Nearly 160 years later, a lost piece of American Civil War history has been discovered that further proves the integral role African Americans have in shaping U.S. history.

The 135th U.S. Colored Troop (USCT), an all-Black infantry regiment based out of North Carolina, was accidentally discovered by two historians while attending an event at a local library in Goldsboro.

After a decade of research and going through hundreds of pension records, the truth of how liberated Black soldiers became Sherman’s best kept secret weapon in the Union’s triumph of the American Civil War is beautifully explained in the upcoming release of the book “It’s All About Guts! We Salute the Men of the 135th U.S. Colored Troop,” written by Jay and Amy Bauer.

The book is currently available to order on Amazon.

Deborah Jones, a living descendant of a 135th USCT soldier and member of the 135th USCT Research Team, Inc., shares, “This is a fantastic historical book on the lives of the former enslaved men who became the 135th USCT. The genesis of these African American men went from knowing very little to an astounding knowledge of their lives and how they worked in the Army and contributed as freedom fighters for not only their families, but for their country.”

Deborah carries out her descendent legacy as a retired Lt. Col from the U.S Air Force.

Jones further explains how meaningful this story is because, “Not only the African American community but the Wayne County [North Carolina] community and nation can take great pride in knowing their history is preserved and commemorated right here in Goldsboro.”

Amy and Jay Bauer, historical preservationists in Goldsboro, attended a history talk at the Wayne County Museum in 2014.

There, they learned of a rumor that Goldsboro was home to a union troop at the tail end of the Civil War called the 135th USCT. Simple curiosity compelled them to explore the rumor, taking them to the National Archives in Washington D.C., where they discovered the 135th’s original pension records.

After several more visits to the National Archive research room, the Bauer’s realized no other historical narrative existed to explain the significance of this troop’s role at the tail end of the American Civil War.

That moment marked the beginning of a decade-long journey to resurrect a piece of lost history— adding to the rich chronicle of how African Americans helped forge U.S. History.

“This book contains a wealth of information like no other that chronicles the purpose, records, culture, behavior, and movements of a U.S. Colored Troop during the American Civil War,” explained Jay Bauer, co-author of the new book, “It’s All About Guts!” “The book is a full twenty chapters, over 760 pages, and gives the most complete story of the 135th USCT and what it took to bring the story back to life. Some would say It’s All About Guts! is the product of a labor of love.”

General William T. Sherman’s March-to-the-Sea, along with his March through the Carolina’s, required the manpower to move more than 60,000 troops, consisting of ten miles of supply wagon’s, artillery, and ambulances.

To accomplish this amazing logistical feat, General Sherman recruited liberated slaves, and in March 1865, the 135th USCT was formed. The regiment consisted of 220 North Carolinians from Wayne, Lenoir, Johnson, Duplin, and Green Counties.

“The brave young men depicted in the book describe their arduous journey building corduroy roads and bridges in a harsh winter through the swamps of South Carolina and quick sand of North Carolina to arrive in Goldsboro where they are outfitted in the blue uniforms of the United States Army, raised their right arm, take the oath of service and become regular soldiers,” states Dr. Frank Smith, Executive Director of the African American Civil War Museum.

“It’s All About Guts!” Recounts the complexities the Union army faced at the tail end of the war, but importantly, the book is a reflection of Black men’s perseverance and unwavering dedication to their people’s fight for freedom. “They had this opportunity, and they decided to be a part of the success of people coming out of slavery,” explains Jones.

To build interest in North Carolina about the true role of Black soldiers who fought in the Civil War, a research commission (The 135th USCT Research Team, Inc.) was organized in Goldsboro by Jay and Amy Bauer.

Its members include many of the living descendants of the 135th troops, along with prominent Civil War historians, such as Earl James from the North Carolina Museum of History, UNC’s Dr. Reginald Hildebrand, Dr. Ben Speller from NCCU, and Dr. Malcom Beech from Washington D.C.

The commission has gained strong support from local and state academics and elected officials, leading to the addition of the 135th USCT to the U.S. Civil War Trail. The trail marker can be visited in historic downtown Goldsboro.

The Late Hari Jones, professional Civil War historian and author, explained why the discovery was not easy to accept for many experts. “This story means that the narrative promoted by scholars who have claimed there were no African American officers, no African American field grade officers, no African Americans in regiments other than USCT regiments, no USCT regiments marched in the Grand Review, and at least a dozen other false statements must be jettisoned for a new narrative inclusive of the many facts discovered by lay historians and genealogists.”

To celebrate the new narrative and release of “It’s All About Guts! We Salute the Men of the 135th U.S. Colored Troop,” the public is invited to attend the book launch and signing at Noon on Saturday at the Wayne County Museum located in historical downtown Goldsboro, at 116 N. William Street.

The free event will highlight the heritage of the 135th USCT, their contribution to the complexities of the Civil War, and allow time for questions and answering from attendees. The book is available in paperback, hardcover and e-book online through Amazon.

More details about the event and book ordering can be found by visiting lostresearch.org.