From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (PIONEERS & PATRIOTS: Anderson County Military Servicemen, Revolutionary War - WWI)

McCall was born about 1844 in Anderson County. He was certainly a slave owned by James McCall, who filed a claim for lost property when Marcell ran away to join the Union army during the Civil War.

In 1864, the Federal government initiated a new policy to enroll regiments of colored soldiers for service in the war. As a result,  thousands of slaves and former slaves flocked to recruiting stations to volunteer. Marcell McCall made his way from Lawrenceburg to Camp Nelson, where on September 9, 1864 he was mustered into Federal service as a private/saddler in Company E of the 5th U.S. Colored Cavalry Regiment. His enlistment record describes him as a 20-year old farmer who lived in Anderson County, 5'8" in height, of dark complexion with dark hair and eyes.

Although the 5th Colored Cavalry Regiment had not reached its full complement of men, those who were enrolled by the end of September were assigned to take part in Burbridge's Campaign into southwest Virginia, which was  active at the First Battle of Saltville on October 2, 1864. In December, another attempt was made to destroy the salt works, and the 5th was again part of Stoneman's Raid. On December 17-18, 1864, the Battle of Marion was fought and the Confederate lead mines were captured. On December 20-21, the Federals captured and destroyed the salt works after the 2nd Battle of Saltville.

In January 1865, Company E of the 5th Regiment was detailed to escort a herd of cattle from Camp Nelson to Louisville. As this column passed through Mercer and Anderson Counties, itís progress was closely monitored by Confederate partisans operating in the area. On January 25, 1865, just outside Simpsonville in Shelby County, a band of Confederate Guerrillas under Captain Isaiah  "Zay" Coulter caught the Union soldiers completely off guard, and after a fifteen-minute action all thirty-five men of the rear guard were down, either dead or left for dead, resulting in a complete massacre. Local citizens gathered up the dead troops and buried them in a mass grave while the wounded were taken to Louisville.

The roll call of Company E of the 5th Colored Cavalry Regiment for February 1865 shows Marcell McCall listed as MIA since January 25, 1865 following the action near Simpsonville. His name remained on the roster of Company E  as MIA throughout the regiment's continued service until March 20, 1866, when it was mustered from federal service. However, in 2009 efforts were finally made to honor these forgotten troopers, and a headstone was erected for Private McCall.