Capt. A. G. Crew, 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry, Company A
Capt. A.G. Crew served as the commander of Company A in Col. James M Williams' battalion at the Battle of Island Mound, Bates County, Missouri, in October 1862. Crew, a white officer, was killed on 29 Oct 1862 while attempting to rescue a group of soldiers entrapped by the Confederate guerillas near the encampment of soldiers with the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry. This skirmish was one of several at the site on October 28th and 29th, known as the Battle of Island Mound. This Battle was of national significance because it was the first Civil War battle in which black soldiers engaged in combat.
The 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry was organized in 1862. The soldiers were runaway slaves, freed slaves, some Cherokees, and white officers. On October 27th, 1862, detachments of the regiment arrived in Bates County, Missouri, to "clean out" Confederate bushwhackers encamped on an island in the Marais Des Cygnes (Osage) river. They set up encampment in the yard of the Toothman farm, home of an infamous Confederate. The soldiers called the encampment "Fort Africa". Several skirmishes broke out on the 28th & 29th. On the afternoon of the 29th, John Sixkiller and his former slaves were sent out to scout the area near the "fort". It was reported that they traveled further than ordered and were entrapped by a group of Confederate rebels. Additional soldiers, including Capt. Crew, left camp to rescue the soldiers. Eight soldiers lost their lives in the skirmish that ensued: Capt. A. G. Crew, Co. A; Corp. Joseph Talbot, privates Samuel Davis, Thomas Lane, Marion Barber, Allen Rhodes, and Henry Gash, all of Co. F; and John Sixkiller, the Cherokee leader of the black soldiers. Talbot, Davis, Lane, Barber, and Gash were reported to have been Sixkiller's slaves, who enlisted in the Army with him. Two scouts had been killed the day before.
A correspondent for The New York Times, who was with the regiment at the Toothman farm, recorded the events in an article entitled, "Affairs in the West.; A Negro Regiment in Action-- The Battle of Island Mounds - Desperate Bravery of the Negros - Defeat the Guerrillas - An Attempted Fraud." The article was published in the New York Times November 19, 1862, p. 8.
The Battle of Island Mound was not of significant military importance, but the engagement had national significance because it was the first time that black soldiers engaged in combat in the Civil War. At the time of the Battle, black soldiers were not allowed to be mustered into the Union Army, but they were willing to serve and do their part. The nation took notice of their military prowess. Upon enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, black soldiers were mustered into the Union Army.
The site of the skirmish is designated as a Missouri State Park. Information available at: https://mostateparks.com/park/battle-island-mound-state-historic-site.
The New York Times news article is available through Newspapers.com.
Capt. A.G. Crew served as the commander of Company A in Col. James M Williams' battalion at the Battle of Island Mound, Bates County, Missouri, in October 1862. Crew, a white officer, was killed on 29 Oct 1862 while attempting to rescue a group of soldiers entrapped by the Confederate guerillas near the encampment of soldiers with the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry. This skirmish was one of several at the site on October 28th and 29th, known as the Battle of Island Mound. This Battle was of national significance because it was the first Civil War battle in which black soldiers engaged in combat.
The 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry was organized in 1862. The soldiers were runaway slaves, freed slaves, some Cherokees, and white officers. On October 27th, 1862, detachments of the regiment arrived in Bates County, Missouri, to "clean out" Confederate bushwhackers encamped on an island in the Marais Des Cygnes (Osage) river. They set up encampment in the yard of the Toothman farm, home of an infamous Confederate. The soldiers called the encampment "Fort Africa". Several skirmishes broke out on the 28th & 29th. On the afternoon of the 29th, John Sixkiller and his former slaves were sent out to scout the area near the "fort". It was reported that they traveled further than ordered and were entrapped by a group of Confederate rebels. Additional soldiers, including Capt. Crew, left camp to rescue the soldiers. Eight soldiers lost their lives in the skirmish that ensued: Capt. A. G. Crew, Co. A; Corp. Joseph Talbot, privates Samuel Davis, Thomas Lane, Marion Barber, Allen Rhodes, and Henry Gash, all of Co. F; and John Sixkiller, the Cherokee leader of the black soldiers. Talbot, Davis, Lane, Barber, and Gash were reported to have been Sixkiller's slaves, who enlisted in the Army with him. Two scouts had been killed the day before.
A correspondent for The New York Times, who was with the regiment at the Toothman farm, recorded the events in an article entitled, "Affairs in the West.; A Negro Regiment in Action-- The Battle of Island Mounds - Desperate Bravery of the Negros - Defeat the Guerrillas - An Attempted Fraud." The article was published in the New York Times November 19, 1862, p. 8.
The Battle of Island Mound was not of significant military importance, but the engagement had national significance because it was the first time that black soldiers engaged in combat in the Civil War. At the time of the Battle, black soldiers were not allowed to be mustered into the Union Army, but they were willing to serve and do their part. The nation took notice of their military prowess. Upon enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, black soldiers were mustered into the Union Army.
The site of the skirmish is designated as a Missouri State Park. Information available at: https://mostateparks.com/park/battle-island-mound-state-historic-site.
The New York Times news article is available through Newspapers.com.
Capt. A. G. Crew, 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry, Company A
Capt. A.G. Crew served as the commander of Company A in Col. James M Williams' battalion at the Battle of Island Mound, Bates County, Missouri, in October 1862. Crew, a white officer, was killed on 29 Oct 1862 while attempting to rescue a group of soldiers entrapped by the Confederate guerillas near the encampment of soldiers with the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry. This skirmish was one of several at the site on October 28th and 29th, known as the Battle of Island Mound. This Battle was of national significance because it was the first Civil War battle in which black soldiers engaged in combat.
The 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry was organized in 1862. The soldiers were runaway slaves, freed slaves, some Cherokees, and white officers. On October 27th, 1862, detachments of the regiment arrived in Bates County, Missouri, to "clean out" Confederate bushwhackers encamped on an island in the Marais Des Cygnes (Osage) river. They set up encampment in the yard of the Toothman farm, home of an infamous Confederate. The soldiers called the encampment "Fort Africa". Several skirmishes broke out on the 28th & 29th. On the afternoon of the 29th, John Sixkiller and his former slaves were sent out to scout the area near the "fort". It was reported that they traveled further than ordered and were entrapped by a group of Confederate rebels. Additional soldiers, including Capt. Crew, left camp to rescue the soldiers. Eight soldiers lost their lives in the skirmish that ensued: Capt. A. G. Crew, Co. A; Corp. Joseph Talbot, privates Samuel Davis, Thomas Lane, Marion Barber, Allen Rhodes, and Henry Gash, all of Co. F; and John Sixkiller, the Cherokee leader of the black soldiers. Talbot, Davis, Lane, Barber, and Gash were reported to have been Sixkiller's slaves, who enlisted in the Army with him. Two scouts had been killed the day before.
A correspondent for The New York Times, who was with the regiment at the Toothman farm, recorded the events in an article entitled, "Affairs in the West.; A Negro Regiment in Action-- The Battle of Island Mounds - Desperate Bravery of the Negros - Defeat the Guerrillas - An Attempted Fraud." The article was published in the New York Times November 19, 1862, p. 8.
The Battle of Island Mound was not of significant military importance, but the engagement had national significance because it was the first time that black soldiers engaged in combat in the Civil War. At the time of the Battle, black soldiers were not allowed to be mustered into the Union Army, but they were willing to serve and do their part. The nation took notice of their military prowess. Upon enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, black soldiers were mustered into the Union Army.
The site of the skirmish is designated as a Missouri State Park. Information available at: https://mostateparks.com/park/battle-island-mound-state-historic-site.
The New York Times news article is available through Newspapers.com.
Capt. A.G. Crew served as the commander of Company A in Col. James M Williams' battalion at the Battle of Island Mound, Bates County, Missouri, in October 1862. Crew, a white officer, was killed on 29 Oct 1862 while attempting to rescue a group of soldiers entrapped by the Confederate guerillas near the encampment of soldiers with the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry. This skirmish was one of several at the site on October 28th and 29th, known as the Battle of Island Mound. This Battle was of national significance because it was the first Civil War battle in which black soldiers engaged in combat.
The 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry was organized in 1862. The soldiers were runaway slaves, freed slaves, some Cherokees, and white officers. On October 27th, 1862, detachments of the regiment arrived in Bates County, Missouri, to "clean out" Confederate bushwhackers encamped on an island in the Marais Des Cygnes (Osage) river. They set up encampment in the yard of the Toothman farm, home of an infamous Confederate. The soldiers called the encampment "Fort Africa". Several skirmishes broke out on the 28th & 29th. On the afternoon of the 29th, John Sixkiller and his former slaves were sent out to scout the area near the "fort". It was reported that they traveled further than ordered and were entrapped by a group of Confederate rebels. Additional soldiers, including Capt. Crew, left camp to rescue the soldiers. Eight soldiers lost their lives in the skirmish that ensued: Capt. A. G. Crew, Co. A; Corp. Joseph Talbot, privates Samuel Davis, Thomas Lane, Marion Barber, Allen Rhodes, and Henry Gash, all of Co. F; and John Sixkiller, the Cherokee leader of the black soldiers. Talbot, Davis, Lane, Barber, and Gash were reported to have been Sixkiller's slaves, who enlisted in the Army with him. Two scouts had been killed the day before.
A correspondent for The New York Times, who was with the regiment at the Toothman farm, recorded the events in an article entitled, "Affairs in the West.; A Negro Regiment in Action-- The Battle of Island Mounds - Desperate Bravery of the Negros - Defeat the Guerrillas - An Attempted Fraud." The article was published in the New York Times November 19, 1862, p. 8.
The Battle of Island Mound was not of significant military importance, but the engagement had national significance because it was the first time that black soldiers engaged in combat in the Civil War. At the time of the Battle, black soldiers were not allowed to be mustered into the Union Army, but they were willing to serve and do their part. The nation took notice of their military prowess. Upon enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, black soldiers were mustered into the Union Army.
The site of the skirmish is designated as a Missouri State Park. Information available at: https://mostateparks.com/park/battle-island-mound-state-historic-site.
The New York Times news article is available through Newspapers.com.
Gravesite Details
Possibly buried at site of Battle, Bates Co., MO, now a Missouri state historical site
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