In 1864, several hundred enslaved African American men joined the Union army in Daviess Co. Enlisting in the army meant eventual freedom for the men and their families. Units raised in Daviess Co. took part in important operations at Richmond, Petersburg, and Lee's surrender at Appomattox, as well as campaigns in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Louisiana. Recruits served in the 100th, 109th, and 118th U.S. Colored Infantry and the 5th and 6th U.S. Colored Cavalry. Because many pro-slavery Kentucky Unionists opposed the recruitment of enslaved people, black men in Daviess Co. took great risks to themselves and their families by enlisting.
