146 years after the officers and men of the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteers struck the first blow for freedom delivered by an African-American Regiment during the Civil War on October 29th, 1862, at Island Mound, the State of Missouri has acquired a portion of this historic site. Excerpt of release is below.. link to full release is also below...

Gov. Blunt Commemorates Missouri’s Role in Civil War with New Historic Site

JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. Matt Blunt announced today that Missouri’s newest state historic site will commemorate one of the most significant milestones in the Civil War.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has acquired a historic civil war property that is associated with the Battle of Island Mound where black soldiers engaged in combat for the first time in the Civil War. The 40 acres property, located about eight miles southwest of Butler in Bates County, will be developed into a state historic site.

Full article at: http://governor.mo.gov/cgi-bin/coranto/viewnews.cgi?id=EkkEZuFlAAoZfwpLQU&style=Default+News+Style&tmpl=newsitem

-chris tabor