Charles Bentzoni

Charles Bentzoni (1830–1907) was an officer in the American Civil War. He led "Colored" troops during the war and after the war helped establish the orphanage that became Southland College in Arkansas.^[1]

He was born in Prussia.^[2] He emigrated to the United States in 1857.^[3]

He and his family were photographed with Sitting Bull and his family at Fort Randall in the Dakota Territory in 1882.^[4] He and his family were also photographed among other Native Americans at the fort.^[5]

During the Civil War he commanded the 56th United States Colored Infantry Regiment that occupied Helena, Arkansas after the war ended. In 1866 many soldiers under his command contracted cholera on their way home as they travelled by steamship. They were commemorated with an obelisk and later moved and are commemorated with a marker.^[6]

He was an officer with the 25th Infantry Regiment (United States). He was photographed standing at attention with Company B.^[7]

In 1884 he was serving as a recruiting officer in Buffalo, New York.^[7]

He is buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.^[8]

References

1. Erwin, James W. (12 June 2017). St. Charles, Missouri: A Brief History. Arcadia. ISBN 9781439661284.
2. ""Deaths Were Rapidly Occurring"". Archived from the original on 2021-12-27. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
3. Flueger, Matt (2021). "The Lost Barracks and the Twenty-Fifth US Infantry Regiment" (PDF). Ramsey County History. Ramsey County, Minnesota: Ramsey County Historical Society. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-06-01. Retrieved 2024-06-30.
4. Fowler, Arlen L. (December 27, 1996). The Black Infantry in the West, 1869-1891. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 9780806128832 – via Google Books.
5. "Amazon.com: Sioux Encampment C1882 Nwhite American Visitors At A Sioux Native American Encampment At Fort Randall In The Dakota Territories Whose Commanding Officer Captain Charles Bentzoni (On Horseback) Conduct: Posters & Prints". www.amazon.com.
6. "African-American Union Army soldiers died on their way home from war; then history lost their names". 25 May 2015.
7. "ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.; EXPORTS OF PROVISIONS. NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL". The New York Times. May 18, 1884.
8. "Index of /ca/losangeles/photos/tombstones/hollywood-forever". www.usgwarchives.net.

External links

• Findagrave entry