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

Joseph Harris was born a slave in Anderson County about 1836. He remained a slave into  adulthood; President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation only freed slaves in states that were openly hostile toward the Union.

Since Kentucky refrained from secession, slaves within her borders remained in bondage. Late in the war, however, the government called for the enlistment of colored regiments, and all who answered the call were granted immediate freedom. In great numbers, slaves threw down the tools of forced labor, and walked away from the fields to the nearest enlistment point.

Joseph Harris therefore made his way to Camp Nelson to enlist, and on September 9, 1864 was enrolled as a private in  Company E of the 5th U.S. Colored Cavalry Regiment.

Although not at the full complement of men, those enrolled in the regiment at the end of September were assigned to take part in Burbridge's Campaign into southwest Virginia, and were active at the 1st Battle of Saltville on October 2, 1864. In December, another attempt was made to destroy the Salt Works, and the 5th were part of Stoneman's Raid. On December 17th and 18th, 1864 the Battle of Marion was fought, and the Confederate lead mines were captured, and on the 20th and 21st 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, its 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 Colored troopers completely off guard, and after a fifteen minute action all 35 men of the rear guard were down, either dead or left for dead, resulting in a complete massacre.

Local citizens gathered up the dead troopers and buried them in a mass grave, while the wounded were taken to Louisville. Although Joseph was certainly assigned to this detail, he was not listed among the casualties, and most likely among those further along the trail.

Throughout the spring and early summer of 1865 the regiment saw duty at various posts in central Kentucky until August 1865, when it was transferred to the Department of Arkansas. The regiment was engaged in that state against renegade groups until March 1866. It was mustered out of the service at Helena, Arkansas on March 20, 1866.