14th United States Colored Heavy Artillery Regiment

As the Union field armies captured Confederate land, units were needed to defend cities and important structures. The heavy artillery units filled this need. These large regiments, much larger than an usual infantry regiment, fortified defenses and forts. The regiment required specialized training in firing the large caliber cannons. The Union converted some of the heavy artillery regiments into marching regiments. These new marching regiments reinforced the field armies but stripped the defenses in some cities.

The 14th United States Colored Heavy Artillery Regiment, like similar artillery regiments, strengthened fortifications and heavy gun emplacements. They fortified New Bern, Fort Hatteras, and Fort Macon throughout North Carolina.

Unfortunately, little is known about their service.Sixteen known men from Roanoke Island served in the regiment including Robert A. Morrow. He had been enslaved as a body servant to a Confederate general. Highly educated, Morrow freed himself during the war and joined the regiment. He remained on the island recruiting others but also became a teacher at the Freedmen’s Colony. He unfortunately died in 1864.