From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (PIONEERS & PATRIOTS: Anderson County Military Servicemen, Revolutionary War - WWI)
Meaux, Joseph
(born: c. 1839) Joseph Meaux was born a slave in Anderson County. He remained a slave into adulthood; President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation only freed slaves in states openly hostile toward the Union. Later in the war, however, the government called for the enlistment of colored regiments, and all who answered the call were granted immediate freedom. Joseph Meaux was among those who volunteered for service.Meaux enrolling at Evansville, Indiana on April 8, 1864 and mustered into service at Indianapolis on April 22, 1864 as a private in Company G of the 28th U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment. He gave an oath at the time of enlistment that he was born about 1839 in Anderson County, KY, and since his enlistment took place in a northern state it can be assumed, but certainly not verified, that he might have previously been a runaway slave who by means of the Underground Railroad had crossed the Ohio River to freedom.
Two days after being mustered into service, the regiment was assigned to duty around Washington D.C. and moved in support of General Sheridan's cavalry through Chickahominy Swamp with several skirmishes. From July 1864 - April 1865 the regiment was engaged in siege activities around Petersburg, including in the trenches around that city during the mine explosion incident (Battle of the Crater) July 30, 1864.
The regiment was later engaged in a major battle at the Weldon Railroad August 18-21, 1864, and later on Boydton Plank Road in October of that year.
After the Fall of Petersburg and Richmond, the 28th was detailed as prisoner guards from April 6-May 12, 1865. After the surrender of Lee's army, the 28th was transferred to duty in Texas, where it served until November 8, 1865, mustered from service at that time at Corpus Christi.