THE GALTS AND TURNERS OF VIRGINIA
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE GALT AND TURNER FAMILIES OF VIRGINIA
CAPTAIN WILLIAM HENRY GALT AND THE SACRAMENTO ZOUAVES
CAPTAIN WILLIAM HENRY GALT AND THE SACRAMENTO ZOUAVES
William Henry Galt was the husband of Elizabeth Mary Turner Galt and the father of Mary Galt Patterson, Annie Galt Moody (Parker/Johnson) and Richard Galt. He was born in slavery in the Tidewater area of Virginia and migrated to California with his family before the beginning of the Civil War.
Shortly after the Civil War, William Galt became active in the California militia movement, and served as a lieutenant in a unit called the Sacramento Zouaves. The pioneering 1918 book "The Negro Trail Blazers of California" by Delilah L. Beasley provides a small excerpt of the activities of William Galt and the Sacramento Zouaves.
"After the Civil War had ended the ended the enthusiasm of the colored men then living in California was just as great to be prepared to serve the Government in the case of another war. Their enthusiasm finally led to the forming of military companies all over the State. The first to organize and receive instructions was one which was formed in Sacramento, in Mr. William Quinn's barber shop. After organizing, they decided to employ an ex-army officer to teach them military tactics. They secured the services of Captain Crowell, who had seen service in the United States Army and after the Civil War was made postmaster of Sacramento, California. He instructed this company of colored recruits for a period of one year, at which time they decided that they were competent to make a public appearance. They called themselves the 'Sacramento Zouaves.' The names of the officers of this company will be found also in the list of Negro Army Officers.
"Their first public appearance was at the emancipation celebration held in Sacramento, January 1, 1868. The parade was headed by a white band and just before it started, the company was presented with a silk flag by the daughter of Lieut. Gault [William Henry Galt]. The Sacramento Zouaves made their first out-of-town appearance in San Francisco, where they were the guests of the 'Brannan Guards,' another colored military company." (p. 280)
Below: Newspaper advertisement for the Ninth Anniversary Of Freedom Proclamation Grand Emancipation Celebration sponsored by the Sacramento Zouaves, January 1, 1872. William Henry Galt is noted as Lieut. Galt under the COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS near the bottom of the notice. From the December 29, 1871 Edition of The Elevator newspaper, A Weekly Journal of Progress, the colored newspaper of San Francisco, California.