The 1st US Colored Heavy Artillery Regiment was organized at Knoxville, Tennessee on February 20, 1864. They were on duty at Knoxville until January 1865. The regiment participated in operations against Confederate Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler's cavalry in East Tennessee from August 15-25, 1864. Then, they were involved in operations in Northern Alabama and East Tennessee from January 31-April 24, 1865. The Regiment participated in Stoneman's operations from East Tennessee into Southwestern Virginia and Western North Carolina from February to April. 1865. They were at Greenville and in the District of East Tennessee until March 1866. The regiment mustered out on March 31, 1866 in Chattanooga.

Six men from Williamson County enlisted in the 1t US Colored Heavy Artillery Regiment. 

• Sgt. Isaac Haley, Company C, was born around 1841 in Roan County, Tennessee. On February 23, 1864, Haley enlisted in Company  C, at Knoxville, Tennessee. He was 23 years old and enlisted with four other men with the last name of Haley.  Several men with whom Haley enlisted had been taken as enslaved laborers to serve the Confederate 4th Tennessee Cavalry, which had its roots in Williamson County. Upon the Confederate’s defeat at Knoxville, some of the enslaved men escaped and enlisted in the 1st US Colored Heavy Artillery.  Soon after enlistment, on April 1, 1864, Haley was promoted to Sergeant, indicating that he was literate. The regiment participated in operations against Confederate Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler's cavalry in East Tennessee, and were involved in operations in Northern Alabama, East Tennessee, Southwestern Virginia, and Western North Carolina. The regiment mustered out on March 31, 1866 in Chattanooga. Soon after, Haley moved to Jackson County, Alabama, where he married Sarah Ingram. The couple had three children and lived in Nashville briefly before moving to the Harpeth area of Williamson County, TN, north of Thompson’s Station. Around 1885, Haley’s wife Sarah died, and in 1890, Haley applied for an invalid’s pension for a broken ankle he sustained during his service. By 1898, Haley was in poor health and living in Nashville, where he continued to pursue his pension. He appears to have died there,e but no records have been found. His paver was sponsored in 2025.

• Pvt. James Roberts, Company C, enlisted on January 28, 1864 in Knoxville. He was born around 1844 in Williamson County and was 20 year old when he enlisted. He was described as a farmer.. He died onApril 2, 1864 of typhoid pneumonia. No grave has been located. 

• Musician John Winston (Winstead), Company C,  was born in Williamson County, TN around 1845. He and a brother Anderson Winstead were enslaved in Franklin. When the Civil War began, he was taken to serve the 4th Tennessee Cavalry (Confederate). According to a statement he made late in life, he “escaped to the federal lines when the Confederate Army fell back at Knoxville.” On February 24, 1864, 19-year-old Winstead enlisted in the 1st US Colored Heavy Artillery, Company C. Winstead served in the regiment’s drum corps during its service in North Carolina and Tennessee. Following the War, Winstead returned to Williamson County and married; he received a pension for his service in 1891. He died in Nashville, Tennessee on Thanksgiving Day, 1914. Winstead was buried in the Greenwood Cemetery but no gravesite has been located. His brick paver was sponsored by Wood Newton.

• Pvt. Ballard Preston, Company F, was born around 1846 in Williamson County and was 18 years old when he enlisted in Knoxville. He was described as a farmer. He mustered out on March 31, 1866, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Following the War, he married and started a family in Chattanooga, where he worked as a stonemason. In 1910, he was admitted to the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Johnson City, TN. He died there in 1927 at the age of 81. His remains are buried in the  Mountain Home National Cemetery. His paver was sponsored in 2025.

• Sgt. Jordan Wilkins aka Richard Hughes, Company G, enlisted on May 6, 1864 in Knoxville. He was born around 1846 in Williamson County and was 18 year old when he enlisted. He was described as a farmer. He deserted his regiment and re-enlisted in the 119th US Colored Infantry. In 1904 he drowned in the Ohio River while unloading cargo from a ship. His remains were buried in Evansville, Indiana with a USCT headstone. 

• Sgt. William Baker, Company M, enlisted on October 14, 1864 in Knoxville. He was born around 1844 in Williamson County and was 20 years old when he enlisted.  He was described as a farmer.

Resources:

• Battle Unit Details - National Park Service

• Family Search

• Wikipedia Page

• Knox News story: First regiment of Colored Troops Heavy Artillery formed in Knoxville in 1864

• North Carolina Historic Marker

• Captaining the Corps d'Afrique : the Civil War diaries and letters of John Newton Chamberlin

• Finding Eliza Blog Post

• Marker: 1st U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery:"Ready to take the field!"

• Approved Pension File for Amanda Cleag, Widow of Private Abram Cleag, Company I, 1st U.S. Colored Troops Heavy Artillery Regiment (WC-686390)

• Approved Pension Application File for Dependents of Napoleon Simpson, Company F, 1st USCT Heavy Artillery Regiment (Application No. WC109543)

• Approved Pension Application File for Mariah Williams, Widow of Henry Williams, Company E, 1st USCT Heavy Artillery Regiment (Application No. WC101776)

• Approved Pension Application File for Ellen Latson, Widow of Andrew Latson, Company I, 1st USCT Heavy Artillery Regiment (Application No. WC91005)

• Approved Pension Application File for the Dependent of Guy Murphy, Company A, 1st USCT Heavy Artillery Regiment (Application No. WC87726)