Excerpt from report by George W. Cole of mutiny by his Black brigade, June 1865

Union regiments were demobilized in the order that they had been organized.  As a result, Black regiments, largely recruited after 1863, were among the last to be sent home.  Some Black soldiers were ordered to the Rio Grande border to fight French-backed forces that had taken control of Mexico.

[Brazos Santiago, TX June 1865]

The majority of the 1^st and 2^nd Regiment USC[olored] Cavalry are residents of Portsmouth and Norfolk and vicinity, and the 2 USC[olored] Cavalry, having met their families and children (nearly 1000 as I am informed), they were unwilling to leave them unprovided with money or rations. Consequently, they became excited and decidedly insubordinate. At which juncture Major Dollard Comd’g instead of being with his men on shore to rule and prevent outrage, retired to the Cabin of the Steamer and some time after called the Line Officers away from their Commands, probably for consultation thus leaving the men on shore unrestrained by their presence.

During the excitement, some (20) twenty Men deserted and left with their families, but in a few hours order was restored and the leaders of the Mutiny I took from the Boat—placed in irons, and have them in custody.

All the men appearing contented before seeing their families, and even afterward promptly obeyed all orders in arresting their comrades, but were enraged at the threat of using white troops to coerce them, as was offered by Major Dollard 2^nd USC[olored] C[avalry].

I found the same feeling of discontent and insubordination in the 1^st Regiment USC[olored] Cavalry. Many were wishing to see their families and being unable to make any provision for their support from not having been paid and rations having been stopped to soldiers and their wives.—

Major Brown, Comd’g 1^st USC[olored] C[avalry] while this state of affairs prevailed left his command and was absent at Norfolk all night leaving his arms on the dock at Fort Monroe, and his Troops in charge of his subordinate officers who found it necessary to shoot (not fatally) one man and turn over to me six more whom I ironed.

With the exception of Major Brown. . . and Major Dollard. . , the officers of the Brigade both Staff and Regimental were all prompt and dutiful, and for their close attention to duty, and sober, earnest labor in the prompt and thorough embarkation of this Command (no boat being detained an hour) they merit my warmest thanks, not one being behind time or neglecting an order a course of conduct which if pursued by their superiors would I am convinced have prevented any disturbance whatever, for every man left Camp as cheerfully as ever before.

I should have placed both Major Brown and Major Dollard in arrest but for the apparent encouragement to the insubordinate enlisted men—

I have mentioned the condition of the families, etc. not as an excuse for the conduct of the men but showing the cause of the excitement and the stupidity of permitting them the inflammatory stimulus of free intercourse with the howling multitude—

We arrived at Mobile Bay the 23^rd instead of having had a smooth voyage of seven (7) days where (Fort Morgan) we found orders to proceed to Brazos Santiago, Texas.

A report of the voyage from Mobile Bay to Brazos Texas will be forwarded as soon as practicable.  I remain Very Respectfully Your Obedient Servant

George W. Cole

Source: Reprinted in Berlin, Ira and Leslie S. Rowland, eds. Families and Freedom: A Documentary History of African American Kinship in the Civil War Era. New York: New Press, 1997. 127. (Document 4.12.3)