On a Cold Day, Brave Names Ring Out

By Ed Epstein

Washington, D.C.

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Names by the thousands were read aloud today as the Lincoln Group joined in honoring the 209,154 men -- mostly freed slaves -- who enlisted in the United States Colored Troops during the Civil War to fight against the pro-slavery Confederacy.

USCT names were read aloud simultaneously at 10 microphones.

The reading of names went on for long hours on a cold, blustery Veterans Day at the African American Civil War Memorial. But the Lincoln Group was honored to be first up, reading names from the 1st Regiment of the USCT, which was first organized in Washington in May 1863, five months after President Abraham Lincoln called for the enlistment of freed slaves in his Emancipation Proclamation.

John McGruder, Robert McKinney, Bristor McNeal, Nelson Means, Daniel Memmit, Henry Menchio, Ellis Merrick.

The regiment fought in a long series of engagements in Virginia and North Carolina and suffered heavy casualties. A regiment generally consisted of about 1,000 men, but the numbers varied widely due to deaths, injuries, and disease. The 1st lost 185 men during the war. These included four officers and 67 enlisted men killed or who died of wounds later on. One officer and 113 enlisted men died of disease.

Allen Middleton, Alexander Milburn, George Miles, Henry Miles, Oliver Miles, Sandy Miles, George Miller.

The 1st was mustered out of service in late September 1865.

The goal of today's event was to read the names of all the USCT members. Those joining in the reading included many descendants of USCT members and descendants of Frederick Douglass, the African American abolitionist and author. Busloads of people came from Philadelphia and Rock Island, Illinois, among other places, to join in the proceedings. A host of military veterans were also on hand.

Some of the bundled-up Lincoln Groupers with President Lincoln outside the African American Civil War Museum.

The event was originally planned to coincide with the reopening of the African American Civil War Museum, across Vermont Avenue from the war memorial. But the reopening after years of relocation and renovations has been postponed, mainly because of construction delays.

No new date for the reopening has been set.

The Lincoln Group chaired the program in September when a bronze sculpture of a seated President Abraham Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation was dedicated at the entrance to the new 16,000-square-foot museum.

Andrew Morris, James Morrison, Lewis Moseby, Cornelius Mosely, Abraham Moss, George Mullen, Samuel H. Munford.

Photos by Ed Epstein