Battle of Island Mound Historical Marker

This historical marker commemorates the Battle of Island Mound where African American troops fought on behalf of the state of Kansas during the Civil War in October of 1862. At this site, an American force of 240 Black soldiers, many of whom had been enslaved prior to the start of the war, fought as part of the 1st Kansas Color Volunteer Infantry and turned back a larger force of proslavery Missouri partisans. This battle marked the first time that an organized unit of Black soldiers saw action in the Civil War, an important turning point as approximately 200,000 Black soldiers and sailors would later serve in the U.S. Army during the war.  The designation of state service is significant as the United States Army had not yet accepted Black soldiers in their ranks and would not do so until after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863.

Many of the members of the First Kansas Colored secured their freedom by arriving in Kansas. For example, 1st Kansas soldier George Washington had fled slavery in Virginia and joined the state-organized regiment along with many others who had liberated themselves shortly before deciding to risk their lives in the war. Enlistees in 1862 had to provide funds for their weapons and uniform while being paid $10 a month.

The Battle of Island Mound took place between Kansas and Missouri border, with about 240 African American soldiers aided by a handful of scouts and officers facing a larger but less organized force of around 400 guerrillas known as bushwhackers. The proslavery partisans would hide and fight against the Union troops while also stealing from area residents in places like Missouri, using the Civil War sometimes as a pretense for crimes ranging from theft to rape. The plan by the bushwhackers was to start a fire to draw out the Kansas troops from their positions. Instead, the . Kansas soldiers stood their ground and took the offensive, leading to an extended skirmish that included hand-in-hand combat with the guerrillas. Eight soldiers of the 1st Kansas Colored were killed along with eleven wounded, but they forced the bushwhackers to retreat and held the field, marking the first of many victories for the First Kansas Colored.

Battle of Island Mound State, Missouri State Parks. Accessed May 5th, 2023. https://mostateparks.com/park/battle-island-mound-state-historic-site.

Beckenbaugh, Terry. "Battle of Island Mound" Civil War on the Western Border: The Missouri-Kansas Conflict, 1854-1865. The Kansas City Public Library. Accessed Thursday, May 4, 2023 - 22:54 at https://civilwaronthewesternborder.org/encyclopedia/battle-island-mound

The Battle of Island Mound And African American Soldiers , The Civil War in Missouri . Accessed May 5th, 2023. http://www.civilwarmo.org/educators/resources/info-sheets/battle-island-mound-and-african-american-soldiers-0.