Edward A. Wild and the African Brigade in the Civil WarEdward Wild, the Union general who headed the all-black African Brigade in the Civil War, was one of the most controversial figures of the 19th century. The man was neither understood nor appreciated by military or civilian, black or white, Northerner or Southerner. Wild was placed in charge of the United States Colored Troops and told to free slaves and gain recruits. He freed hundreds, perhaps thousands, of slaves and settled them safely on Roanoke Island. He also did some inexplicable things, including taking women as hostages and ordering a great deal of property destruction. |
Contents
Acknowledgments vii | 1 |
Family History and Early Life of Edward Augustus Wild | 5 |
Captain Wild United States Army 1861 | 19 |
Colonel Wild 35th Regiment United States Army 1862 | 34 |
Brigadier General Wild United States Volunteers Colored | 55 |
Charleston South Carolina 1863 | 73 |
Wilds Raid on Northeastern North Carolina and Its Results | 93 |
Retaliation and Repercussion | 117 |
The Clopton Whipping and Other Civilian Incidents | 146 |
Fort Powhatan Wilsons Wharf Fort Pocahontas and Other Battles in Virginia | 161 |
CourtMartial of General Wild | 183 |
The Final Months of the War July 1864 to May 1865 | 194 |
The Freedmens Bureau in Georgia and the Chennault Affair | 211 |
The Search for Silver | 245 |
Epilogue | 264 |
Bibliography | 311 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Adjutant African Brigade April arrest August Battery Wagner battle believed Benjamin F black soldiers black troops Boatner Boston Brigadier General Edward Brigadier General Wild Brookline camp Capt Captain captured cavalry charge Charleston Chennault cited in Reid cited in Stevens Clopton colored troops command Company Confederate County court martial Daniel Bright December Draper duty Edward Augustus Wild Edward Wild enemy eral Federal Folly Island forces Fort Monroe Fort Pocahontas Fort Powhatan Frances freedmen Freedmen's Bureau Georgia guerrillas Hinks History hostage Ibid Infantry James January John July June killed Knott's Island letter Lieutenant Colonel Major General Butler March Mass Military Career Morris Island NCCV Negro Norfolk North Carolina officers prisoners raid rebel recruiting Regiment Richmond River Saxton sent September slaves Special Order Steedman Stevens and Bradford Tyler U.S. Army Union USCT Virginia Washington Wead Wild Papers Wild Pension Wild's Wild's brigade Wilkes County William Wilson's Wharf wounded wrote York