Colleen McCann

Pvt. Samuel Harrison

84th Regiment, Civil War, Freedmen's Branch Records, Rosedown, USCT

Co. F, 84th Regt., U.S.C.T.


Form 41 Memoranda filed by Adam & Ionna Harrison
“United States, Freedmen’s Branch Records, 1872-1878,” image NARA0397,  FamilySearch, Natchez, MS (disbursing officer) > Roll 38, Memorandums of examination of claimants, no 281894-615771, 1872-1877 > image 398 of 1017; citing NARA microfilm publication M2029 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.)

Document search

This document came up in my search in FamilySearch for Turnbull … Filed by parents Adam and Ionna Harrison, making a claim related to their son Samuel. They don’t know many particulars about his enlistment, just that they never saw him again, believing he died at Port Hudson. They state that they still live on Madam Turnbull’s place. Rosa Down, St. Francisville

“Slave – owned by Madam Turnbull – of St. Francisville La – Never heard of his being transferred – never heard of his being a non commd officer. After he left our place and enlisted we never saw him.”

– Adam and Ionna Harrison, parents
Form 41 – Memoranda – Cover Claim by Adam and Ionna Harrison, on December 13, 1873
“United States, Freedmen’s Branch Records, 1872-1878,” image NARA0396, FamilySearch  Natchez, MS (disbursing officer) > Roll 38, Memorandums of examination of claimants, no 281894-615771, 1872-1877 > image 397 of 1017; citing NARA microfilm publication M2029 Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.

Because I am trying to identify the names of potential extended family at Rosedown Plantation in West Feliciana Parish, I had already identified an Adam and Ion Harris there, so now I was able to add Samuel as their son.

Military Record

Fold3 has service records for the USCT in their Civil War Military files under C for Colored Troops in the list of states, as well as the same database under the heading of African American Collection.

Short service

Flag of 84th Regiment at Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of American History

At the age of 26, Samuel Harrison made his way to Port Hudson, Louisiana to enlist in the Union Army on August 10, 1863. He came back about 1 month later to muster in on September 11, 1863. Sadly, he died of typhoid fever 1 short month later on October 14, 1863 there in Port Hudson in the Regimental Hospital.

From the 3rd page in the gallery above, this notation provided a hint as to where to look for a record of Samuel’s death
An entry for Samuel Harrison is 5th from the bottom, verifying Typhoid Fever as the cause of death. Register of Deaths, Vol 1861-1865

Additional documents related to Samuel Harrison

Further research needed based on names found within these documents:

  • Tom Stratton – enlisted at the same time
  • Gustus Crawford – enlisted at the same time
  • Silas Crawford – enlisted at the same time
  • Amos Henderson – enlisted at the same time
  • Harry Wade – witness to claim
  • Wm L Sterling – witness to claim
  • Aggy Rumsey, 424 Franklin St., NO La – witness to claim
  • Wilson Rains 129 St Joseph St., NO La – witness to claim
Ancestry.com has my public tree named: Rosedown Plantation Slaves to Families and related plantations – this is where I consolidate this research.