 He was born in Carrollton, Louisiana, which is described as a “residential bedroom suburb of New Orleans.The only record of his childhood was his army reenlistment form from 1871 which says, “Father and Mother died while I was an infant”….“One brother died of consumption; one sister died of fever” 

On July 28, 1866, as part of The Army Reorganization Act of 1866 - Buffalo Soldiers the 39th Congress added two Cavalry regiments specifically for Black soldiers, who were identified as United States Colored Troops.