heat, guerrilla attacks, and administrative burdens, he grows into a dedicated officer, provost marshal, and advocate for his soldiers’ rights.
• Major Shaw — The battalion commander who arrives at English Turn in March 1864 to take charge of the troops. He seeks to maintain strict discipline and high operational readiness among the men under his command. His presence brings structural leadership to the battalion during its transitions between river posts.
• General Nathaniel P. Banks — The commander of the Department of the Gulf, who oversees Union military operations in Louisiana. He seeks to hold strategic river posts, secure the region, and establish a Union-aligned civil government. He delivers major addresses in New Orleans and communicates with rebel authorities regarding the mistreatment of captured colored soldiers.
• Lieutenant Aldrich — A fellow officer who commands the picket line during the surprise enemy attack on Plaquemine. He seeks to hold his position against overwhelming odds and successfully avoids capture by hiding in a dense osage orange grove during the chaotic skirmish.

In Its Own Voice

"The men packed like sheep in the hold, the officers, though far better off as to quarters, yet crowded too much for convenience and comfort, the inevitable sea-sickness, the scanty rations, and what was worse, the extreme scarcity of water, were annoyances but the counterpart of those endured by many brave men who preceded and followed us..."

The author describes the grueling conditions faced by troops traveling south aboard an army transport steamer.

"As I stood on the parapet and got a glimpse of a portion of the enemy, I ached to let fly a shell, but the danger to innocent parties was too great to warrant it just then."

The author recalls watching a sudden Confederate cavalry raid on the town of Plaquemine from inside the earthwork fort.

"In the presence of a crowd of whites and blacks, I heard a case in which a colored woman, who had till recently been a slave, was plaintiff and principal witness, and a white man who was defendant, and gave judgment in favor of the former."

The author reflects on enforcing a new social order while serving as Provost Marshal in Donaldsonville.

What It's Really About

Beneath its matter-of-fact narrative of military movements and camp routine, the memoir explores the fundamental transformation of social roles during the Civil War. It examines the process by which formerly enslaved men transformed into disciplined, literate soldiers capable of defending their freedom. The text highlights the racial hostility of Southern civilians toward armed black troops, the brutal reality of Confederate policy toward captured African American soldiers, and the quiet dignity with which these men faced both human enemies and fatal tropical diseases. Ultimately, the book argues that steady, unglamorous garrison duty was just as essential to preserving the Union as participation in famous pitched battles.

Why Read It Today

This concise memoir offers a uniquely candid, first-hand window into the operational realities faced by United States Colored Troops in the Deep South. Readers interested in Civil War history, military logistics, and the immediate post-emancipation era will appreciate Addeman's clear, unpretentious prose and eye for vivid daily detail. Rather than focusing on grand battlefield heroics, the narrative exposes the unglamorous struggles of soldiers fighting lethal swamp fevers, treacherous river travel, and guerrilla ambushes.

The book moves at a brisk, readable pace, though modern readers may find its occasional 19th-century phrasing and archaic spellings somewhat dated. What remains deeply compelling is the author’s evolving perspective—shifting from early skepticism about black regiments to deep pride in his men's resilience, literacy progress, and courage. The narrative serves as a quiet, authentic testament to the thousands of African American soldiers who helped remake the American republic while standing guard along the muddy levees of Louisiana.