Cape's last Civil War Colored Troop veteran: Aleck Williams

On March 17, 1922, the NAACP honored veterans at St. James AME Church in Cape Girardeau. Four of the last five living U.S. Colored Troop veterans, in the Cape Girardeau area, sat center front in the elevated choir loft of the sanctuary. Old Civil War vets — John Gale, William Abernathy, Andrew Johnson and Aleck Williams — were surrounded by young World War I Black soldiers recently returned from duty. Bad health prevented Elijah H. Goodchild from attending. The old soldiers voluntarily enlisted as young enslaved men. Each had unique odysseys of escape, service and lives in freedom.

Details of Aleck Williams' unusual Civil War experience are revealed in affidavits of friends, family and former slaveowners. His military pension file distinguished Williams with a very unique circumstance: receiving two pension benefits during his life — a minor dependent's pension and pension for his own military service.

Williams, his father Jerry and brother George, left their enslaver, James Holland in Florence, Alabama, when Union soldiers offered them an opportunity to enlist. They traveled by rail to Corinth, Mississippi, where all three voluntarily enlisted in the 55th U.S. Colored Infantry. They chose the surname of Holland at enlistment — the name of their last enslaver. Only 11 or 12 years old, Aleck was a large kid. Whether mistakenly or compassionately allowed to stay with his family, he was enlisted, assigned duty as drummer. After six months, he was given a gun and duties of a regular soldier.

Father Jerry died of disease before the regiment left Corinth. Aleck and George served until discharged in December 1865. Their mother claimed and was granted a widow's pension, with three minor children — Aleck and his sisters — until they reached the age of 16. George and Aleck came to Cape, with their mother in 1867.

In 1888, Aleck Williams applied for pension based on his own military service. Two problems emerged: mismatched surnames and minor dependent benefits were issued in his name years prior. Aleck testified the family assumed the Williams surname after the war, renouncing enslaver Holland, in favor of the surname of his father's first enslaver. As to the minor pension, the meager monthly allotment his mother received until Aleck's 16th birthday temporarily jeopardized Aleck's eligibility to receive his veteran's pension, but the claim was reconsidered and finally granted in 1902.

One by one, the celebrated veterans died, leaving Aleck William the last veteran of the Civil War Colored Troop era. Williams suffered a paralyzing stroke in 1926. Nonetheless, Cape's corresponding reporters for the St. Louis Argus, regularly mentioned Williams' health and positive outlook until his death three years later. Admired and respected by many, Williams served 40 years as deacon at Second Baptist Church, was a charter member of the local Black branch of the Order of Odd Fellows, and worked as the city's street cleaner in his later years. The Southeast Missourian lauded Williams as "Leader among City's Negroes," in an article printed the day he died — Oct. 29, 1929.