1st Regiment, United States Colored Infantry

Brief History
Organized May 19, - June 30, 1863 as 1st District of Columbia Infantry (African descent.)

Designation changed to 33rd U.S. Colored Troops, April 4, 1864. Mustered out September 29, 1865.

The First Regiment of United States Colored Troops was organized in the District of Columbia. The regiment lost 4 officers and 67 enlisted men killed or morally wounded and 1 officer and 113 enlisted ment to disease during the war.

For a clendar of events this regiment participated in.

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 A Company B Company C Company D Company E Company F Company G Company H Company I ? Company J Company K "Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer contains no history for this unit

National Archives

 * Disapproved Pension File for Emily Collins, Widow of Private William Collins, Company G, 1st U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment (WO-523434)

Other Sources

 * 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.


 * United States. National Archives and Records Administration. Compiled Military Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served With the United States Colored Troops : 1st United States Colored Infantry, 1st South Carolina Volunteers (Colored), Company A, 1st United States Colored Infantry. (Washington, D.C. : National Archives and Records Administration, 1997), 19 Microfilm rolls. Microfilms found at and Other Libaries.         Contents:        1st United States Colored Infantry. reel 1. Abrams, William-Berkely, George -- reel 2. Berry, Columbus-Brown, Henry -- reel 3. Brown, Henry-Cartlet, Philip -- reel 4. Cassells, James-David, John A. -- reel 5. Davis, Albert-Felton, Calvin -- reel 6. Felton, Lewis-Green, Henry 2d -- reel 7. Green, James-Holland, Jacob -- reel 8. Holland, John-Johnson, George F. -- reel 9. Johnson, George O.-Lee, John Isaac -- reel 10. Lee, Nelson-Miles, Oliver -- reel 11. Miles, Sandy-Peterson, Richard -- reel 12. Pettyjohn, J. B.-Roman, William Henry -- reel 13. Roos, John-Smith, Whitehall -- reel 14. Smith, William-Thompson, Archey -- reel 15. Thompson, Benjamin-Washington, Henry -- reel 16. Washington, John-Winn, William -- reel 17. Winston, Felix-Young, William ; 1st United States Colored Infantry, Miscellaneous Service Cards, Abrams, William-Lumis, Allen -- reel 18. Mabey, Dempsey-Young, William ; 1st South Carolina Volunteers (Colored), Albright, Friday-Wilson, Price -- Company A, 1st United States Colored Infantry (1 year). reel 19. Adams, Nathan-Wright, Robert.
 * Taylor, Susie King. Reminiscences of My Life in Camp With the 33rd United States Colored Troops, Late 1st S.C. Volunteers (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1994), 82 pages. Digital copy at Internet Archives. Book at other libraries and microfiche at
 * Higginson, Thomas Wentworth.Army Life in a Black Regiment (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1994), 235 pages.   The First South Carolina Colored Troops were later called The 33rd Colored Infantry Regiment. Includes index.  Digital copies at Google Books, and Internet Archives. Book at Other Libraries.


 * 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.