scott-+Mass.+54th+regiment

toc media type="file" key="When Johnny comes marching home - Instrumental march.mp3" width="240" height="20" =**__Introduction__**= The 54th regiment of Massachusetts (Union) was formed in 1863 and was made up of 1,007 black soldiers and 37 white officers. This was the first black regiment in either the North and South. The creation of this regiment was a result of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which gave the right to African Americans to fight in the Civil War. The Union however was the only one that really allowed the Blacks to fight. In the South, arming a slave could inevitably result in a revolt. Instead the Confederacy used their slave labor for producing the necessities of war. The 54th regiment was most famous for its Assault on Fort Wagner and although this attack ended in a defeat their heroism and courage was demonstrated. This regiment was the turning point in how America viewed its Black members.

=**__African American Soldiers__**= African American soldiers were originally not allowed to fight in the Civil War. The Civil War was known as a “white man’s war,” and was not a place for Black soldiers. The Union was afraid of integrating their armed forces. It was not until the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation that Black soldiers really became an important factor in the war. In Abraham Lincoln’s famous address he stated that, “The colored population is the great available and yet unavailed of force for restoring the Union.” After this address the Union was still uncertain as to whether or not it was ready to have whites and blacks fighting side by side. Unfortunately, it was no longer a choice whether Blacks should have the right to fight, for the Union was running out of reserve forces. The Union was confronted with either allowing colored soldiers to fight or be defeated by the hands of the Confederacy. And so began the rise of Black Union regiments. Alongside the 54th regiment of Massachusetts was the Black Brigade of Cincinnati. This military unit was formed in order to protect the city of Cincinnati from a Confederate assault. Similar units began springing up all across the North. The North’s manpower and infantry count increased dramatically, helping the North back onto its feet. Unfortunately for the South, they had no such help.

=__**Colonel Robert Gould Shaw**__= Colonel Robert Gould Shaw was born in Boston, on October 10, 1837. He was the only son of Francis Gould and Sarah Shaw. Robert Gould came from a very devoted abolitionists family. He attended Harvard University for only three years and never received a diploma. Robert became a steadfast supporter of Abraham Lincoln, and enlisted in the army. He was then placed in the 7th regiment of New York. Later, after fighting in the Battle of Cedar Mountain on August 9, 1862 Shaw was promoted to captain. Then on September 17, 1862 his regiment fought in the Battle of Antietam. On February 2, 1863 Shaw received a letter from Massachusetts governor John A. Andrew offering Robert a command of the first Black regiment in the North. Robert accepted the position, and began recruiting on February 15th. He was finally promoted to Colonel on April 17, 1863. Robert Gould Shaw died on July 18,1863 during the Attack on Fort Wagner.

=__**William H Carney**__= William Harvey Carney was born in 1840, in Norfolk, Virginia. He was born into slavery and lived his adolescence as a field hand. This was short lived, for he followed his father’s footsteps and escaped from Virginia. Just as his father had done he took the Underground Railroad to Massachusetts. Carney had been living in Massachusetts as a free Black, when Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Shortly after Lincoln’s address William Carney enlisted in the Army. Carney was placed in the 54th regiment of Massachusetts, lead by Robert S. Gould. Shortly after enlisting the regiment was called into service in the Attack on Fort Wagner. This conflict ended in a complete failure for the Union. Amidst the chaos of retreating from the Fort, the 54th's flag bearer was killed. William Carney was famous for his noble act of retrieving his regiment's flag and his famous quote, "The old flag never touch the ground." Unfortunately, when he retrieved the flag he sustained multiple wounds. The most deadly of these was a bullet to the shoulder. Due to his wounds, shortly after the Attack on Fort Wagner, William Carney received an honorable discharge. 40 years later Carney would receive his Medal of Honor for his heroism in the face of danger.



=__**The Rise of the 54th**__= Recruitment of the 54th regiment began on February 15th, 1863. Notices and advertisement for the Massachusetts 54th regiment were posted in many different newspapers. White abolitionists rallied free Blacks to enlist but only about two thirds were accepted of those enlisted. The regiment did not only receive moral support, but financial support as well. Clothes, food rations, weaponry, and other equipment was also funded by white abolitionists. The 54th regiment of Massachusetts was ready and motivated for battle. It was said by many to be one of the healthiest group of men to ever be assembled. As they marched in full uniform through the Boston Commons, their spirits were high and all had smiles on their faces. Tens of thousands of people cheered as 1,007 black soldiers and 37 white officers boarded a steamship headed for South Carolina. Among these 1,007 infantry soldiers included Fredrick Douglass’ sons Charles and Lewis Douglass. Once they arrived in South Carolina, they were held back and relegated to menial labor. It wasn’t until almost a month later that they saw their first battle action. This encounter would be their most famous, the Attack on Fort Wagner.

=__**Attack on Fort Wagner **__= We the 54th regiment of Massachusetts led the assault on Fort Wagner. Its as if a soldier could be heard saying, "as we marched along Morris Island’s shoreline we heard the faint booms of the Union Ironclads bombarding the fort. The only other sound was rhythmic explosions from distant cannons returning fire on our vessels. We trudged and trudged along miles of open shore line, with our target looming above us ominously. Someone in the regiment signaled high noon, the date was July 18, 1863. We were a unit composed of ten different regiments, six would be the first assault while the other four waited and would be our second". The first assault was made up of us the 54th regiment of Massachusetts, 6th of Connecticut, 48th of New York, 3rd of New Hampshire, 76th of Pennsylvania, and 9th of Maine. The second assault was formed by the 7th of New Hampshire, 62nd and 6th of Ohio, and the 100th from New York. "We were told we would strike once the Ironclads had weakened their defenses. We closed in on the fort; half of a mile, a third of a mile, and then a fourth. Then our leader Robert S Gould commanded, “Forward Fifty-fourth!” with that our battle cries were heard, we charged at the Fort, at first covering large sums of distance. Gunshots erupted from the regiment. The fort seemed to hesitate for a brief flittering second before, it too open fired. Cannons atop the fort barraged our regiment with cannon balls. All around plots of earth that seemed to be perfectly placed in the ground exploded, sending bits of dirt and debris everywhere. The sounds of battle cries were replaced by the cries of the wounded. Men lay motionless on the ground, while others continued their charge. It didn’t take long to decide that we must retreat. The 54th was out-gunned and out-matched. The entire assault seemed to be of no avail. After reaching a safe distance we counted our losses. The Union suffered losses of 246 dead, 880 wounded and 389 missing in action. Among these losses was beloved Robert S Gould." The Attack on Fort Wagner resulted in a terrible loss for the Union.



=__**The Legacy**__= The 54th regiment of Massachusetts was the first and most famous Black regiment during the Civil War. They were the first Black regiment to rise up in adversity and fight the Confederate army. Although their greatest battle resulted in a loss for the Union, they were still honored for their valiant efforts. This regiment was comprised of only the most hardworking individuals, and among them was the first African American recipient of the Medal of Honor. Although all the members of this regiment are no longer around, their legacy lives on with us and shall never be forgotten. A memorial was donated in their honor located next to the Boston Commons. This memorial was constructed between 1884 -1898, and can still be appreciated today.

=**__Ironclads-Ryan __**= During the Battle of Fort Wagner four Ironclad sat out at sea to aid the men in the attack of Fort Wagner. The ships shot at the fort weakening its defenses and scaring the confederate soldiers underground leaving the artillery in the fort unarmed. The assault of 1,700 men lead by Colonel Robert Shaw Gould and the 54th of Massachusetts marched toward the fort. When they started to near the fort the firing from the ironclads stopped to not injure their own men. When the men got within 150 yards the confederates maned their weapons again and started firing at the Union army. The garrison marched on until they realized that they could not win the battle and started to retreat. The ironclads made it possible for the men to get close to the fort. The assault would have been successful it the weapons of the confederates weren't as technologically advanced with faster reloading weapons and more damaging weapons.

=**__Bibliography__**=

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"Boston African American National Historic Site - Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment (U.S. National Park Service)." //U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America//. Web. 19 May 2011. .

Hickman, Kennedy. "Robert Gould Shaw - American Civil War Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts." //Military History - Warfare through the Ages - Battles and Conflicts - Weapons of War - Military Leaders in History//. Web. 19 May 2011. [].

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