Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site

The Battle of Island Mound marked the first time that Black troops engaged in Civil War combat, nearly a year before the battle depicted in the film “Glory.”

The historic site encompasses Fort Africa, where the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry camped in 1862 before a pitched battle with pro-Confederate forces near a low hill named Island Mound. Information at the site details the battle and the legacy of the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry.

The site is located west of Butler, at the junction of County Road 1002 (also called Marth Road) and County Road 5001 (also called Cooper Road). The facility is unstaffed and is managed by Stockton State Park in Dadeville.