behind AotW

James Wilson Barnett was a Private in the 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry at Antietam in September 1862 but was First Lieutenant and Quartermaster of the 10th Regiment, US Colored Troops by February 1864. In October 1865, then Assistant Inspector General of the First Brigade, 3rd Division, 25th Army Corps at Corpus Christi, TX, he applied to a selection board for a commission in the Regular US Army [touch a page to enlarge]:

Although he did not receive a commission, this letter is an excellent summary of his war service.

Thanks to Ric Thomas for this, from his considerable collection of documents about J.W. Barnett; as a “youngster” Mr Thomas heard stories about Barnett from his daughter Nancy Elder Barnett (1875-1968).