54th+Massachusetts+Regiment

=54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry = toc

Black Soldiers
When news of the battle of Fort Sumter, and the beginning of the Civil War reached Northern cities both white and black men rushed to enlist. The blacks however were turned down. By 1862, the Union was in need of soldiers, and many white men were refusing to fight, but black men were still eager to serve their country. In 1863, the [|Emancipation Proclamation] was given by President [|Abraham Lincoln], not only did it free all the blacks in states of rebellion, it allowed black soldiers to fight in the Army and Navy of the Union. Many blacks enlisted, but many chose not to. Frederick Douglass spoke up, according to him all able bodied black men should fight for the Union, serve their country and hope for full citizenship in the future.Black men responded, enlisting in all black regiments, the first of which was the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts.

"Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letter, U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pocket, there is no power on earth that can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship."

Frederick Douglas

Forming the 54th
**A Commander **
 * When abolitionist governor of Massachusetts, John Andrew, was given permission to create a regiment of black troops in January of 1863, he immediately started the process of picking white officers to lead the regiment. The officers he chose where from wealthy abolitionist families in the state. He chose wealthy officers so he could be sure the regiment would be supported financially. The 54th Massachusetts would be the first black regiment in the Civil War. They were seen as a test to decide whether or not black men were worthy of the right to fight, so supporters of the regiment made sure they were properly financed and officers made sure they were properly trained. || [[image:Screen_shot_2012-05-23_at_2.00.48_PM.png width="324" height="213" align="center"]] ||

[|Colonel Robert G. Shaw], a 25 year old son of a wealthy abolitionist was some what reluctantly chosen to lead the 54th Massachusetts. He was born in Boston in 1837. He did not share his parent's passion for freeing the slaves. When war came in 1861, Shaw immediately enlisted in the 7th New York to defend Washington D.C. The Regiment dissolved a few months later and Shaw joined the 2nd Massachusetts. He was engaged in multiple battles with this regiment including Cedar Mountain and Antietam. Governor John Andrew of Massachusetts, a strong abolitionist,later recruited Shaw to lead the first Black regiment of the Civil War in 1863. Shaw reluctantly took command of the Black regiment and over time gained respect for his men. In the end Shaw truly believed that his men could fight as well as any White regiment.

Camp
Training was tough and boring. In camp soldiers would be woken up at five or six in the morning to eat breakfast. After breakfast they would begin to drill. Soldiers would drill as many as five times a day. Each training session was one or two hours long and consisted of firing weapons, marching and preforming other battlefield maneuvers. 3/4 of a soldiers time was spent in camp, this was also true for the 54th although they did take part in smaller skirmishes, the 54th's only big battle was at Fort Wagner.

"The first thing in the morning is drill. Then drill, then drill again. Then drill, drill, a little more drill. Then drill, and lastly drill." -Civil War Soldier

Fighting
July 18, 1863, the 54th Massachusetts was preparing for an assault [|Fort Wagner], Morris Island, South Carolina. The Fort was an important defense of Charleston South Carolina. It was protected by the sea to the east and north, and a swamp to the west. The only angle of attack for the 54th was to come from the south and straight up towards the Fort and into the fire of Confederate guns. The 54th was chosen to lead the attack on the heavily armed Confederate fort. It would be the regiments first real battle. The two brigades, one of which the 54th had joined, reached the edge of the fort and Shaw lead his men over the walls, they fought for a hard long hour and Confederate defenses continued to hold. Eventually they were pushed back, the 54th suffered 25% casualties. One of the dead was their commander, Robert G. Shaw who was shot in the chest while leading his men into the fort.



Confederates and The 54th
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Of course the South resented the idea that free black men were killing their white soldiers on the battlefield. The South hated that the Union even allowed for this to happen. At the battle of Fort Wagner the Confederates buried the dead men of the 54th in a single shallow trench. Confederates thought that this was the most disrespectful thing they could do with Shaw's body. They thought that no other white officers would want to lead black regiments after what they did. When news reached the North of Shaw's burial, his mother said, "There would be no holier place, then to be surrounded by brave and devoted soldiers." <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">"We buried Shaw with his niggers." <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: center;">-Southern Officers

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 140%;">Bibliography
<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">"Abraham Lincoln." The White House. Web. 28 May 2012. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/abrahamlincoln>.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">"African-American Soldiers in the Civil War." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 23 May 2012. <http://www.history.com/topics/african-american-soldiers-in-the-civil-war>.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">"Civil War Trust." The Battle of Fort Wagner Summary & Facts. Web. 28 May 2012. <http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/battery-wagner.html>.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">"Battle of Fort Wagner, 11 and 18 July 1863." Battle of Fort Wagner, 11 and 18 July 1863. Web. 26 May 2012. <http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_fort_wagner.html>.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">"Life In A Civil War Army Camp." Life In A Civil War Army Camp. Web. 28 May 2012. <http://www.civilwarhome.com/camplife.htm>.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">"Teaching With Documents: The Fight for Equal Rights: Black Soldiers in the Civil War." Black Soldiers in the Civil War. Web. 22 May 2012. <http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/blacks-civil-war/>.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">"54th Massachusetts." 54th Massachusetts. Web. 22 May 2012. <http://www.us-civilwar.com/54th.htm>.