Union Navy veteran first black elected in Montana office

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20120930/LIFESTYLE/309300004/Union-Navy-veteran-first-black-elected-Montana-office-William-M-Morgan-became-Great-Falls-constable-1894

William M. Morgan became Great Falls constable in 1894

This is the 13th installment of a monthly series commemorating Union and Confederate veterans of the Civil War who settled in central Montana. This month a Union Navy veteran is featured. Descendants of Montana Civil War veterans are encouraged to send their stories to [e-mail]. To see previous installments from this series, visit greatfallstribune.com/civilwar.

In the election of November 1894, Great Falls elected a black American to public office — a first for the state of Montana — and Civil War Union Navy veteran William M. Morgan became Great Falls Townsite constable.

Photo: http://cmsimg.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=G1&Date=20120930&Category=LIFESTYLE&ArtNo=309300004&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Union-Navy-veteran-first-black-elected-Montana-office-William-M-Morgan-became-Great-Falls-constable-1894
The Union Sailing Frigate USS Sabine.

Born in Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Ky., on July 3, 1843, Morgan likely was one of the 256 free blacks and mixed race in that county.

At the beginning of the Civil War, Morgan joined the Union Navy and served as a landsman on the USS Sabine during the war. As a landsman, the rank given to new recruits in the Navy, Morgan performed menial, unskilled work on the Sabine.

The history of the Civil War has been written largely about the armies and land battles on both sides.

FULL story at link.