John Parks enlistment papers
Overview
Enlistment papers for John Parks to join the 2nd Kansas Colored Volunteers, who promised to serve three years in the Army of the United States. Single leaf document, double-sided, co-signed by John Hayes, Jr., second lieutenant and recruiting officer for the 2nd Regiment of Kansas Colored Volunteers. Signed at Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas.
Dates
- Creation: October 1, 1863
Conditions Governing Access
No access restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Spencer Library staff may determine use restrictions dependent on the physical condition of manuscript materials.
Biography of John Parks (1836- )
On his enlistment papers, John Parks indicates he was 27 years old in October 1863 and had been born in Franklin County, Arkansas. He gave his occupation as laborer.
The Second Kansas (Colored) Volunteers were formed in June 1863 at Fort Scott, Kansas after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and the U.S. Army began actively recruiting African American units. The regiment escorted a train to Fort Smith, Arkansas in October 1863 and apparently conducted further enlistments while there.
The regiment remained on duty at Fort Smith until March 1864. It saw action at Jenkins' Ferry in April 1864. In December 1864, the regiment was reorganized as the 83rd Regiment of the U.S. Colored Infantry. It was discharged at Leavenworth, Kansas in November 1865.
[Information retrieved from collection materials and National Park Service, "83rd Regiment, United States Colored Infantry--New Organization (2nd Regiment, Kansas Colored Infantry," available online at https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UUS0083RI02C.]
Extent
1 folder ; Folder measures 22x37 cm.
Language of Materials
English
Physical Location
RH MS P980
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchase, Between the Covers, 2021.
Source
- Between the Covers Rare Books (Bookseller, Organization)
Subject
- Parks, John, 1836- (Person)
- United States. Army. Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment, 2nd (1863-1864) (Organization)
- United States. Army -- Recruiting, enlistment, etc. -- Civil War, 1861-1865 (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the John Parks Collection
- Subtitle
- John Parks enlistment papers
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by mwh. Finding aid encoded by mwh.
- Date
- 2022-04
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Finding aid written in English.
- Finding aid permalink
- https://hdl.handle.net/10407/5798058371
- Preferred citation
-
John Parks enlistment papers, RH MS P980, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas
Repository Details
Part of the University of Kansas. Kenneth Spencer Research Library Repository