They marched through the gates but never marched out. Death at the camp of illness. Camp William Penn soldiers who died at the camp or the hospitals that they were sent to.

Sadly, no public monument exists to call attention to the sacrifice of several hundred black soldiers commonly referred to as United States Colored Troops (USCT) who died in the Camp William Penn hospital or to other hospitals that they were sent to. Almost all of these soldiers are buried at the nearby Philadelphia National Cemetery where an information plaque recently installed calls attention to their vital importance in winning the war. Camp William Penn was the largest federal training camp in the country for these soldiers. These deaths have been thoroughly researched and recorded with documentation of the time.

Throughout Pennsylvania, except for Gettysburg and Johnstown, there is no tribute to this many deaths that occurred within a single event, in this case the Civil War. Gettysburg, for instance, has hundreds of monuments to ensure that the courage and sacrifices of soldiers will be recognized in perpetuity, but the Camp William Penn deaths have no such monument. The deaths of these soldiers, many of whom were not recognized as citizens of our country at the time deserves recognition, particularly at a time when the responsibilities of citizenship are debated and most Americans have little knowledge of the pillars of our democracy, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Another piece of our local history, again fully researched and recorded with documentation of the time and almost totally unrealized by all is the fact that possibly well over 400 of the 1,000 black Civil War soldiers and sailors buried in the Philadelphia National Cemetery may have been at one time of their lives held in enslavement in the Southern States. With the 250th anniversary of our country at hand and the desire to shout out our history, it is ripe time to join with the celebrations with this newfound history.

All deaths have been documented, and almost all have been verified by a Death Certificate and the few that a death certificate could not be found, the death was verified by the soldiers military records.

Ed McLaughlin, Lbimorgam@comcast.net

Soldiers that Trained and Died at Camp William Penn and Are Buried at the Philadelphia National Cemetery

  • Allen, John P.   Company I   8th USCT
  • Allen, Richard   Company C   25th USCT
  • Anderson, Reuben Company K   25th USCT
  • Anderson, Samuel   Company F   8th USCT
  • Baker, Allen   Company K   25th USCT
  • Bales, George aka Bale, George aka  Ball, George  Co D  25th USCT
  • Ball, Lindall, (Edward)    Company F  43rd USCT
  • Baptist, John    Company A   24th USCT
  • Bards, Julius    Company I   127th USCT
  • Batty, Alexander aka Brady, Alex   Company I 32nd USCT
  • Beacham, John   Company K   43rd USCT
  • Bearen, James  aka Brown, James Company I   22nd USCT
  • Beason, Elijah   Company B   8th USCT
  • Beckers, Joseph   Company D 25th USCT
  • Beckett, William   Company D    25th USCT
  • Bigsby, John   Company G   25th USCT
  • Bird, William F.    Company E   25th USCT
  • Blackson, Benjamin   Company K   25th USCT
  • Blackson, William   Company I   32nd USCT
  • Boston, Joseph aka Baston, Joseph Co H   24th USCT
  • Bouser, George   Company K   25th USCT
  • Bowers, George   Company B   32nd USCT
  • Brown, Benjamin   Company K   127th USCT
  • Brown, George   Company C   8th USCT
  • Brown, James   Company I   22nd USCT
  • Burr, George   Company C   22nd USCT
  • Bush, Caesar   Company B   25th USCT
  • Camp, Henry   Company H   32nd USCT
  • Campbell, Peter   Company F   25th USCT
  • Cannon, William   Company D   25th USCT
  • Catline, Alfred   Company D   8th USCT
  • Coggins, Thomas  aka Cozzins, Thomas  Co H  32nd USCT
  • Connelly, Richard   Company B   25th USCT
  • Cox, David   Company A   43rd USCT
  • Cropper, George  Company A  3rd USCT
  • Cunningham, Henry   Company D   43rd USCT
  • Dallis, George M.    Company E   45th USCT
  • Davis, Clayborn   Company D   8th USCT
  • Dirt, James  Company G   8th USCT
  • Dorsey, William S   Company B   8th USCT
  • Downing, Joseph   Company H   32nd USCT
  • Dunmore, Thomas N.  Company E   43rd USCT
  • Dunn, Miller  Company E   6th USCT
  • Fagan, Joseph R.   Company B   22nd USCT
  • Falls, Aaron   Company A   22nd USCT
  • Fields, James   Company H   8th USCT
  • Fisher, Lewis Company B   25th USCT
  • Fleming, William   Company A 127th USCT
  • Foreman, John   Company G & B   41st USCT
  • Fortune, Richard  Company G   32nd USCT
  • Fountain, Robert   Company A   32nd USCT
  • Fowler, Eli   Company B   32nd USCT
  • Fullum, Samuel   Company A   43rd USCT
  • Furguson, Benjamin   Company C   22nd USCT
  • Gales, Alfred   Company D   22nd USCT
  • Gardner, Francis   Company B   43rd USCT
  • Green, George   Company C   24th USCT
  • Green, Zebulon   Company A   24th USCT
  • Gross, Jacob   Company F   22nd USCT
  • Hall, John H.    Company K   32nd USCT
  • Hall, John P.    Company I & D   41st USCT
  • Halsey, John   Company H   3rd USCT
  • Hamilton, Anderson  Company I   43rd USCT
  • Harris, George   Company F   25th USCT
  • Harris, John   Company C   32nd USCT
  • Harrison, James   Company F   22nd USC
  • Harrod, Charles   Company B   32nd USCT
  • Henry, Samuel   Company F   22nd USCT
  • Hilton, Matthew   Company A   25th USCT
  • Holly, Dennis   Company I   22nd USCT
  • Hopkins, George   Company D   25th USCT
  • Horten, Robert  Company H   8th USCT
  • Howard, Charles F   Company H   22nd USCT
  • Howard, William   Company C  32nd USCT
  • Hubbard, James   Company B   25th USCT
  • Ilar, Aquilla   Company C   32nd USCT
  • Johnson, Joseph   Company A   41st USCT
  • Johnson, Joseph   Company D   32nd USCT
  • Johnson, Thomas   Company A   32nd USCT
  • Johnson, William C.    Company D   24th USCT
  • Jones, Richard   Company D   43rd USCT
  • Jones, Richard M.    Company E   6th USCT
  • Jones, Robert   Company I   32nd USCT
  • Jones, Samuel   Company H   25th USCT
  • Jones, William Company C   43rd USCT
  • King, James   Company E   22nd USCT
  • Laws, Edward aka Lewis, Edward Co G 24th USCT
  • Lewis, Anderson   Company C   43rd USCT
  • Lingo, John   Company A   32nd USCT
  • Liverpool, John   Company A   24th USCT
  • Lofland, Jonathan   Company G 25th USCT
  • Luckett, George H.   Company B   25 USCT
  • Lutter, Charles aka Luther, Charles Co B 43rd USCT
  • Mackelvein, Henry – 25th USCT
  • Mahoney, Charles   Company K & A   41st USCT
  • Mason, Samuel   Company B   127th USCT
  • Matthews, Peter N.    Company A   24th USCT
  • Maze, William   Company G   25th USCT
  • McCarley, William aka  McArley, William  aka McCally, William  Company I 25th USCT
  • McDonald, George   Company I & D   41st USCT
  • Mike, Samuel M. – 43rd USCT
  • Miller, Asa   Company C   25th USCT
  • Miller, Gettis   Company H   45th USCT
  • Miller, Peter   Company B   32nd USCT
  • Miller, Robert   Company D   43rd USCT
  • Mitchell, Jeremiah   Company C   25th USCT
  • Montgomery, John   Company D   25th USCT
  • Moody, Samuel   Company D   6th USCT
  • Morgan, Samuel   Company E   32nd USCT
  • Morris, Benjamin   Company B   25th USCT
  • Morris, Francis   Company B   43rd USCT
  • Morris, Hugh A.    Company E   8th USCT
  • Nash, Jonas   Company B   127th USCT
  • Norris, Robert   Company I   41st USCT
  • Palmer, Henry W.    Company C   8th USCT
  • Pastels, Jonthan   Company C   22nd USCT
  • Penneypacker, Thomas W. – 22nd USCT
  • Peters, Reuben M.    Company B   43rd USCT
  • Potter, William   Company K   43rd USCT
  • Powell, Thomas   Company H   32nd USCT
  • Price, John J.   Company E   25th USCT
  • Prosser, William H.    Company G   45th USCT
  • Quay, John   Company E   25th USCT
  • Quillan, Edward   Company D   24th USCT
  • Reckless, Joshua   Company H   22nd USCT
  • Redden, Luther  aka Reddin, Luther aka
  • Reddeng, Luther  Co C   25th USCT
  • Redding, Jacob   Company C   25th USCT
  • Rice, Josiah   Company B   32nd USCT
  • Richardson, Alpheus K. Company A 43rd USCT
  • Richardson, William   Company A   127th USCT
  • Ringold, John   Company D   45th USCT
  • Robinson, George   Company G   24th USCT
  • Robinson, William   Company I   24th USCT
  • Rodney, Henry   Company K   25th USCT
  • Salmons, Benjamin   Company K   25th USCT
  • Schanck, Alfred   Company D   22nd USCT
  • Scott, George W.   Company I   22nd USCT
  • Shaler, William   Company G   32nd USCT
  • Shaw, Benjamin F   Company D   25th USCT
  • Short, Alfred   Company K   25th USCT
  • Short, Isaac   Company K   32nd USCT
  • Smith, Charles   Company K & A   41st USCT
  • Smith, George   Company H   22nd USCT
  • Stanton, David R.    Company K   25th USCT
  • Steele, Luke   Company G   25th USCT
  • Stephenson, Dallas   Company B   32nd USCT
  • Stephenson, David   Company I   25th USCT
  • Sterling, William   Company C   6th USCT
  • Stevenson, Robert   Company F   22nd USCT
  • Stout, Lewis   Company B   22nd USCT
  • Sutlif, Henry   Company K   32nd USCT
  • Sutton, Benjamin   8th USCT
  • Sykes, Abraham   Company G   25th USCT
  • Taylor, Edward   Company H   22nd USCT
  • Taylor, Phoenix  Company F   32nd USCT
  • Thomas, Henry   Company G   8th USCT
  • Thomas, John   Company H   45th USCT
  • Thomas, Peter   Company H   25th USCT
  • Thompson, David   Company D   43rd USCT
  • Thompson, Joseph  aka Thompson, Josiah  Co F  22nd USCT
  • Tillman, Abraham   Company F   32nd USCT
  • Van Allen, Samuel   Company E   22nd USCT
  • Vandorn, Charles   Company A   25th USCT
  • Walter, Isaac   Company D   22nd USCT
  • Warrick, William   Company I   127th USCT
  • Washington, George   Company A   32nd USCT
  • Washington, James   Company D   8th USCT
  • Washington, Sandy   Company K & A   41st USCT
  • Watson, Peter   Company B   32nd USCT
  • Wells, George   Company G   25th USCT
  • West, Harrison   Company H   25th USCT
  • Wheeler, Benjamin  Company A   25th USCT
  • White, Robert   Company G   45th USCT
  • Williams, Daniel   Company K   45th USCT
  • Williams, James   Company D   3rd USCT
  • Williams, Wyatt   Company E   45th USCT
  • Wilmer, Edward   Company B   32nd USCT
  • Wilson, Alfred Company B   127th USCT
  • Wilson, Frederick   Company K   24th USCT
  • Wilton, Kelly   Company K   43rd USCT
  • Yates, Thomas   Company A   22nd USCT
  • Thomas, Charles – 22nd USCT

Soldiers that Trained and Died at Camp William Penn and Are Buried Someplace Other that the Philadelphia National Cemetery

  • Bardo, Julius Company I 127th USCT
  • Barnard, Eugene aka Banard, Eugene
  • Blade, James Company K 32nd USCT
  • Blockson, Benjamin Company K 25th USCT Company D 25th USCT
  • Blockson, William Company K 32nd USCT
  • Boston, Joseph Company H 24th USCT
  • Bowie, Singleton Company B 41st USCT
  • Branson, John Company K 32nd USCT
  • Brinkley, Peter Company G 25th USCT
  • Brister, James A aka Bryster, James A aka Byster, James A Co H 25th USCT
  • Brown, Henry Company K 41st USCT
  • Conley, Richard Company B 25th USCT
  • Crawford, George 32nd USCT
  • Dorton, Samuel Company C 32nd USCT
  • Edgerton, Charles M. Company G 25th USCT
  • Fiderman, William Company A 6th USCT
  • Fisher, William Company F 32nd USCT
  • Forten, Robert Bridges 43rd USCT
  • Fullam, Thomas A Company I 32nd USCT
  • Green, Jeremiah Company E 32nd USCT
  • Hall, John C. Company B 32nd USCT
  • Hall, William N. Company B 32nd USCT
  • Harrad, Charles Company B 32nd USCT
  • Hebbron, Samuel aka Hebron, Samuel Co F 24th USCT
  • Irela, Aquilla Company C 32 USCT
  • Jackson, Bennett Company B & A 25th USCT
  • Johnson, Charles Company E 32nd USCT
  • Johnson, Charles H. Company C 32nd USCT
  • Johnson, John Company K 32nd USCT
  • Johnson, Joseph Company A 41st USCT
  • Jones, David Company K 25th USCT
  • Lake, Robert A Company H 32nd USCT
  • Mayes, William Company G 25th USCT
  • McLlvaine, Henry aka MacKelwain Company A 32nd USCT
  • McMicken, Samuel Company I 32nd USCT
  • Morris, George W. Company H 24th USCT
  • Murray, Henry S. Company B 25th USCT
  • Norris, Robert 41st USCT
  • Palmer, Harvey 8th USCT
  • Polk, William Trustin Company B 24th USCT
  • Purnell, Solomon Company I 24th USCT
  • Reckless, Joshua Company H 22nd USCT
  • Redding, Luther Company C 25th USCT
  • Robinson, Hansel Company K 25th USCT
  • Robinson, John H Company B 43rd USCT
  • Rockwell, Isaac Company K & A 41st USCT
  • Ross, William Company H 24th USCT
  • Short, Jacob Company K 32nd USCT
  • Smith, David Company B 25th USCT
  • Stevenson, Benjamin F Company A 43rd USCT
  • Stevenson, David Company I 25th USCT
  • Still, George Company E 25th USCT
  • Thomas, Peter Company I 25th USCT
  • Thomas, Walter Company E 25th USCT
  • Trimble, Thomas Company E 25th USCT
  • Trusty, Wallace M Company E 22nd USCT
  • Vickers, Joseph Company D 25th USCT
  • Warner, John Company K 25th USCT
  • Wills, George Company G 25th USCT
  • Wilmor, Alfred aka Wilmer, Fred Company A 41st USCT
  • Woodward. John Company G 25th USCT
  • Young, Thomas Company I 22nd USCT

Soldiers that Trained at Camp William Penn, then went off to Battle or Became Ill and Returned to Philadelphia, Died and Are Buried at the Philadelphia National Cemetery

  • Augustus, George F Company E 43rd USCT
  • Berry, Henry Company B 43rd USCT
  • Drummond, Levin Company A 43rd USCT
  • Howard, William Company B 25th USCT
  • Jackson, Addison Company H 22nd USCT
  • Jones, Nelson Company F 43rd USCT
  • McDonald, George Company I 41st USCT
  • Miller, Peter Company D 8th USCT
  • Monday, John aka Mundy, John Company H 8th USCT
  • Moplington, John G Company I 45th USCT
  • Morris, David Company I 6th USCT
  • Porter, Richard Company E 43rd USCT
  • Prior, Lewis 8th USCT
  • Rial, James Company A 43rd USCT
  • Robinson, William Company G 24th USCT
  • Simmons, James Company F 43rd USCT
  • Upchon, William J aka Upshon, William 3rd

Soldiers that Trained at Camp William Penn, then Went off to Battle or Became Ill and returned to Philadelphia, Died and Are Buried Someplace other than the Philadelphia National Cemetery

  • Cornish, Edward Company B 25th USCT
  • Griffin, William Company E 6th USCT
  • Lum, David Company A 43rd USCT
  • Thomas, Charles Company K 32nd USCT