The regiment was reorganized on March 11, 1864, in Memphis, and re-designated the 61st United States Colored Infantry. The 61st was part of Major-General
A. J. Smith's
Expedition to Tupelo, Mississippi July 5–21, 1864. On July 13, as part of the rearguard of Smith's column they were involved in an engagement known as Camargo's Cross Roads (or Burrow's Shop to Confederates). The next day at Harrisburg, near Tupelo, Mississippi, the regiment participated in the Union victory over confederate forces under Major-General
Nathan Bedford Forrest at the
Battle of Tupelo. In this campaign the 61st lost one officer and seven enlisted men killed, with four officers and 28 enlisted men wounded and 16 enlisted men missing. Most of the regiment participated in Smith's expedition to Oxford, Mississippi, August 1–30, 1864, and the regiment saw action at Waterford, Mississippi August 16–17, 1864 and at Castpool. A detachment of five officers and 200 enlisted men under Captain Charles Riggs, which had stayed behind during the Oxford expedition, was camped near Memphis and surprised and overrun by Forrest's troops at the
Second Battle of Memphis on August 21, 1864, losing three men killed, eight wounded, and five missing. The regiment was ordered to New Orleans, Louisiana, February 23, 1865 and then to Morganza, Louisiana. On March 17 they were sent to
Fort Barrancas, near Pensacola, Florida, and from there were ordered to Blakely, Alabama on April 15, where they finished out their service. ==Mustered out of service==