Skirmish at Island Mound The Skirmish at Island Mound was a skirmish of the American Civil War , occurring on October 29 , 1862 , in Bates County , Missouri . This Union victory was notable as the first known engagement of an African - American regiment during the Civil War . Background . Even before the Emancipation Proclamation , Captain ( soon to be Colonel ) James M . Williams had been forming a regiment in Kansas of former slaves from Missouri and Arkansas . In August 1862 , these men were mustered into Kansas service as the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteers . The United States was not ready to accept black troops , so they were not mustered into United States service until January 13 , 1863 . Despite the uncertainty of their future as a federal military force , Kansas ensured the men were armed with a mix of good Austrian and Prussian musket s with bayonet s . Captain Richard G . Ward ' s 170 - man battalion and Captain Henry C . Seaman ' s 70 - man battalion were ordered by Maj . B . S . Henning to proceed to Bates County , Missouri . They were accompanied by members of the 5th Kansas Cavalry serving as scouts . The objective was to break up a guerrilla army near the Toothman homestead , about nine miles on the other side of the Kansas - Missouri border . John Toothman had been identified as a guerrilla and imprisoned at Fort Lincoln , a Civil War prison camp near Fulton , Kansas . As the Kansans approached on Monday , October 27 , the scouts identified a large party ahead as local Confederate guerrillas under Bill Truman and Dick Hancock , as well as Missouri State Guard recruits under Colonel Jeremiah “ Vard ” Cockrell ( all mounted . ) The guerrillas and recruits had been using nearby Hog Island ( also known as Osage Island ) as a base of operations . Siege and Engagement . Finding the enemy in greater force than anticipated , the Kansans fortified the Toothman homestead and used fence rails to create breastworks . The soldiers dubbed the works , “ Fort Africa . ” Tuesday passed with occasional skirmishing . The superior range of the Austrian muskets kept the guerrilla cavalry , with lesser arms , at bay . By Wednesday , October 29 , the Kansans ’ rations were running low . Runners had been sent back to Kansas requesting assistance . A foraging party was dispatched while skirmishers pushed forward to create a diversion . When the foragers returned , the men ate . While the Kansans ate , the guerrillas set a prairie fire south of the camp , driving in the skirmishers . Seaman responded by back burning to prevent the fire from reaching the camp . He sent out a scouting party , consisting of the Cherokee , John Six - Killer , and his slaves , who had enlisted with him . The party was to move beyond the edge of the fire , but remain in sight of the camp . Instead , they were drawn into skirmishing and advanced out of sight . A party under Lieutenant Joseph Gardner ( soon accompanied by several other officers ) was dispatched to their aid and to recall them . This group also soon became engaged out of sight . Captain Ward was dispatched to their aid and could soon see the others engaged far from camp in the river bottoms . He called for the rest of the command to be brought up . In response Seaman sent his force forward on the flanks in support . The mounted guerrillas appeared in force , moving to a point between Gardner and Ward . Gardner ' s men attempted to make it back to camp . When they could not , they formed a line and fired a volley into the charging cavalry . A general melee ensued , in which most of the Kansans losses occurred . Southern cavalry who swept past Gardner found themselves hemmed in by volleys from the rest of the approaching Kansans . Gardner ' s detachment moved toward the advancing line , and the guerrillas were forced to withdraw . Casualties and significance . Union casualties were 8 killed ( 1 white officer , 6 black 1 Cherokee ) and 11 men wounded . Among the dead were John Six - Killer and Captain A . G . Crew . Guerrilla losses are unknown , although some Kansans claimed up to 40 killed . The action was reported in the " New York Times " . On December 13 , 1864 , the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteers were redesignated the 79th United States Colored Troops .