6 x 5 3/5 in. printed plea for recognition from a Black soldier from Louisiana who served with the 16th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry (short tear and crease along the bottom edge, some toning).

James T. Taylor of Bradford, New Hampshire, formerly of Louisiana, described in brief his service to the 16th Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers between January 1st, 1863 and the Siege of Port Hudson (22 May - 9 July 1863). During this period, Taylor attests that he cooked and washed, and looked to the comforts of the officers and men of the regiment.

During the last years of the 19th Century, an array of grassroots movements emerged that sought pensions for formerly enslaved persons who had helped the Union secure victory in the Civil War. By submitting records of their service, such as this one, African Americans hoped to prove that their service merited some form of pension owing to the dangers they faced and the hardships endured during the Union Army's many arduous marches. This lot provides a rare glimpse into the experiences of African American "Camp Followers", whose contributions to the Union victory remain little examined.