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

Monroe, Thomas

(born: 1832) Thomas Monroe was born a slave in Anderson County in 1832. 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.

Thomas Monroe was among those who volunteered for service. 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. Since his enlistment took place in a northern state, it can be assumed but not verified that he might have been a runaway slave who by means of the Underground Railroad 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 to support General Sheridan's cavalry in the Battle of Gaines' Mill (also known as the Battle of Chickahominy Swamp), encountering several skirmishes.

From July 1864-April 1865 the regiment was engaged in siege activities around Petersburg, employed in the trenches around that city during the mine explosion incident (Battle of the Crater) on July 30, 1864. The regiment was later engaged in The Battle at the Globe Tavern (or Weldon Railroad) on August 18-21, 1864, and then later at the Battle of Boydton Plank Road in October. After the fall of Petersburg and Richmond, the 28th Regiment soldiers were 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, when it was mustered from service at Corpus Christi, Texas.

After the war Thomas returned to Anderson County and became part of the post-war local militia enrolled and active between 1865-1869. This militia was surely made up of men and boys too old or too young for service during the war, but was also well represented by former soldiers who had stood on opposing sides of the great conflict, having put old animosities behind for the common good of the community.