Washington Anderson (1838)

Born 1838 in Ottawa, LaSalle, Illinois, United States

Died [date unknown] in United States

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Biography

Washington Anderson is a part of US Black heritage.

Private Washington Anderson served in the United States Civil War.
Side: USA

Washington Anderson was born about 1838^[1] in Ottawa, Illinois^[2]. He served with the famous 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry during the American Civil War.

He stood about 5 feet and 7 inches (1.7m) tall with dark skin, brown eyes and black hair when he enlisted in 1863.^[2]

Occupations

• 1863^[1]: Farmer

Residences

• 1863: Chicago, Illinois (military enlistment)^[1]

Military Service

During the Civil War, he served as a Private in Company H of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the second^[3] regiment in the United States made up entirely of enlisted men of color. He was about 25 years old, single and working as a farmer when he enlisted on 21 April 1863 from Chicago, Illinois. Deserted 6 February 1864 from Hilton Head in South Carolina.^[1]

Research Notes

Raymoure-1 14:59, 29 February 2020 (UTC): Possible grave? 1910 census gives his race as Mulatto, but his birthplace as Missouri.

Projects

• 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Emilio, McKay Roster
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} regimental descriptive
3. ↑ and the first with federal recognition; the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry regiment was against the wishes of the Secretary of War and filled only six companies, but did see action a full year before the 54th

• Emilio, Luis Fenollosa. History of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, 1863-1865, Boston, Massachusetts: Boston Book Co., 1891 (1st ed.) and 1894 (2nd ed.)
• Fold3.com. "Records of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry Regiment (Colored), 1863-1865." National Archives Catalog #577134. "Regimental and Company Books of Civil War Volunteer Union Organizations, compiled 1861 - 1865." Free Access Civil War Records 1-15 April 2018.