Perry Black was born on the July 4, 1845 in Reynolds County, Missouri.

The regiment was then ordered to build winter quarters at Gravelly Springs, Alabama, but the quarters were no sooner completed than the regiment was mounted on mules and spent the winter in doing scout duty through northern Mississippi and Alabama. On May 12, 1865, the brigade was ordered to report to Gen. Dodge, then in command of the Department of Missouri, and it arrived at St. Louis on the 17th. The regiment was then detached from the brigade, ordered to Fort Leavenworth, and from there to Omaha, Nebraska, where it joined the expedition against the Indians on the Yellowstone River. The expedition left Omaha on July 1, 1865, with 60 days’ rations. This supply was about exhausted on August 28, and about the same time the troops were attacked by the Cheyenne Indians. A retreat was ordered down the Powder River, but it was found impassable for the wagons, which were abandoned. The Indians followed the expedition until September 11, and the men reached Fort Conner on the 20th, having had no food except horse and mule meat for the ten days preceding. The regiment was then ordered to Fort Laramie and from there to Julesburg, Colorado, where it remained on duty until sometime in 1866. Perry Black was mustered out April 9, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

After the war he returned to Pierce City, Missouri, married and started a family that carried on his legacy of military service to the United States of America during subsequent conflicts. He died September 29, 1916 and is buried in the Pierce City Cemetery with a military headstone. His Civil War medal is encased with other heirlooms at the Harold Bell Wright/Pierce City Museum.