Black Union Soldiers and the Fight for Freedom

The Battle of Westport, the largest Civil War engagement west of the Mississippi River, featured heavy participation from African American Union forces, making up approximately 15% of the troops involved. This contingent included the first instance of battlefield command by Black officers. Despite the significant contribution of these 1,000 members in securing the Union victory, their role in the battle that aided the emancipation of enslaved people in Missouri remains underrecognized.

This engagement concluded major military operations within Missouri and secured vital infrastructure, including trails, railways, and communication lines leading to western states. Daniel Smith, an attorney and chairman of the Monnett Battle of Westport Fund, utilizes archival material, military records, and firsthand accounts to detail the agency, courage, and leadership displayed by these Black Union soldiers on the local landscape.