John Talkington (AKA Tuckington) enlisted into the Union Army October 5, 1863 at Ft. Scott, Kansas. He was assigned to K Company 83rd Unit Regiment of the United States Colored Infantry also known as the USCT. He volunteered to serve for three years. He was mustered into service as a Private on the 17th day of October 1863 at Ft Scott, Kansas. In the spring of 1964 (sic) his command was assigned to the hospital train unit as a guard for the wounded and sick soldiers. They encountered skirmishes when they reached Pine Bluff and the Saline Rivers. They were attacked without warning by the 29th Texas Confederate Rebel command. All of the guards were killed. John was wounded and tak(en) to the hospital. He had been shot (and later succumbed to his injuries.)* [Wounded at the Battle of Jenkins Ferry, later died.]

His name is listed on The African American Civil War Memorial in Washington DC. He is (at) PLAQUE C-90 as John Tuckington.

The 83rd Regiment Infantry (New) was Organized from the 2nd Kansas Colored Infantry December 13, 1864. Attached to 2nd Brigade, District of the Frontier, 7th Corps, Dept. of Arkansas, to January, 1865. Colored Brigade, 7th Corps, Dept. of Arkansas, to February, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 7th Corps, Dept. of Arkansas, to August, 1865. Dept. of Arkansas to October, 1865.

SERVICE.--Duty at Fort Smith, Ark., until January, 1865. Moved to Little Rock, Ark., January 15-February 4, and duty there until August. Moved to Camden, Ark., August 1-10, and duty there until October 9. (The unit was) Mustered out October 9, 1865. Discharged at Leavenworth, Kansas, November 27, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 2 Officers and 32 Enlisted men killed *and mortally wounded and 211 Enlisted men by disease. Total 245.

John Talkington (Tuckington) was enslaved on a farm in Crawford County Arkansas when the Union raid on Van Buren occurred during the closing days of December 1862. With the Emancipation Proclamation set to take effect January 1, 1863, Talkington, with upwards of 1000 former slaves took their freedom a few days early and followed the Federal column north after the destructive action against Confederates in the River valley. Talkington made his way to Fort Scott Kansas, joined the 2nd Kansas. Colored Infantry, later designated the 83rd Regiment United States Colored Troops. Talkington returned to Arkansas a soldier, fighting for his people's freedom as well as his own. He was wounded at Jenkin's Ferry in 1864, transferred to a hospital in Van Buren where he later died of his wounds. He is buried in Fairview with 7 fellow USCT soldiers. Today, Van Buren has a Sons of Union Veterans Camp named in Talkington's honor.

Tom Wing