McHenry County's USCT Connection-- Part 1: Sgt. John R. Brent, 115th USCT

At the March meeting of Illinois' McHenry County Civil War Round Table at the Woodstock Library, Don Purn, who knows more about McHenry County Civil War veterans than anyone can possibly know, gave a presentation "Soldiers od McHenry County: Colored Units & Soldiers' Homes."

He first went through a list of McHenry County's veterans who served in United States Colored Troops units. I was surprised to find that there were some, considering how far north McHenry County is.

When blacks were finally allowed to serve in the Union Army, they were put into regiments of the USCT, United States Colored Troops. These units, however, were commanded by white officers. Some of those white officers did so for their belief in equality, but many did so because of the chance for advancement in rank, often from enlisted to officer.

--Old Secesh