Padon Turner was 71 years old in 1910 when he made his statement on behalf of Anderson Shields’ widow, Kate. In doing so, Padon [apparently pronounced like “Peyton”] provided information about his own background. He had been born in Hinds … Continue reading →
Andrew Shields, later known as Anderson Shields, served in the 49th U.S. Colored Infantry – a regiment that began its service as the 11th Louisiana Infantry, African Descent. Just prior to the war, he had married Kate Street, a woman … Continue reading →
At the upcoming National Council on Public History annual meeting in Nashville, I’ll be chairing a panel entitled: “Traces: Making the Invisible Past Visible,” and I’ll be speaking briefly about my research journey in uncovering the story of Milliken’s Bend. … Continue reading →
Benjamin Marshall Mills joined the 49th U.S. Colored Infantry as a lieutenant in the spring of 1864. He routinely wrote his father, abolitionist and Indiana educator Caleb Mills. On June 7, 1864, Lt. Mills commented on the significance of the … Continue reading →
Sarah Wadley was a young woman in Monroe, Louisiana. Her father was an official with the Vicksburg, Shreveport, and Texas Railroad, and her position in Monroe society, and its distance from the battlefields, insulated her from the war for a … Continue reading →