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Officers from the 4th Colored Infantry at Fort Slocum, April 1865

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This photograph taken in April 1865 pictures officers of the 4th United States Colored Infantry at Fort Slocum near New York City. There are two rows of men total with seven men seated in the front and sixteen standing in the back. Two African-American NCO’s stand on the very right hand side of the second row.
Courtesy of Library of Congress, Smith, William M., "Officers 4th U.S. Colo[r]ed Infantry, Fort Slocum," April 1865

Description

This photograph, taken in April 1865, pictures officers of the 4th United States Colored Infantry at Fort Slocum near New York City. There are two rows of men total with seven men seated in the front and 16 standing in the back. Two African-American NCOs stand on the very right hand side of the second row. One man stands in the window of the building behind these officers.

Source-Dependent Questions

  • The title of this photograph is "Officers 4th U.S. Colo[r]ed Infantry, Fort Slocum." Who were these soldiers and, in general, what would have been their responsibility? What type of soldier would each of these men lead?
  • Two African-American NCOs stand on the very right hand side of the second row. Why is this an important aspect of the 4th U.S. Colored Infantry?
  • What might this photograph reveal about the attitudes and beliefs the United States military held about African-American soldiers and the leadership required to command them?

Citation Information 

Smith, William M., "Officers 4th U.S. Colo[r]ed Infantry, Fort Slocum," April 1865. Courtesy of Library of Congress