Michigan's Civil War "Colored" Soldier's Biographies
Burials in Elmwood Cemetery, Wayne County, Detroit, Michigan
CARTER, William H. was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, about 1841. He lived in Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, Michigan On the 15th of November, 1863 at the age of 18, Carter volunteered for 3 years of service. He was mustered in Detroit as a Private on November 30, 1863. Carter was promoted to First Sergeant of Company F, 102nd U.S. Colored Infantry, on February 2, 1864, as a substitute for Delos Davis, who had deserted. He was appointed Sergeant Major of the 102nd on August 18, 1865 and was transferred to a noncommissioned staff.
A letter written by his commanding officer requesting Carter be granted leave time praised him for being an exemplary and dedicated soldier. He was mustered out at Charleston, South Carolina on September 30, 1865.
There is a William H. Carter colored barber, listed in the Detroit City Directories from 1868 to 1876, living variously at 68 and 91 Crogan Street; 230 High Street; and 253 Grand River.
He was 5' 8' tall; dark hair and eyes; light complexion. Martial status is unknown. Carter died in Detroit, October 16, 1876, of "phthisis" at the age of 35.

GRIFFIN, John was born in Kentucky, and according to U.S. Army Records, he voluntarily enlisted in Detroit, Michigan on December 9, 1863, at the age of 32, to serve for 3 years. However, according to cemetery records, he would have been 51 years of age in 1863. He mustered into Company F, on December 14, 1863, and was discharged for disability at Beaufort, South Carolina, on October 4, 1864.
Griffin was 5' 6" tall, with dark complexion; black hair and eyes. He was a carpenter by trade. He and his wife, Jane, who died in Detroit in 1870, were the parents of 4 children. Two of their children, John born about 1856 and Sarah born in 1866, died early.
John Griffin applied for a disability pension after his discharge. He claimed he suffered a severe cold in Annapolis, Maryland, because of exposture to rain and snow and absence of shelter. His claim was rejected.
Griffin lived in a "Soldiers' Home" and died of typhoid pneumonia at the age of 59 years, in Harper General Hospital, on August 4, 1871.
On October 31, 1887, Griffin's two surviving children, George, age 30 and Louisa, age 24, filed for their father's pension. Their pension claim was rejected also, on the grounds that their father's disability exsisted prior to his enlistment.

Sergeant HODGE was born in Nashville, TN about 1819. He volunteered in the 1st Michigan Colored Infantry on September 16, 1863, in Detroit, Michigan for 3 years. He was mustered into Company C of the U.S. Army on September 21, 1863. He was 44 years of age; 5' 9" in height; dark complexion; black hair and eyes. A laborer by occupation, Sergeant Hodge appeared to be a very strong and robust man at the time of his enlistment. He was mustered out of the army on September 30, 1865, at Charleston, South Carolina.
Greenbury Hodge is listed in the 1855-56 Detroit City Directory living at 69 Crogan Street; in the 1868 directory as a paper hanger, living at 156 Fort, East;; he is also listed in the 1879 directory the year of his death.
On January 22, 1847, at the age of 28 years, he and Loushanna Edwards were married in Detroit by a Justice of the Peace. Loushanna had been married previously to George Edwards who had died two years prior to her marriage to Hodge. They had no children.
While in service Hodge's unit, Company C, was sent to Annapolis, Maryland, in the spring of 1864. He and other soldiers were encamped on rails and logs during a cold drizzling rain; consequently, he suffered a severe cold which developed into a chronic and naggie cough. Hodge never fully recovered from this exposure and was hospitalized at Beaufort, South Carolina and then sent home. His health progessively deteriorated and he could no longer earn a living by doing heavy labor.
He died of phthisis pulmonary at the age of 60, on August 4, 1879.
Loushanna Hodge applied for a widow's pension, claim number 320025, on September 30, 1884.

RATLIFF, Albert J. was one of two Canadian youths who served in the 102nd U.S. Colored Infantry. He was born about 1845 in Gosfield, Ontario, Canada. He lived in York, Washtenaw County, Michigan. He volunteered at age 18, in Ypsilanti, Michigan on November 18, 1863, for 3 years.
At the time of his enlistement, he appeared to be seriously ill and suffered from a "lung disease". The attending surgeon stated he should never be accepted into the Army by the examining physician and was totally unfit for service.
Ratliff's company muster roll shows he was given light duty as a "guard at kitchen". He was subsequently discharged on September 1, 1864, in Detroit for a physical disability diagnosed as phthisis pulmonalis. Ratliff, however claimed he suffered a severe attack of measles in the Army which setttled in both lungs causing him to hemorrhage. After his discharge, he applied for a disability pension and was rejected.
Ratliff was a laborer by occupation and could not write his name. He was 5' 6" in height, light complexion, black hair and eyes.
He died in March, 1866 at age 21.

RILEY, William was born in Rockville, Maryland in 1821. He volunteered into the 1st Michigan Colored Regiment on October 16, 1863. He mustered into Company A of the U.S. 102nd Colored Infantry, on January 29, 1864 in Detroit for 3 years.
He was 43 years of age; 6' 2" in height; dark complexion; dark hair and eyes. He was a laborer who worked as a handle maker at the time of his enlistment.
Riley was mustered out at Charleston, South Carolina, on September 30, 1865. After his discharge, he continued to live in Detroit. In the 1889 Detroit City Directory he was living in a house at the rear of 122 Calhoun Street.
William Riley married Mary Ann Rowse on October 17, 1880, in Detroit. He gave his age as 49 but was actually 59. She was 48, and came from England. She had previously been married to a William Haynes in England, who died at the age of 35. Neither Riley nor his wife, had any children.
In 1890, he applied for disability pension. His claim was denied after his death. According to pension records, Riley's unit was sent to Annapolis, Maryland. The weather was bitter cold and his unit encountered severe blizzard conditions; the soldiers had no shelter, whatsoever. Riley suffered from this extreme exposure and so was plagued with rheumatism and chronic diarrhea for the remainder of his life. He also received a saber wound to his left hand, which left that, permanently crippled.
Riley died in his home of pneumonia on March 28, 1891. He was 70 years old. His wife, Mary Ann spent some years in Detroit then moved to Jackson, Michigan where she died July 9, 1902.

RUSSELL, Robert K. was the alias Charles Hamilton. He was born in Missouri in 1846. Charles Hamilton volunteered in Detroit on December 1, 1863, for 3 years. He claimed to be 21 years of age, but was actually 17 years old. He mustered into Company D of the 102nd U.S. Colored Infantry on December 2, 1863. He changed his name from Hamilton to Russell because his parents refused to give their consent to his volunteering. After discharge, Russell continued to use the alias on all official Army, pension, and Government documents. He was mustered out September 30, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina.
Russell was 5' 5" in height, dark hair, eyes, and complexion. He was a painter by trade who could not write his name. He suffered chronic debilitating rheumatism which was caused by extreme exposure while on duty in South Carolina, during the winter months without shelter. He applied for a disability pension which he received until his death.
Russell lived with a woman named Mary for 10 years from 1876-1886. On April 10, 1886, he married a widow, Annie or Anna Poole, whose husband, Peter Poole had died 7 years previously. Russell had no children. He lived for approximately 16 years in the Wayne County Poor House where he received medical treatment.
On March 29, 1889, at the age of 42, he died on consumption. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery two days later. His address was given as 469 Hastings. The widow, Annie (Anna) lived at 17 East Woodbridge after his death, and subsequently applied for widow's pension.

SHORTER, William was born in the State of New York. He volunteered for 3 years of service in Detroit, Michigan on December 26, 1863. He was mustered into Company G 1st U.S. Colored Infantry, on December 30, 1863.
He was 20 years of age, a farmer by occupation, 5' 11" in height, black hair and eyes and of fair complexion. Shorter was literate and soon received a promotion to Corporal. However, he became seriously ill, and on March 28, 1863, he died in the U.S. General Hospital, less than 6 months after his enlistment, at the age of 21.

SMITH, Henry was born in Burlington, New Jersey in 1835. He volunteered for service in Detroit for 3 years, on December 11, 1863. He was mustered into U.S. 1st Colored Infantry, Company F, on December 15, 1863.
He was 28 years of age; 5' 10" in height, dark hair and eyes, black complexion. He was a laborder by occupation and could write his name. He is listed in the 1865-66 Detroit City Directory as a colored soldier residing at 171 East Fort; he is listed in 1888 as a colored laborer at 141 Calhoun Street. Smith married Mary A. Garden on November 17, 1861.
Smith was promoted to Sergeant on January 3, 1864. However, he suffered from deafness previous to his enlistment which progressively worsened and this made it very difficult for him to follow order. Consequently, he was demoted back to private 9 months later on October 1, 1864. He was mustered out at Orangeburg, South Carolina, on July 13, 1865.
After his discharge, Smith applied for a disability pension. He claimed he was a little deaf prior to his enlistment; however he contracted a severe cold and fever while serving in Florida and South Carolina and this illness made his deafness much worse.
His application for a disability pension was rejected after two investigators visited Smith and claimed he could readily understand all the questions addressed to him, in an "ordinary tone of voice."
Smith died March 9, 1889 at the age of 53, of typhoid fever. His wife, Mary died in Detroit on August 10, 1910.

WILLIAMS, Henry Hugh was born in Malden, Ontario, Canada in 1850. He volunteered for service in Hamtramck, Michigan for 1 year, on September 13, 1864, at the age of 18. He was assigned to Company F U.S. Colored Infantry as a private.
His mother, Dice Williams, who was illiterate, had a letter written to the Army, stating her son, Henry was actually 14 years of age and he had entered the Army without her knowledge and consent, and that he had been fraudulently enlisted by the admitting officer. Henry was not mustered out until September 30, 1865 in Charleston, South Carolina.
According to Army records, Henry was a laborer who could write his name. He was 5' 4" in height, dark complexion, dark hair and eyes.
Henry married Alice Vaughn, a dressmaker, on March 26, 1874, in Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio. The couple later adopted a daughter, Eureka, who was born October 29, 1886.
After leaving the Army, Henry later entered the ministry and became a Baptist minister until his death at the age of 38. His death certificate stated he died from congestion of the lungs and kidneys on November 7, 1888. At the time of his death, he was residing at 53 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. After his death, his wife, Alice moved to 154 Calhoun Street Detroit, Michigan. She applied for a pension which she received effective on June 27, 1890. She died October 28, 1906 in Detroit.

THOMAS, Benjamin was born in 1845 in Virginia. He was known by two names, either Berry Thomas or Benjamin Thomas. At the age of 20, he enlisted in the Army and was assigned to Company C, 1st Colored Infantry for 3 years. He was mustered on January 31, 1865 in Pontiac, Michigan, as a substitute for John Nixon who was drafted from Pontiac. Thomas joined the regiment at Orangeburg, South Carolina, and was reassigned to Company K on May 31, 1865. He was mustered out in Charleston, South Carolina, on September 30, 1865.
Thomas was an illiterate laborer, 5' 1/4" in height, he had dark eyes, and black complextion with "wooley" hair. Marital status was unknown.
He died August 16, 1866, at the age of 21, cause of death, unknown.

WALKER, Daniel B., a slave, was born in 1820, in Virginia. He volunteered for 3 years of Army service on November 23, 1863, at the age of 43. He was mustered on February 17, 1864, in Detroit, Michigan. While in the service, he became the company cook. He was mustered out in Charleston, South Carolina, on September 30, 1865.
Walker was about 5' 6" in height, dark complexion, dark hair and eyes, and could not write his name. He listed his occupation as farmer. He received a disability pension for a knee injury received in the service.
Walker is listed in Detroit City Directory in 1889-90. He lived alternately in Detroit and Hamtramck.
He married twice. His first wife, Celia Walker, died in 1880. On November 30, 1881, he married to his second wife, Amy Eurica Hurd, then age 27. They were married by a Justice of the Peace in Hamtramck.
Walker died July 13, 1890, at the age of 70, from "old age and asthma".




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