54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry |
|
|---|---|
The 54th Massachusetts at the Second Battle of Fort Wagner, July 18, 1863
|
|
| Active | March 13, 1863 – August 4, 1865 |
| Country |  United States of America |
| Allegiance |  Union |
| Branch | Union Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | 1,100 |
| Nickname(s) | 54th Massachusetts Regiment |
| Engagements | American Civil War |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel | Robert Gould Shaw |
| Colonel | Edward Needles Hallowell |
The 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was a special group of soldiers in the Union Army during the American Civil War. They were called "infantry," which means they were soldiers who fought on foot. People sometimes called them the "Swamp Angels."
This regiment was very important because it was one of the first official units in the United States made up of African Americans. Before this, African Americans had fought in other wars, like the American Revolution and the War of 1812. But the 54th Regiment was a big step forward for African American soldiers in the Civil War.
Contents
History of the 54th Regiment
How the Regiment Started
In March 1863, something big happened: the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. This was an order that declared many enslaved people free. After this, the Governor of Massachusetts, John Albion Andrew, decided to create the 54th Regiment.
The leader of this new regiment was a man named Robert Gould Shaw. He was a "Colonel," which is a high-ranking officer. The Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, decided that all "colored" (African American) units would be led by white officers. Governor Andrew chose Shaw to be the Colonel and Norwood Penrose Hallowell to be the "Lieutenant Colonel," who is second in command. Many of the other officers in the 54th Regiment came from families who were "abolitionists." Abolitionists were people who strongly believed that slavery should be ended.
White abolitionists, including Colonel Shaw's parents, helped find soldiers to join the 54th Regiment.
Training and Challenges
The 54th Regiment trained at a place called Camp Meigs, near Boston. While they were training, many abolitionists in Massachusetts supported them. Famous people like Ralph Waldo Emerson cheered them on. Supporters even gave them warm clothes, special flags, and money to start a band for the regiment.
So many people wanted to join the 54th that the doctors had to be very strict. Only the strongest and healthiest volunteers were allowed in. The Surgeon General of Massachusetts said that the men in the 54th were "a more robust, strong and healthy set of men" than any other soldiers.
However, there was a serious danger. In December 1862, Jefferson Davis, who was the president of the Confederate States of America, gave an order. This order said that if African American soldiers or their white officers were captured by the Confederates, they could be put to death. The Confederate Congress made this order a law in January 1863. This meant that captured African American soldiers would be sent back to the states where they had been enslaved.
Joining the Fight
Even with these dangers, the soldiers of the 54th felt very proud and excited to serve. After their training, they officially joined the U.S. military on May 13, 1863. On May 28, they left Boston, with many people cheering for them. When they arrived in Beaufort, South Carolina, local African Americans and abolitionists from the North welcomed them with celebrations.
In Beaufort, the 54th joined another unit called the 2nd Regiment South Carolina Volunteer Infantry (African Descent). This unit was made up of former enslaved people from South Carolina. Their leader was James Montgomery. Montgomery led both units on a raid of a town in Georgia called Darien. The people who lived there had already left. Montgomery ordered the soldiers to take things from the empty town and burn it. Colonel Shaw disagreed with this order and complained about it.
Key Battles of the 54th Regiment
The 54th Regiment fought its first battle on July 16, on James Island in South Carolina. They successfully stopped an attack by Confederate soldiers. During this fight, 45 members of the 54th were killed.
The Attack on Fort Wagner
The 54th Regiment became very famous on July 18, 1863. On that day, they led a brave attack on a strong Confederate fort called Fort Wagner, near Charleston, South Carolina. About 600 men from the 54th charged forward. Sadly, 272 of them were killed, wounded, or captured.
During this battle, Colonel Shaw was killed, along with 29 of his soldiers. Another 24 soldiers later died from their injuries. Fifteen were captured, and 52 were never found. A total of 149 soldiers were hurt. In all, the 54th Regiment had 272 "casualties" (soldiers killed, wounded, or missing) in this one battle. This was the most casualties they ever had in a single fight during the war.
The Union forces were not able to capture Fort Wagner that day. However, the 54th Regiment was praised for their incredible bravery. Their courage helped convince more African American people to join the Union Army. It also showed Army commanders that African American soldiers could fight bravely in important battles. This was a very important moment in the Civil War. Later, President Abraham Lincoln said that the actions of these soldiers helped the Union win the war.
Other Important Fights
After Colonel Shaw died, Edward Needles Hallowell became the new Colonel and leader of the 54th Regiment. Under his command, the 54th fought in the Battle of Olustee. After this battle, they were given a special mission. A train carrying wounded Union soldiers had broken down, and the soldiers were in danger of being captured.
The 54th Regiment arrived and attached ropes to the train. They pulled the train by hand for about 3 miles (4.8 km) to a place called Camp Finnegan. There, they found horses to help. The soldiers and horses then pulled the train all the way to Jacksonville, Florida. In total, the 54th pulled the train for about 10 miles (16 km). This took them 42 hours!
Later, the 54th Regiment was part of an all-black group of soldiers. In November 1864, they attacked Confederate soldiers at the Battle of Honey Hill, but they were not successful. In April 1865, they fought in the Battle of Boykin's Mill in South Carolina. This was a smaller fight and one of the very last battles of the Civil War.
Related pages
Images for kids
-
Massachusetts Gov. John Albion Andrew helped form the 54th Massachusetts.
-
A hat badge from a group formed by surviving members of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment in 1871.
-
A memorial to Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
-
An inscription on the back of the Memorial.
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: 54.º Regimiento de Infantería de Voluntarios de Massachusetts para niños
