88th US Colored Infantry (New)

OVERVIEW: Organized at Memphis, Tenn., February 20, 1865. Attached to Post and Defences of Memphis, Tenn., District of West Tennessee, to July, 1865. 2nd Infantry Brigade, District of West Tennessee, to September 1865. Dept. of Tennessee to December, 1865.

SERVICE: Duty at Memphis, Tenn., and in the District of West Tennessee till December, 1865. Consolidated with 3rd United States Colored Heavy Artillery December, 16, 1865.

So far, four men from Williamson County have been identified as having enlisted in the 88th US Colored Infantry.  Both were later transferred to the 3rd US Colored Heavy Artillery on January 1, 1866.

• Isaac Berry initially enlisted in the 9th US Colored Heavy Artillery and was transferred to the 88th, later he was transferred to the 3rd USCHA.

• Abram Dickinson enlisted in the 88th at Memphis on January 19, 1865. 

• Samuel Horton enlisted in the 88th USCI (New) at Memphis on January 31, 1865. Following the War, he settled in Shelby County, TN with his wife and four children. 

• Burns McLemore enlisted in the 88th USCI (New) Company F at Memphis on January 31, 1865. 

The records for this regiment have not yet been indexed - meaning it is not yet possible to search by location or name. Identifying men in this regiment requires painstaking, page-by-page research of thousdands of documents. It is likely there are many more men with ties to Williamson County, TN who served in this regiment. This is true for all the men who served in the 56th through the 138th US Colored Infantry regiments.

Resources:

• Regimental and Company Books of the 88th U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment

• Battle Unit Details, NPS.

• Roster from Ranger95.com

• Approved Pension Application File for Dependents of William Dickerson, Company D, 88th USCT Infantry Regiment (Application No. WC108548)

• Pension Application for Pvt. Antoine Brown, 84th USCT Co H