Asbury Hughes (b. circa
1844 - d. 1908)
MSA SC 5496-51311
USCT Soldier and Fled from Slavery, Talbot County, Maryland
Biography:
Asbury Hughes was born a slave around 1844 (19 years old at the time of his enlistment) on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.1 Hughes fled from his owner, John Baggs,2 who lived in the Trappe district of Talbot County, Maryland.3 Hughes writes in a general affidavit in the pension file of John Chase that he fled from slavery and assumed an alias to avoid capture. Hughes states:
"I served in Co. A 4th Regt. U.S. Col. Troops under the name of George
Alfred -
After my discharge I took my original and proper name of
Asbury
Hughes -
My reason for enlisting under an assumed name was to prevent
being
traced by my owner,
I being at the time of my enlistment a slave owned
by Mr.
John Baggs
living near
Trappe, Talbot County, Maryland." 4
The muster out roll states that he was a "slave on or before April 14, 1861."5 However, his service record states that he was "free on or before April 19, 1861."6 According to those records, George Alfred (Asbury Hughes) had presumably escaped slavery before 1861. Hughes seemed to have conceive that fighting for his freedom in the Civil War was a better option than remaining enslaved. He escaped to fight for not only his freedom, but the freedom of all African Americans. He enlisted in the 4th regiment under the alias of George Alfred on August 20, 1863.7 His desire to be free pushed him to great lengths, but it was clear that he would not stand idle in the institution of slavery. The 4th regiment of U.S. Colored Troops originated at Baltimore, Maryland and the length of service time was three years.8 In September of 1863, the regiment was sent to Yorktown, Virginia where their primary duties were to become drilled, disciplined, and to build fortifications.9 In February of 1864, hardships were increasingly occurring as they marched through snow and sleet while engaging in numerous skirmishes.10
Other various duties included guarding Confederate prisoners of war and joining the 18th army corps where they participated in engagements at Spring Hill and Jordan's Farm in 1864.11 Between those two engagements, the killed and wounded numbers became severe. The 4th regiment participated in numerous battles, including Bermuda Hundred, Petersburg, Dutch Gap, Chapin's Farm, Fort Fisher, and Sugar Loaf Hill.12 During the Petersburg campaign, the 4th regiment was routinely on "the advance lines of battle."13 Throughout those battles, the 4th regiment, including officers, suffered a death toll totaling 292 men.14 From the end of the war until May 4th 1866, the 4th regiment was assigned to garrison duty in the Southern states.15 Hughes was discharged at Washington, D.C. with the rest of the regiment.16
Hughes was paid $100 for his time in the service. He received $50 on October 11, 1865 and his final payment of $50 on December 15, 1866.17 John Baggs also received a $100 bounty as compensation for the loss of his slave on September 12, 1865.18 After his discharge, Hughes moved to Baltimore where he resided for 35 years before passing away.19 Hughes died on July 29, 1908 from "Brights" disease and he also experienced uremic, as well as convulsions.20 His residence at the time of his death was 502 North Eden St.21 He was buried in Baltimore, Maryland on August 2, 1908 at the Loudon Park National Cemetery in Section C, Site 1173.22
For a visual representation of Asbury Hughes' journey
from slavery
to freedom, please click
here. Users must have access to Google Earth in order to
utilize this
file, which includes landmarks(pins) in Hughes' life from 1828 to 1908.
You may take the tour and investigate individual sites under the
"Places"
tab on the left of the screen, or you may navigate using the slider and
cursor on the map itself.
8. Wilmer, L. Allison, J. H. Jarrett, and Geo. W. F. Vernon. History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-65. Vol. 2 (Baltimore, MD: Guggenheimer, Weil & Co., 1899), 129.
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid., 130.
13. Ibid., 129.
14. Ibid., 130.
15. Ibid.
18. Ibid.
20. Ibid.
21. Ibid.
22. "Asbury Hughes." Nationwide Gravesite Locator. United States Department of Veteran Affairs. http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/j2ee/servlet/NGL_v1.
|
Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website!
|