SWIL partners with organizations to restore an historic cemetery

In late 2007 the SWIL chapter became aware of a local area cemetery in East Carondolet, Illinois that possibly held the remains of a Buffalo Soldier.   Members of the club rode out to the site and discovered a long forgotten plot of land surrounded by farm fields that was over grown and contained obvious signs of vandalism and grave desecration.   The restoration was more than our chapter could accomplish alone.  

We sought to find more information and eventually met members of the Flat Creek Missionary Baptist Church of East Carondolet, IL.  This church is the oldest Black church in the State of Illinois.  It was established in 1809 before Illinois statehood and is still a vibrant place of worship.  At one time the plot was used to bury church members and others from the town. 

With the involvement of a United States Congressman, County Officials, bordering land owners, a major railroad corporation and the mayors of two adjacent cities; the church members, anthropologists from the University of Illinois, members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Saint Clair County(IL) Genealogical Society, the Saint Clair County Levee District, the SWIL chapter of Buffalo Soldiers and other interested parties soon gathered at the church to form a committee and hold meeting in order devise a plan to restore the cemetery.  Through old records and a discovered broken headstone, a member of the 6th Regiment, United States Colored Heavy Artillery (C.H.A.), Company “I” was found to be buried here. 

Sgt. Jack Jackson enlisted on December 8, 1863 and was posted at Natchez, Mississippi.  He was one of 76,000 Black soldiers to be enlisted to fight for the Union during the Civil War and was instrumental in recruiting Blacks who were apprehensive about joining the Army.  He was a formative figure, known as “Big Jack”.  He traveled with White Unionofficers on their recruiting jaunts.  Dressed in a sergeant’s Army jacket and striped military pants, armed with a musket and cartridge box, and sitting astride a horse, “Big Jack” was probably the first Black soldier many plantation hands had ever seen, and his appearance created a stir in the slave quarters.  He managed to convince many slaves to leave their families and take up arms as members of the Union Army. 

He accompanied General Grant at the famous Battle of Milliken’s Bend where his heroism became apparent.  A detachment of 1410 men, of whom 160 were Whites, and the remainder were ex-slaves fought Confederate forces at Milliken’s Bend.  During the battle “Big Jack” receiveda bullet wound to his head that he survived.  The bravery of the Black soldiers during this battle completely revolutionized the sentiment of the Army with regard in the employment of Negro troops. 

Records indicate  that he was 25 years of age on December 29, 1864 when he married Mary Johnson in Vidalia, Louisiana. 

In June of 1865 Jackson submitted to a Field Officers Court Marshall for what appears to be a loss of 83 cents worth of camp equipage.  There are no records of a defense of the crime recorded in documents obtained from the National Archives, merely that the punishment was quite severe:  having to pay a $10 fine from his pay, and to serve 20 days of hard labor, 10 of which he was to be fed only bread and water. 

On May 13, 1886 Jackson finally mustered out of the service having received his last paycheck December 31, 1865.  It is not known at this point how he arrived in Illinois.  There is one mention in the St. Clair County History – 1881, that the first local store was kept by Misters Green and Jackson and was situated on State Street in  the old village of East Carondolet.   

Interviews with an elderly owner of one of the oldest Black funeral homes in the area have led us to believethat up to three Black Buffalo Soldiers are buried here.    We fully understand that soldiers joining the Army from 1866 to 1944 served during a era when they were referred to as “Buffalo Soldiers”, but these members of The United States Colored Troops deserve our attention because of their sacrifices.  The calendar marking their years of service will not delineate them from our name sakes.   The small plot of land may contain the graves of up to 1,000 people.  Records found to date show burials dating back to 1878.  All of these people deserve to rest in peace, in graves that are properly maintained and respected.