No apology can be necessary for the publication of the following pages, as it is no unworthy or mercenary object they seek to obtain. They have been elicited by request of numerous friends of the officers of this regiment and of the colored troops, designed for their own use; and their object is not simply to give succinct statements of individual military history, or of any single command of the Colored Troop, but to furnish, also, at the same time, an unanswerable argument on the subject of th

CAPTAIN JESSE WILKINSON. This officer, commanding Co. "A." of this Regiment, is a native of Warwickshire, England, who in coming to the United States became a citizen of Brooklyn, New York, where he was engaged in the silk manufacturing business. He volunteered, July 12th, 1862, as a Private in Co. "F." 18th Regiment Connecticut Infantry. Upon the organization of his company he was appointed Corporal . In the battle of Winchester, June 14th and 15th, 1863, he received a wound in the hand, and wa

We take pleasure in mentioning the patriotism, energy and great activity of the Supervisory Committee who had in charge the recruiting and organizing of colored troops at Philadelphia, during the war. Their success in the undertaking, resulted not only complimentary to themselves, but it was also most opportune to the Government, by adding to our armies an important element to aid in obtaining the complete victory; and according to another view of the case, by introducing the stone that had been

The object of the Government, in the case of commandants of colored troops, was to secure officers of acknowledged military talent, experience, and unexceptionably good moral character. It therefore instituted the Examining Board for Officers, under the Presidency of General Casey. The officers assigned to commands in this service, entered upon the duties of their respective positions in this regular way. Many of them advanced, battle-scarred, step by step from the ranks. Some were previously co