History of 73rd U.S.C.T.
First Black Troop to be Mustered into the Union Army by Camille Corte The famed 73rd U. S. C. T. was first organized in the Confederate service by Governor Moore of Louisiana as the 1st Louisiana Native Guards in May of 1861. After the surrender of New Orleans they offered themselves to the Union. General Butler accepted them and mustered the regiment into the service on September 27, 1862. The 73rd became the first Colored regiment to be mustered into the Union Army. It retained its designation as the 1st Louisiana Native Guards until after the siege of Port Hudson […]