73rd Regiment, United States Colored Infantry

Brief History
This regiment was first organized as a Confederate unit, as 1st Louisiana Native Guards in May,1861. After the surrender of New Orleans they offered themselves to the Union. Organized September 27, 1862. April 4, 1864, Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Corps de Afrique, Dept. of the Gulf, to March, 1865. Consolidated with 96th United States Colored Troops September 27, 1865. Mustered-out when terms of service expired.

History of 73rd U.S.C.T.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.


 * Company Rosters by surname
 * Individual names for this regiment (click on name for additional details, including company).

National Archives

 * Congressional Medal of Honor File of Captain Henry C. Nichols, Company E, 73rd U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment. NAID 26124075
 * Congressional Medal of Honor File of Lieutenant Colonel Henry C. Merriam, 73rd U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment. NAID 25619434

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Union Volunteers in the Civil War' and 'United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865' (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Union Volunteers in the Civil War describes many Union sources, specifically for the Union Volunteers, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Wikipedia-1st Louisiana Native Guard: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Louisiana_Native_Guard