John H. Crowder, a 16-year-old African American lieutenant who fought in the United States Army during the Civil War, was born in 1846 in Louisville, Ky., to free parents. After being abandoned by her husband, Crowder's mother, Martha Ann Stars, moved with her son to New Orleans, La. During the Civil War, from 1862 to 1863, Crowder served in the 1st Regiment of the Louisiana Native Guard under the command of Major General Benjamin F. Butler. The Louisiana Native Guard was one of the first regiments of people of color to serve in the Union Army. Crowder was killed in action at the battle of Port Hudson in 1863.
From the description of John H. Crowder papers, 1862-1873. WorldCat record id: 155856974
From the guide to the John H. Crowder Papers, 1862-1873, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection.)
