Southard's Independent Company

Southard's Independent Company, Pennsylvania (Colored) Infantry was a United States Colored Troops unit briefly formed during the Civil War. The unit was organized at Camp William Penn, Pennsylvania on July 28, 1864 It was named for its commander, Captain Converse Southard. The unit was disbanded November 14, 1864 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and its remaining members sent to reinforce existing U.S.C.T. regiments.

Purpose
Not much is known about this unit, except that it did not see combat. It was enlisted for a period of only 100 days; enlistments of 3 to 4 months or so were usually for emergencies. Many members transferred to other units before the unit was disbanded, including its officers.

An army under CSA General Jubal Early had threatened Washington DC in the beginning of July but had fled to West Virginia by August. The troops may have been raised to serve in the defense of Washington DC or replace Pennsylvania units sent to Maryland.

Known members
There were 100 men (3 officers, 18 NCOs, 2 Musicians, and 77? Soldiers) assigned to the unit at formation.

Officers

 * Captain Converse Southard . Southard was from Peoria City, Illinois and was a clerk before the war. He was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant in the Illinois Militia on Aug 16, 1861 and was assigned to Company "A", 47th Illinois Infantry. He was promoted to Captain of Company "A" on May 9, 1862 but resigned his commission on October 29, 1862. He was commissioned as a Captain in the Pennsylvania Militia on July 20, 1864. He transferred to the 119th US Colored Infantry Regiment, U.S. Colored Troops on August 11, 1864.
 * First Lieutenant Enon M. Harris (b. March 3, 1839 - d.October 26, 1908) Enon McAllister Harris was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Militia on July 20, 1864.
 * Second Lieutenant George W. Keys was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Militia on July 21, 1864. He transferred to Company A, 41st US Colored Infantry Regiment, U.S.C.T. on September 10, 1864. Promoted to Adjutant on August 14, 1865.

Non-Commissioned Officers

 * First Sergeant William Lee
 * Sergeant Daniel Young
 * Sergeant Daniel Wright
 * Sergeant Enoch P. Gibbs
 * Sergeant Levi M. Hood
 * Sergeant Crawford Hardy
 * Sergeant Harvy P. London
 * Sergeant Anthony Y. Wilson
 * Corporal Martin Gibbs
 * Corporal Thomas L. Wesley
 * Corporal Jacob T. Compton
 * Corporal Jacob S. Christy
 * Corporal James Patten
 * Corporal Isaac P. Brown
 * Corporal Charles W. Calaman
 * Corporal Henry P. M’Kinsey
 * Corporal Ebenezer J. Miller
 * Corporal Jacob M. Miller

Musicians

 * Enoch Ferguson
 * Abraham Brown

Private Soldiers

 * Levi Alexander
 * John A. Archie
 * William Brown
 * Christopher Brown
 * Jacob Boyer
 * Philip Bell
 * William S. Bell
 * Ephraim Brown
 * Henderson Brown
 * William H. D. Bush
 * William Cain
 * William Cole
 * John Clemans
 * James Chambers
 * Samuel Christy
 * Jacob T. Cumpton (b? - d.September 6, 1905) mustered into the company as a private on July 28, 1864. He transferred as a corporal to Company D, 24th US Colored Infantry Regiment, U.S.C.T. on November 14, 1864 and was promoted to Sergeant on February 23, 1865. Cumpton was mustered out with his Company on October 1, 1865.
 * John Davis
 * William H. Dixson
 * Franklin Duffin
 * Edward Emery
 * Isaac B. Fray
 * William Fray
 * John Giddings
 * Benjamin M. Gooseberry (b? - d. September 16, 1906) mustered in as a private on July 28, 1864. He transferred as a private into the 41st US Colored Infantry Regiment, U.S.C.T. on September 21, 1864. Gooseberry was discharged on completion of his term of service on September 30, 1865.
 * Benjamin Hill
 * Ferdinand Hearkless
 * Daniel Harmon
 * James Hallow
 * John Hood
 * Alfred W. Jones
 * Andrew Jackson
 * Cyrus Johnson
 * Samuel L. Little
 * Isaac Lewis
 * Michael Lamborn
 * Joshua Mason
 * Lewis L. Nixon
 * Richard Plater
 * William H. Paxson
 * William Platter
 * George W. Patts
 * William Prigg
 * Robert Peck
 * Isaiah Queman
 * William H. Rudolph
 * George W. Richardson
 * John H. Rozell
 * William H. Smith
 * Charles Sheridan
 * William P. Scott
 * Henry Smith
 * James H. Samons
 * Francis H. Smith
 * William H. Thomas
 * Henry Wilson
 * William H. White
 * David M. Wells
 * Joseph Wilkinson
 * John Wooden
 * Richard Wilson