A piece of history, rediscovered
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on March 26, 2018 5:50 AM
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Jay Bauer, right, reviews regimental records the Bauers collected from the National Archives, with Donald Harmond and James Jones, re-enactors for the 135th USCT Living History Weekend.
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News-Argus/ROCHELLE MOORE
Jay Bauer, right, reviews regimental records the Bauers collected from the National Archives, with Donald Harmond and James Jones, re-enactors for the 135th USCT Living History Weekend.
Discovery of a forgotten Union troop that formed in Goldsboro will come to life during the 135th USCT Living History Weekend: The Lost Troop, in April.
The living history weekend will take place April 6 and 7 in downtown Goldsboro. Activities and events include an encampment, a pop-up museum, exhibits, a symposium, period music and well-known speakers.
The event is a culmination of three years of work in piecing together details of the lost troop of 1,154 men, including 220 from North Carolina. An estimated 30 soldiers were from Wayne County, said Amy Bauer, who, with her husband, Jay, pieced together records that include stories of the U.S. Colored Troops and their mark on history.
"They enlisted here so this is where the 135th formed, right here in Goldsboro, probably downtown on Center Street," she said. "You put your hand up and you pledge your life to the military -- you deserve to be honored. And this troop was forgotten.
"These men deserve to be treated with total respect."
The USCT living history weekend will offer a chance to learn about history and to honor the troop that played a role near the end of the Civil War.
Gen. William T. Sherman's March to the Sea, along with his March through the Carolinas, required manpower to move more than 60,000 troops. To accomplish the feat, Sherman recruited liberated slaves, and in March 1865, the 135th USCT was formed.
"They weren't as much the fighters as they were the builders," said Deborah Jones, who also has ancestral ties to the troop.
"It's important that they had a contribution and they need to be recognized for their contribution for bringing to an end this Civil War."
The Bauers' journey to uncover details of the troop and its existence led them on six trips to the National Archives where they pulled 360 pension records. The records not only confirmed the existence of the 135th USCT but also included stories about the troop, as well as their names. The Bauers also combed through grave sites across eastern North Carolina, uncovering the locations of troop members.
The discoveries resulted in the Bauers being able to piece together family histories unknown to USCT descendants in North Carolina.
"It affects a huge part of the South," Bauer said.
Sussie Sutton, who lives in Lenoir County, only recently learned that her great-great-grandfather may have served in the 135th USCT.
"I am so elated to be able to find out some of my ancestry," Sutton said. "It makes me feel, sometimes, like I'm on cloud nine.
"It gives me a feeling that I have to live up to what they went through. They fought for us so that we would be free, so that we would have opportunities that they didn't have."
The weekend is promised to draw people from several states, including Maryland, Georgia and Virginia, Bauer said.
"There's got to be maybe 25 families of soldiers that we've identified," which plan to attend, she said.
Prior to the weekend, on April 3, a pop-up museum will be open to the public at 101 Center St. The museum will remain open through April 6, each day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The opening ceremony, with Goldsboro officials and the firing of a cannon, will start at 1 p.m. Friday, April 6, along the 200 block of South Center Street. The site is also the location of an encampment that will be set up Friday from 1 to 4 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Also on Friday, there will be a "Musical Drama of the Civil War," at 9:30 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre. Music will be provided by The Freedom Seekers Heritage Chorale, a local group of 40 members, who will sing spirituals and patriotic songs from 1865. The musical drama includes a special appearance by Majesty Rose, a former Goldsboro contestant on "American Idol."
Events continue Saturday with a symposium, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Paramount Theatre. The sessions available include: Earl Ijames, curator N.C. Museum of History, "North Carolina in the Civil War"; Dr. Malcolm Beech, "History of the USCTs"; Jay and Amy Bauer, the 135th USCT "In Their Own Words"; Dr. Ben Speller, retired dean at North Carolina Central University, genealogy; and Dr. Chris Fonvielle, UNC-Wilmington history professor, "The Importance of the Railroad and General Terry."
The evening concludes with a 6 p.m. dinner at the Goldsboro Event Center, with keynote speaker Hari Jones, a well-known professional Civil War historian and author. Jones is the curator of the African American Civil War Museum, in Washington, D.C. Tickets can be purchased prior to the dinner, with limited seating available. Additional information can be found online at www.135usct.org.
Events, except the Saturday dinner, are open to the public at no cost.
"We're really excited to be able to bring this to town," Bauer said.