Samuel Lett

February is Black History Month! In observance, the Archives of Michigan presents this photo of Samuel Lett. Lett served in the 102nd United States Colored Troops (102nd U.S.C.T.) during the Civil War. This regiment officially mustered into federal service in Michigan on February 17, 1864 -143 years ago this month!

It began as the 1st Michigan Colored Infantry. On March 28, 1864, this regiment boarded a train for Annapolis, Maryland. From there, the men were sent to Hilton Head, South Carolina, arriving on April 19th. On May 23, 1864, the 1st Michigan Colored Infantry officially changed its designation to 102nd U.S.C.T. It was no longer under control of the State of Michigan but instead administered by U.S. Army's Bureau for Colored Troops.

After arriving in Hilton Head, the 102nd was divided, with troops assigned to picket duty (or "guard duty") on St. Helena, Jenkins and Hilton Head Islands. A few weeks later, the regiment was assigned to occupy Port Royal and construct fortifications there. On August 1, 1864, it was sent to Jacksonville, Florida. From there, the men marched twenty-one miles to Baldwin, Florida. There, a Confederate cavalry force attacked them. The 102nd U.S.C.T. fought bravely and drove the invaders from the field! The men continued marching through Florida. At Magnolia, they built more fortifications. Finally, the regiment was transferred to Beaufort, South Carolina, arriving on August 31, 1864.

At this point, Samuel Lett enters the story. He enlisted in Grand Rapids on August 31, 1864. Muster rolls note that he was twenty years old, although no birth date is cited.

Lett was mustered into the 102nd U.S.C.T.'s Company G. He arrived in Beaufort on October 4, 1864. He remained with the 102nd U.S.C.T. until it was mustered out of service at Charleston, South Carolina on September 30, 1865. The descriptive rolls provide no further details on his service, and no other biographical information is available.

We do know that Lett's regiment saw a great deal of action during his tour of duty. In November, 1864, a detachment of 300 joined a Union action to destroy the Charleston and Savannah Railroad around Pocataligo, South Carolina. One of the 102nd men declared that his regiment "covered itself with glory." He asserted that the 102nd "maintained the steadiest line of battle and fought with the greatest determination of any troops." The Confederates possessed greater firepower, however, and Union troops were forced to retreat. Men of the 102nd U.S.C.T. then participated in a successful counterattack to retrieve three hastily-abandoned Union cannons. Fighting continued in December, with the 102nd U.S.C.T. encountering combat at the Tillifinny River.

The year 1865 brought more hardship for the 102nd U.S.C.T. In late January, the entire regiment moved to Pocataligo. The Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War states that the 102nd U.S.C.T. then "made several expeditions in the enemy's country, driving off his cavalry and destroying railroads and building breastworks." The regiment separated into detachments at times, but then reunited in Savannah Georgia in March, 1865. The whole regiment then moved to Charleston, South Carolina.

In April, it again split into two detachments. One was commanded by Colonel Henry L. Chipman; the other by Major Newcom Clark. Chipman's detachment was assigned to march from Charleston to the Santee River at Nelson's Ferry (a total distance of seventy miles). These soldiers encountered - and drove off - Confederate cavalry along the way. Clark's detachment joined with the 54th Massachusetts (another famed African American regiment). This group fought in several skirmishes and encountering a large Confederate force at Boykin's, South Carolina. The Confederates were driven away and the two detachments of the 102nd U.S.C.T. were then reunited. Finally, on the morning of April 21, Companies A, B and C of the 102nd U.S.C.T. faced an attack by two hundred Confederates. The 102nd inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy and drove them back.

This would prove to be the 102nd U.S.C.T.'s last battle. The regiment spent the next five months on occupation duty and was then officially mustered out of service on September 30, 1865.

Bob Garrett, Archivist
E-mail: garrettr1@michigan.gov

The Samuel Lett photo above was donated to the Archives by Civil War researcher Hondon Hargrove. Mr. Hargrove's short history of the 102nd U.S.C.T. proved essential in composing this essay. This history, entitled "Their Greatest Battle Was Getting Into the Fight," can be found in Michigan History Magazine, vol. 75 (January/February 1991), pp. 24-30. Click Michigan History Magazine to visit the magazine's web site and order back issues.

Photos of Samuel Lett and other Michigan Civil War soldiers can be viewed at the Archives of Michigan Civil War Digital Collection site. Click Samuel Lett to view the descriptive entry on Lett. Click Digital Collections to access the Archives of Michigan Digital Collections home page.

Click HAL Civil War Page for information on other Civil War materials within the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries.

Click African American Sources for more information on African American history materials within the Archives of Michigan.

Click Archives of Michigan to visit the Archives of Michigan home page.

Click Archives Image of the Month to view archived image pages.

Archives of Michigan
Michigan Library and Historical Center
702 W. Kalamazoo Street
Lansing, MI 48913
Phone: (517) 373-1408
E-mail: archives@michigan.gov

This page is the Archives Image of the Month page for February 2007.