Millikens Bend Exhibit Vicksburg

Milliken's Bend Exhibit
Vicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg, Mississippi

Greetings All! The finished exhibit above in thumbnail presenting and interpreting the battle of Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863 in which newly recruited self-emancipated enslaved persons recruited and enrolled as Union Army soldiers or U. S. Colored Troop Infantry defeated an elite and seasoned Confederate army consisting of nearly triple in numbers.

This exhibit is a collaborative effort of Sergeant-Major Norman Fisher of the 1st Mississippi Colored Regiment Infantry based in Jackson Mississippi, Ser Seshs Ab Heter-CM Boxley, Coordinator of Friends of the Forks of the Roads Society's Sons and Daughters of Fort McPherson U. S. Colored Troop Chapter, Natchez, Mississippi, the new Superintendent, Monica Myr and Chief Ranger at Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Mississippi, Rick Martin and Don Wollenhaupt of the Southeast Region National Park Service, Atlanta, Georgia.

For Norman Fisher, this winds up years of struggling aimed at moving The Vicksburg National Military Park to present and interpret Milliken's Bend Civil War battle where U. S. Colored Troops carried the day for the United States in what was described as the most fierce person to person and hand to hand combat of the Civil War.

I have suggested that the dedication of this most significant permanent USCT exhibition now erected in the Visitor's Center take place on May 22, 2007 in commemoration of the anniversary of the U. S. Congress officially passing of legislation creating the Bureau of U. S. Colored Troops. Should this be approved for that date, Norman and My person's USCT Units will have met the revised criteria of the Sons and Daughters of USCT National Office under Secretary-general Asa Gordon based at the National Black Civil War Museum and Monument Washington D. C.

By that time our Units should also be paid up members of the United States Colored Troops Living History Association. We hope to tie ya'll in officially through some form of media, communications, resolutions or something of the sort.

Ser Seshs Ab Heter-CM Boxley
Natchez, Mississippi
April 23, 2007