Muster-In Roll of Capt. Daniel P. Rolf in the Second Regiment (Engineers Brigade,) of Corp D'Afrique Volunteers commanded by Colonel John C. Cobb. Partly printed document completed in manuscript. Signed by Captain Daniel P. Rolf and 1st Lt. A. McAllister. New Orleans, Louisiana, 3 October 1863. 1 page, 16 3/4 x 11 in., docketed to verso.  

A muster roll from the early formation of what would become the 96th United States Colored Troops (USCT), at the time known as the 2nd Engineers, Corps d'Afrique. 

The regiment was preceded by the 2nd Regiment of Louisiana Engineers, where Rolf was 1st Lieutenant. When they were reorganized as the 2nd Engineer Corps d'Afrique, he was promoted to Captain of Company K. 

The Corps d'Afrique, the creation of General Nathaniel P. Banks, was intended to be a corps-sized unit composed entirely of colored soldiers. Several regiments, including four infantry regiments of the Louisiana Native Guard raised by General Benjamin F. Butler and five regiments raised by General Daniel Ullman, would become Corps d'Afrique units, in addition to newly raised regiments. Although many of the pre-existing regiments had Black officers, Banks purged them and replaced them with all white officers, including Rolf. 

Their designation would change on 4 April, 1864, to the 96th United States Colored Troops in order to standardize the naming of all the Union's colored regiments.

They were garrisoned at Fort Esperanza and performed engineer duty on Matagorda Peninsula through May 1864, when they returned to New Orleans. They had duty in Louisiana before moving to Mobile Bay, where they engaged in siege operations against Forts Gaines and Morgan in August 1864. In early April 1865, they engaged at the Battle of Fort Blakeley (Alabama), which was actually fought after Lee's surrender at Appomattox and is considered one of the last major battles of the War. They would remain in service in the Department of the Gulf until January 1866. 

Daniel P. Rolf (alt. Rolfe) was 21 years old when he enlisted in Gorham, Maine, on 10 December 1861 as a Sergeant, Mustering into Company D. of the 15th Maine Infantry. He served with his regiment in Mississippi, the Department of the Gulf, and Texas before he was promoted to his role as Captain of Company K Corps d'Afrique. 

ALSO WITH: Frank Leslie's Newspaper. Vol. XV. No. 388. New York, 7 March 1863. 16 pages, folio, disbound, 11 1/4 x 15 7/8 in. 

Featuring a front page woodcut showing three Black soldiers, captioned "Pickets of the First Louisiana "Native Guard" Guarding the New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad."

A rare document related to the earliest formation of the USCT regiments.

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Tape repairs to verso of Muster roll.