Francis E. Dumas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis E. Dumas
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|---|---|
| Birth name | Francis Ernest Dumas |
| Born | 1837 |
| Died | March 26, 1901 (aged 63–64) |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
Union Army |
| Commands held | Company B of the 1st Louisiana Native Guards 2nd Louisiana Native Guards |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Francis Ernest Dumas (born 1837, died 1901) was a rich plantation owner from Louisiana. He was of African American and Creole background. During the American Civil War, he became an officer in the Union Army.
Life of Francis E. Dumas
Francis E. Dumas was born in 1837. His father, Joseph Dumas, owned a large plantation. Francis was very smart; he could speak five different languages! He even lived in France for a while. When he came back, he took over the family's sugar plantation. At that time, it was very hard to free enslaved people in Louisiana.
When the American Civil War started, Dumas did something amazing. He freed more than 100 enslaved people he owned. Then, he helped them join the Union Army as a military company. Because of this, he became a Captain in the 1st Louisiana Native Guards. Later, he was promoted to Major in the 2nd Louisiana Native Guards. This was one of the highest ranks an African American could reach during the war. He fought in the western part of the war. He left the army on July 3, 1863, because of some disagreements.
Political Career
After the war, Dumas became involved in politics. In 1868, he ran for Lieutenant Governor. He was part of a political ticket led by James G. Taliaferro. He was also offered a job by President Grant in 1869 to be a minister to Liberia, a country in Africa. However, Dumas decided not to take that job.
In 1872, he was first considered for Louisiana's Secretary of State. This was for the Liberal Party Ticket. But he left that group before the election.
