The 97th United States Colored Infantry was an engineer regiment designated as infantry as part of the United States Colored Troops that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War and fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War in the Department of the Gulf.

Several of the newly commissioned company grade officers had been enlisted men of the 42nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry who had been on engineer service superintending the contraband laborers from the camp.

Gen. Banks ordered Phelps to have the men cut down all the trees between Camp Parapet and Lake Pontchartrain.

Phelps resigned over the issue stating, "...while I am willing to prepare African regiments for the defense of the government," he continued, that he " was not willing to become a mere slave driver."

Under command of Colonel Justin Hodge, the regiment was immediately sent to Port Hudson where it fell under the direction of Captain Joseph Bailey in charge of engineer operations.

After the siege had concluded, the regiment was then ordered on July 11 to "demolish the batteries and works of approach by the United States forces for the recent reduction of Port Hudson."

In September, the 3rd Regiment Engineers, Corps d'Afrique left Algiers with the pontoon train and sailed to Texas as part of the failed Sabine River expedition.

The regiment received additional officers, mainly from enlisted men of the 75th New York Volunteer Infantry.

From December 1863 to February 1864, companies B and I were on detached service at Pass Cavallo, Texas unloading government vessels.

The regiment was transferred to Berwick Bay removing obstructions on the Bayou Teche before joining the Red River campaign as part of an engineer brigade.

During the campaign the regiment laid pontoon bridges over the Vermillion, Cane, and the Red River near Grand Ecore, improved roads, and built earthworks and batteries.

The regiment helped build Bailey's Dam during the actions near Alexandria rescuing Admiral Porter’s Mississippi River Squadron which had been trapped in shallow water.

At the end of the campaign they laid the pontoon bridge at Yellow and at Chactaw Bayou, where, after the army crossed, it was taken it up in just fifteen minutes.

Accompanying the brigade were 50 wagons and their over 300 mules to pull them, presumably the canvas advanced guard pontoon train assigned to the 97th U.S.

The nearly sixty mile march north from Barrancas saw several encounters with Confederate cavalry at observation posts.

On the return march, the brigade saw repeated skirmishing and was attacked by Confederate cavalry at Escambia Creek and other river crossings.

The men moved forward “with alacrity, gallantry and such dogged determination that the enemy were forced to give way leaving the dead in the field.” 1st Lt. Eugene F. Boughton was killed and 1st Lt. Burnham fell wounded.

Captain Chamberlin commanding Company E reported, "Found a whole Brigade of the enemy in front, but they did not make a stand.

Our Regiment and 82nd all laid down on the crest of a hill..." In the dark, a charge by Confederate cavalrymen was met by a massed volleys from U.S.

Orders issued March 7 had several officers of the 97th USCT leaving their companies to be embedded in the advancing Divisions of the XVI and XIII Corps: 1st Lieut.

[6] At Navy Cove, men of the 97th USCT boarded the steamer J. M. Brown and traveled 40 miles up the bay to Starke's Landing.

The heavy rainfall coupled with the massive Union troop movement on the road to Spanish Fort utterly destroyed the route which put the Federal supply line in jeopardy.

The landing was also a critical hub for the transportation of serious casualties from the field hospitals to be shipped by water quickly to larger medical facilities such as New Orleans.

“The wounded were moved from the division hospital to transports for transfer to New Orleans within two to four days after the injuries were received.

"[7] On April 14, the men of the 97th US Colored Infantry left Starke's Landing and marched six miles to Spanish Fort.

Two companies of the 97th USCT remained at Blakeley and Captain Chamberlain oversaw the construction of "a small fort [redoubt] to garrison 300 men with 6 guns.

Throughout the months of May and June, 1865, the men of the regiment were engaged in building and repairing the fortifications at Mobile, Alabama.

Nearly all were very neatly dressed and looked well.” The 96th and 97th USCT both acted as escorts, front and rear, as the parade marched to the public square.

Several additional dignitaries made speeches, including early civil rights leader Captain James H. Ingraham, formerly of the 73rd USCT (Louisiana Native Guard).

“They seemed as Joyous for this great day of Jubilee as the same number of white children in the North, and in a much more expressive manner.”[10] By September the regiment had completed its fortification work in Mobile and it was assigned to guard duty at the Quartermaster’s Pay, Commissary and Ordinance Departments.