An official website of New York State

Official websites use ny.gov

A ny.gov website belongs to an official New York State government organization.

Secure ny.gov websites use HTTPS

A lock icon or https:// means you’ve safely connected to a ny.gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Your Browser does not support "cascading style sheets" (CSS).
To view this page correctly you must enable support for this feature through your browser preferences.
Download full resolution image Guard Honors African-American Civil War Soldier

Guard Honors African-American Civil War Soldier

MENANDS, NY-A New York Army National Guard Color Guard joins Civil War reenactors and members of the Patriot Guard, in honoring Civil War Soldier 1st Sgt. William Francis, a member of the famed 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first Black unit to fight in the Union Army. Local Civil War historians identified Francis' unmarked grave at historic Albany Rural Cemetery and arranged for the Veterans Administration to provide a new stone to mark his final resting place.
Francis, who enlisted as a private, served throughout the Civil War, including the 54th's assault on Fort Wagner, South Carolina, made famous in the 1989 movie "Glory".

DMNA Press Releases

LoadingLoading Press Releases...

NY National Guard In the News

North Country Now -- Tue, 25 Mar 2025 SUNY Potsdam and New York Army National Guard hold ribbon cutting for Campus Recruiting Office POTSDAM -- SUNY Potsdam officials welcomed New York Army National Guard Major General Michel Natali for a ribbon cutting and formal signing ceremony celebrating its new campus recruiting office,... (more)

Spectrum News -- Tue, 25 Mar 2025 Henry Johnson Army website removed for federal DEI review The U.S. military has temporarily removed a website honoring the renaming of Fort Polk after World War I soldier Henry Johnson, a Black war hero from Albany, while it reviews "culturally... (more)

WWNY -- Mon, 24 Mar 2025 National Guard cuts ribbon on new recruiting office in Potsdam (video) POTSDAM, New York (WWNY) - The New York Army National Guard has a new recruiting presence at SUNY Potsdam. The ribbon was cut on the new recruiting office on Monday. In attendance were... (more)

© NYS DMNA: Home
URL: https://dmna.ny.gov/?id=1254940313
52.14.6.145
Dated: Fri, Apr 23, 2010 @ 14:10