Elmira Prison Camp OnLine Library –

127th U.S. Colored Troops
Members of the 127th U.S. Colored Troops accompanied Col. Benjamin E. Tracy when he accepted the post of commandant of the Elmi4ra Prison camp. During the Civil War, there were several troops made up of African-Americans. The 127th was organized in Philadelphia, and they served as guards for the prison. This is supported by several references to them made by prisoners of the camp.

This regiment was formed from men enlisted and drafted in the State of Pennsylvania, to serve one, two, and three years. It was organized at Camp William Penn, Philadelphia, Pa., August 23 to September 10, 1864. (Camp William Penn was also the location for the organization of the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 22nd, 24th, 25, 32nd 41st, 43rd and 45th U.S. Colored Troops.)

• Ordered to City Point, Va., September, 1864.
• Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 10th Corps, Army of the James, to November, 1864.
• 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 10th Corps, to December, 1864.
• 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 25th Corps and Dept. of Texas, to October, 1865.

SERVICE.--

• Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond, Va., September, 1864, to April, 1865.
• Chaffin's Farm, New Market Heights, September 29-30.
• Fort Harrison September 29.
• Darbytown Road October 13.
• Battle of Fair Oaks October 27-28.
• Duty in trenches north of the James River before Richmond until March, 1865.
• Moved to Hatcher's Run March 27-28.
• Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.
  • Hatcher's Run March 29-31.
  • Fall of Petersburg April 2.
  • Pursuit of Lee April 3-9.
  • Appomattox Court House April 9.
  • Surrender of Lee and his army.
• Duty at Petersburg and City Point until June.
• Moved to Brazos Santiago, Texas, June and July. Duty at various points on the Rio Grande until October.
• Mustered out October 20, 1865.

The official army register of Colored Troops, shows that the only battle in which this regiment participated, was at Deep Bottom, and the only loss in killed and wounded it sustained, was one man, killed in this battle. It was sent with other troops to Texas, after the close of hostilities in the east, and was posted on the Mexican frontier.

On the 11th of September, 1865, it was consolidated into a battalion of three companies, and the men and officers whose term of service had expired, were discharged. The battalion was mustered out of service on the 20th of October. The muster-out rolls only of the consolidated companies were returned to the office of the Adjutant General, and consequently the records of the men who left the regiment before the close of its term, cannot be given.

Field and Staff officers of the 127th include:

• Colonel Benjamin F. Tracy: resigned June 13, 1865. Prior to commanding the 127, he enlisted at age 22 with the 107th New York State Volunteers, July 15, 1862, at Elmira, to serve three years. He was mustered in as private, Co. E, July 18, 1862; promoted corporal, October 14, 1864.
• Lieut. Colonel James Givin: mustered September 3, 1864. Mustered out with battalion, October 20, 1865.
• Sgt. Major Arthur M. Greene: mustered August 22, 1864. Promoted from 1st Sgt, Company A (date unknown). Discharged August 22, 1865.
• Major Thomas Young: mustered November 27, 1863. Promoted from Captain, Company K, 8th U.S. Colored Regiment (April 14, 1865). Discharged by Special Order, September 11, 1865.
• Adjutant Alfred C. Markley: mustered September 9, 1864. Promoted from 2nd Lieut., Company B (March 5, 1865). Mustered out with battalion, October 20, 1865.
• Adjutant George Miller: mustered September 5, 1864. Promoted from 1st Lieut., Company C (date unknown). Discharged February 10, 1865.
• Quartermaster John W. Taylor: mustered September 1, 1864. Mustered out with battalion, October 20, 1865.
• Surgeon William C. Powell: mustered September 1, 1864. Served as the chief surgeon for the 127th and was one of the few surgeons in the U.S. Army that was of African-American descent. Mustered out with battalion, October 20, 1865.
• Assistant Surgeon Eugene Chapman: mustered November 2, 1864. Mustered out with battalion, October 20, 1865.
• Chaplain Thomas S. Johnson: mustered November 2, 1864. Discharged by Special Order, September 1, 1865.

Other Officers:
• Captain Franklin Cogswell: joined the 127th on September 14, 1864 after serving in the U.S. Invalid Corp. Led the 127th as Petersburg and was mustered out in Philadelphia, PA on November 1, 1865.
• Captain Newton T. Kirk. He was in Company E, 26th Michigan Infantry, enlisting August 11, 1862 as corporal; sergeant July 3, 1863; wounded and taken prisoner at Spotsylvania, Va., May 12, 1864, and returned to the regiment on December 15; discharged to accept promotion as captain of Company K, 127th U. S. Colored Troops, September 6, 1864. He was discharged January 30, 1865.