As we observe Memorial Day this weekend and consider the sacrifices made on behalf of our country, it is essential that we remember those who truly fought for Freedom and gave their very lives, when the outcome of the Civil War was still unknown and half of the country failed to even acknowledge their humanity. There are more than 5500 burials of U.S. Colored Troops interred at Vicksburg National Cemetery, and according to historian Beth Kruse, 98% of them are marked “Unknown.”

So, then, are the majority of soldiers who died at Milliken’s Bend. Buried on the battlefield or at nearby hospitals where they died, the bodies were disinterred and moved to the newly-established Vicksburg National Cemetery in 1867 and 1868. By this time, any identifying markers at the original site, usually made of wood, had eroded or faded.

Most of the USCT burials from Milliken’s Bend are likely located in some of the lowest-numbered graves in Section M, probably ranging from #1 to #375, according to the Roll of Honor. All of these are “Unknown”.

Any soldier who died in military service but remains “Unknown” is a tragedy, but the loss seems doubly so for those men who were formerly enslaved. Usually given only a single first name, and no last name, they were nearly anonymous during much of their life. Once enlisted into the Union Army, army paperwork ensured they would take (or be given) last names – with some choosing such quintessentially American names like George Washington (at least six men with this name served in a single regiment). Having a full name, carrying a weapon, dressing in a uniform, and fighting for their own and their family’s freedom gave them dignity, respect and honor that most had taken away from them during enslavement.

And yet, so many returned to anonymity so quickly. Records for the 9th Louisiana Infantry, African Descent, were lost in the battle at Milliken’s Bend, meaning formal records of the men who fought there are missing. Those who died were nearly unidentified almost from the start. Some men’s service records are simply a name on a card, nothing more. Undoubtedly, because of the loss of records, some men’s names are literally lost to history.

But this weekend, we must remember them. We must remember who they were, even if we don’t know their names, and what they fought for. Freedom, dignity, respect, equality. We must remember the incredible hardships they faced, and the courage with which they fought.

THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO AMERICAN HISTORY AND THE STORY OF AMERICAN FREEDOM MUST NOT BE ERASED OR FORGOTTEN.