Saying Good-bye

A very rare African American family portrait of two brothers posing in their uniforms w/ weaponry along with their mom before going off to war. Names unknown. Judging by the uniforms and weaponry it appears these men were members of the the United States Colored Troops (USCT). RailSplitter

The United States Colored Troops (USCT) was the embodiment of Frederick Douglass’s belief that “he who would be free must himself strike the blow." Approximately 180,000 men -- many former slaves -- volunteered to fight in the Union army; nearly 40,000 gave their lives for the cause. With every engagement they fought in, African-Americans time and again proved their mettle. At Port Hudson in Louisiana, Fort Wagner in South Carolina, Chaffin's Farm in Virginia, and elsewhere, USCT units displayed courage under fire and won glory on the field of battle. By the end of the war, African-Americans accounted for 10% of the Union Army. The USCT was a watershed in African-American history, and one of the first major strides towards equal civil rights. civilwar.org