42nd US Colored Infantry

The 42nd US Colored Infantry was a "disability" regiment or "Invalid Corp." Men served in the 42nd who were "unfit for field service yet fit for common garrison duty." Typical reasons for such a transfer were old age, rheumatism, hernias, heart disease and hemorrhoids.

Three men from Williamson County served in the 42nd USCI:

• Pvt. Wilson Robinson enlisted in Company C on March 20, 1864. He was born in Williamson County around 1844 and enlisted in Chattanooga. From Oct. 30, 1864 to Nov. 9, 1864 he was on detached service conveying horses to Atlanta per instructions from Major General Steedman. In July 1865 he was granted a furlough. On Jan. 31, 1866 he mustered out in Huntsville, Alabama.

• Pvt. Amos Potter enlisted in Company H on December 13, 1863. He was born in Williamson County around 1815 and enlisted in Columbia. He mustered in Jan. 8, 1864 at Shelbyville. Pvt. Potter died in a Huntsville hospital of acute dysentery/typhoid fever on Oct. 9, 1865. He was initially buried in the Huntsville Cemetery. Most of those graves were relocated to the Chattanooga National Cemetery but his headstone has not been located.

• Pvt. Miles Washington transferred to the regiment from the 40th USCI.

Organized by Thomas Jefferson Morgan