Pvt. Peter Rivers

Private Peter Rivers was born c.1840 in Franklin County, Virginia, and enlisted on February 14, 1865, in Columbus, Ohio, for a term of one year. He is described as 25 years old at the time of his enlistment, 6’2.5” tall. It is noted that he had blue eyes and light hair, as well as a dark complexion. His occupation is listed as a laborer. There were twelve Franklin County-born soldiers who enlisted in Ohio. They were either free in Virginia and migrated to this free state or escaped enslavement and settled there. Peter Rivers had received some education, as he was able to sign his own name at the time of enlistment.

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Rivers served in the 5th United States Colored Heavy Artillery with three other soldiers born in Franklin County (Cpl William Thompson, Pvt Archibald Allen and Pvt Daniel Colbert). This regiment was involved in engagements throughout the Vicksburg Campaign of the Civil War before mustering out on May 20, 1866.

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Rivers was mustered out in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on February 13, 1866. At the time of his discharge, he was still owed $66.66 of his $100 bounty.

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Freedmen’s Bureau documents show that Peter Rivers signed two labor contracts to work for a family across two plantations in the low country of South Carolina. But it is not likely that this man is the soldier from Franklin County. Our soldier enlisted in Columbus OH where there was a significant Free Black population at the time of the Civil War. He was not a farmer. The Peter Rivers in South Caroliina is readily found in Beaufort County Census records, but is listed as born in SC, rather than VA. We suspect that our soldier, returned to OH, and passed for white. Many multi-racial Black Americans with light coloring undoubtedly realized that life, unfortunately, afforded them greater opportunities if they could pass for white. No more records have yet been discovered of this soldier.

 

Contributors: Riley Peloquin, Toni Smith and Cathie Cummins