In the spring of 1863, Adjutant General of the United States, Lorenzo Thomas, traveled to the Mississippi Valley as an ambassador of the government. “I can act precisely as if the President of the United States were himself present,” he announced. He was authorized to “raise as many regiments of blacks as I can.”

These regiments would be officered entirely by whites. The men who composed the officer corps of these infant regiments came mostly from the Midwest – Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Missouri. Many had been in service for at least a year – though some had yet to see combat. Others had come through the horrors of Shiloh or Corinth or the rapid successes at Forts Henry and Donelson.Most jumped several grades in rank, from sergeant to captain, for example, and therefore had much to learn.

Their motivation varied. Some, like Col. Isaac Shepard were genuine abolitionists. Others, like David Cornwell, simply wanted the rank, or the large pay raise that a promotion would bring. Some, probably Elisha DeWitt among them, thought it would be a cushy job, supervising former slaves (now Union laborers) in a garrison backwater, far from the front lines.

At Milliken’s Bend, few of the Union officers had held their rank for more than a couple of months. As a whole, they were inexperienced in their new duties. This made the troops they led particularly vulnerable in the event of an attack, which was exactly what they faced the morning of June 7, 1863.