Civil War enlistment document for Peter Barker, a former slave. Partly-printed Document Signed by John Hayes, Jr., recruiting officer with an "X" next to Barker's name. Engraved vignette at top shows a railroad, factory, and ship. 1 page, 8.5 x 6.75

Civil War enlistment document for Peter Barker, a former slave. Partly-printed Document Signed by John Hayes, Jr., recruiting officer with an "X" next to Barker's name. Engraved vignette at top shows a railroad, factory, and ship. 1 page, 8.5 x 6.75 inches; some light foxing; folded and docketed. Crawford County, Arkansas, 4 October 1863 E800/1,200 Barker, 19, a colored soldier, enlisted for three years in the 2nd Colored Infantry, Colonel Samuel J. Crawford in command. Authority to recruit a second regiment of colored soldiers in Kansas was received June 1863; companies were raised 11 August-1 November 1863. On 19 October the regiment marched to Fort Smith, Arkansas, became part of the Army of the Frontier, and subsequently fought at Prairie d'Ane, and other skirmishes. "During the retreat of the army to Little Rock, the regiment was heavily engaged at Jenkins' Ferry, where it behaved with the utmost gallantry, charging and capturing a bat-tery of three guns, materially holding the enemy in check until the rear of the army could cross the river"-The Union Army Volume IV, page 221. [SEE ILLUSTRATION]