▁most ▁important ▁achiev ements ▁came ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁Between ▁duties , ▁and ▁after ▁the ▁term ination ▁of ▁host ilities , ▁soldiers ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 2 nd ▁and ▁ 6 5 th ▁U . S . ▁Col ored ▁Tro ops ▁had ▁been ▁learning ▁to ▁read ▁and ▁write . ▁The ▁troops ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁reg iments ▁agreed ▁that ▁they ▁wished ▁to ▁continue ▁their ▁studies ▁as ▁civ ili ans . ▁The ▁soldiers ▁and ▁their ▁officers ▁signed ▁resolution s ▁p led ging ▁to ▁work ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁school ▁" for ▁the ▁special ▁benefit ▁of ▁free ▁black s ". ▁Tro ops ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 5 th ▁U . S . C . T . ▁were ▁ener get ic ▁in ▁working ▁towards ▁this ▁goal , ▁raising ▁$ 1 , 3 0 0 ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁planned ▁educational ▁institution . ▁This ▁effort ▁eventually ▁lead ▁to ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁Lincoln ▁Institute ▁( now ▁Lincoln ▁University ) ▁in ▁Jefferson ▁City , ▁Missouri , ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 8 6 6 . ▁and ▁http :// ad amar enson . com / the - gre at - heart - of - the - rep ublic / err ata / ▁ ▁Total ▁strength ▁and ▁cas ual ties ▁Regiment ▁lost ▁during ▁service ▁ 6 ▁Offic ers ▁and ▁ 4 9 ▁En list ed ▁men ▁by ▁disease . ▁ ▁The ▁last ▁surv iving ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁regiment , ▁and ▁the ▁last ▁surv iving ▁black ▁veter an ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁was ▁the