This past June I was able to make a long anticipated research trip to NARA as part of my ongoing efforts to get something substantial written and published on the regiment.. I am still focussing on the organization and early history of the regiment as of this time and no need to tell you it is proving to be a very interesting story. With regards to Island Mound, with all the additional information I have found, it is probably time for a 2nd edition of the monograph I wrote back in 2001.
With regards to Six-killer... no luck on that specific individual but here is what I have from my files from the descriptive rolls at NARA,which shows 73 enlisted men were born in locations that indicate possible Native American/African American lineage..
Where born: (from the descriptive rolls at NARA)
"Cherokee Nation" 47
"Chickasaw Nation" 2
"Choctaw Nation" 4
"Creek Nation" 14
"Indian Nation" 1
"Sac & Fox Agency - Kansas" 2
"C.N" 3
Of course this does not take into account those that enlisted at locations indicative of possible Native American/African American lineage who were born elsewhere.
I have been overlaying the "residence" information from the muster rolls on the above date with regards to Ben Van Horn's recruiting activities in spring of 1863, but John Six-Killer's enlistment in the regiment precedes Van Horn's efforts as evidenced by his presence at Island Mound.
There is evidence that there were "full blooded" Native Americans in the 1st KCV (John Six-killer being one, but I have evidence of others in my files)... Also, there were undoubtedly those enlisted men in the regiment that were more European than African American (I found a tin-type picture of one such individual in his pension file at NARA).
The bottom line is that when the regiment stood in formation all hues and colors would have been represented... every bit as diverse as my unit in the Marine Corps 13 years ago. A much different "picture" than is presented by the other African American regiments from the Civil War for which photographs do exist.
Semper Fi,
Chris