#OTD 157 years ago the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, the first sanctioned all Black regiment in the US Army, made its famous attack on Battery Wagner. We'll do a day long celebration of the unit, the men, and the assault. 🇺🇸
#54thMass #BatteryWagner #GiveEmHell54th
#54thMass #BatteryWagner #GiveEmHell54th
While not the first attempt at creating an all Black regiment, the 54th Mass was the first one sanctioned by the War Department after the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation, and began the enlistment of almost 200,000 Black Americans into the US Army.
The idea of allowing Black men to serve in the Army, either free men or former slaves, was not new. John Fremont and Benjamin Butler had already tried but were rebuked. It wasn't until the Emancipation Proclamation, and New England abolitionists, that they were formally accepted.
Massachusetts' governor Andrew, a staunch abolitionist, wished his state to be the first to raise a Black regiment, so he enlisted giants in the abolitionist movement, including Frederick Douglass, to scour the Northern states for volunteers.
So even though the 54th Mass was technically a Massachusetts regiment, the vast majority of its members were from Pennsylvania, New York, and Ohio. Also the majority were educated free men; laborers, waiters, mariners, farmers, and even two of Frederick Douglass' sons.
Lewis Douglass, Frederick's oldest son, signed on with the 54th Mass along with his younger brother Charles, in New York. Lewis rose to the rank of Sergeant Major and stormed Battery Wagner where he was seriously wounded. He stayed with the 54th and survived the war.
Charles Douglass, the first man to sign up for the regiment, was generally ill for most of his time in the 54th and never deployed with them to South Carolina or Florida. He finally changed units to the 5th Mass Cavalry and became a First Sergeant. He was discharged in 1864.
William Carney, a former enslaved oysterman who made his way north to New Bedford. He worked in New Bedford until 1863 when he joined the 54th Mass. He would save the US flag during the assault on Battery Wagner and be wounded five times. Later he'd be awarded the Medal of Honor.
John Henry Gooding was born to a slave and white man who ultimately bought his freedom. He went north and became a whaler who spent years at sea. He joined the 54th and survived Battery Wagner. He was captured in 1864 and sent to Andersonville prison where he died and is buried.
Stephen Swails was a waiter and joined the 54th Mass in New York. He rose quickly in the ranks and became a company First Sergeant. After surviving Battery Wagner he became regimental Sergeant Major. He was later the first African American to be commissioned as an officer.
It was determined that only white officers would lead Black regiments, so Governor Andrew personally picked local Massachusetts men with battle experience for the 54th. Most were Harvard grads and all were either had abolitionist leanings or were from prominent families.
Andrew looked to the prominent Shaw family and their young son Robert. An officer in another Mass regiment he originally refused to become the 54th's colonel. His change of mind was true and fateful for him and the regiment. Only 25 he died leading the assault on Wagner.
The Hallowell family put three sons into the army. Ned (L) and Pen (R) became officers in the 54th Mass, with Ned becoming second in command. He took over as Colonel after Shaw was killed. Pen was also promoted and took command of the 54th's sister regiment, the 55th Mass.
The 54th was trained at Camp Meigs in Readville, just outside of Boston. New volunteers would continue to pour in to the camp before the regiment met its full muster of 1000 men. They drilled for months before being readied for deployment down to South Carolina.
Unlike the movie Glory, there was no Irish drill sergeant, no not knowing left feet from right, and the men got their blue uniforms immediately, ceremoniously burning their civilian clothes. The men were eager to learn, to drill, and to fight; to show what Black men could do.
Gooding noted in his diary that all the men were "anxious to perfect themselves in drill that they may the sooner meet the Rebs" and that "they feel determined to fight." The men even turned their barracks into classrooms after drill to teach literacy and the Bible.
Finally on 18 May the 54th marched out of Camp Meigs and down the streets of Boston, lined with thousands of spectators, towards the Common and the port. Andrews, Douglass, and other dignitaries lavished the men with praise and gave them their flags. It was a glorious send off.
The 54th boarded the steamer De Molay and endured a rough trip south to Beaufort, SC where they disembarked. They were assigned to the Department of the South under General David Hunter and spent the next weeks acclimating to the southern summer. But action would come soon.
While in Beaufort Shaw and the 54th met Colonel Montgomery and his 2nd South Carolina "Coloured" regiment, raised from freed and runaway enslaved men from SC. Montgomery was a Jayhawker and religious zealot who was portrayed in the movie Glory.
And just like in the movie Montgomery and Shaw led an expedition against Darien, Georgia. Montgomery ordered Shaw to burn the town and supplies, and when he refused, the 2nd SC did it themselves. Shaw later said it was "as abominable a job" he'd ever done.
Shaw immediately wrote his father, Governor Andrew, and the War Department demanding to be detached from Montgomery's command and to get into the real fight. After weeks of waiting the 54th was detached and assigned to the army at Hilton Head around Charleston.
The 54th took part in the mid June attack on Battery Wagner, moving onto James Island with General Strong's brigade, where they encountered Confederate forces. They "fought like tigers" Lewis Douglass said, and saved the white 10th Connecticut from being overrun and captured.
The men of the 54th stood shoulder to shoulder as the Confederates came at them, firing volley after volley into them. Many of the men's shoulders were badly bruised from the kick of their muskets. Finally, after two hours, the rebels withdrew. The 54th had proven their mettle.
Many officers from the 10th Connecticut rode over to thank Shaw and his men for saving them on James Island. One Connecticut soldier wrote home that the 54th fought "like heroes" and had it not been for them "our whole regiment would have been captured."
Wilkie James, a junior officer, wrote home to his father after the July 16 battle that "For the first time, we had met the enemy, and had proven there, fully to our satisfaction at least, that the Negro soldier was a fighting soldier." They would soon prove it again, and more.
The 54th spent the next day and a half marching to the shore and waiting for transport back to Folly Island, getting no sleep and eating very little but what they carried, and enduring violent rain and thunderstorms. The men were exhausted.
Once reaching Folly Island the regiment rested. The US Navy and Army shore batteries had been pounding Battery Wagner with artillery for the past couple days in advance of an infantry assault. Even though exhausted, Rob Shaw wanted to make sure the 54th wasn't left out.
Around 2 PM on 18 July, 1863 a tired Colonel Shaw goes looking for orders. General Strong tells him he plans on assaulting Battery Wagner at sundown that evening. "You may lead the column if you say yes" Strong said. Shaw turns to Wilkie and tells him to bring up the regiment.
Strong's plan was to have his brigade, with the 54th in the lead, attack up the narrow beach in column and assault the battery. With the sea on one side and marsh on the other it would be a fatal funnel for any regiment making the attack. h/t to @Battlefields for the map
Wilkie finds Ned Hallowell and tells him the regiment will be attacking Battery Wagner. The 650 tired men now left were ordered to their feet and boarded a transport to Morris Island. It took them hours to sail and march to Strong's encampment halfway up the island.
Imagine, you're a 20ish year old Black man who has spent your years in bondage or free, the last few months training to prove yourself and your race to others, exhausted from fighting yesterday, and now on your way to lead a charge. What may be going through your mind?
Around 6 PM the 54th Mass reached General Strong's headquarters on Morris Island. While Colonel Shaw met with Strong LTC Hallowel led the regiment down the beach to their starting point. They'd have to wait almost 2 hours before the assault would begin. Hurry up and wait.
As the 54th moved into position on the beach they passed white regiments and batteries along the sand, and were met with thunderous applause and cheering. They had earned this by showing their ferocity and bravery in battle, and no doubt took as much of it in as they could.
Ned Hallowell moved the regiment into position while COL Shaw had a quick meal with General Strong. The 54th formed into two lines of battle along the water and waited. They were only 3/4 of a mile away from the ramparts behind the dunes.
About 7 PM COL Shaw and General Strong mount their horses and ride out to the 54th. Rob drops off some letters to his family and wife to a reporter watching the battle. An officer noted Shaw's "bearing was composed" but his teeth were clenched around a cigar.
After Shaw dismounted his horse Strong rode in front of the men on his grey horse. He pointed to Sergeant Wall, the flag bearer, and asked "If this man should fall, who will lift the flag and carry on?" Shaw took the cigar out of his mouth and quietly said "I will."
As Strong rode away, Shaw began to walk among his men, talking softly to them in a familiar way. Gooding said his manner was friendlier "than I had ever noticed before." A private yelled "Colonel, I will stay with you till I die!" Shaw nodded and smiled at him.
At 7:45 PM the 54th, in two columns, was ordered to begin the assault. Hallowell commanded the left column, Shaw the right. They had 1300 yards to cover before they reached the fort. Shaw drew his sword, ordered quick time until 100 yards, then double quick and charge.
The men walked across the beach to their destiny, followed by the 6th Connecticut and 48th New York. It was getting dark fast and the narrow beach was getting crowded. At about 200 yards from the beach the top of the battery "became a mound of fire" as the Confederates opened up.
The charge took 7 minutes and under a withering fire from the parapets the 54th reached the walls. Gaps in the lines opened from canister shot and then closed up again. Men fell with ghastly wounds or died instantly. The flag bearer went down. Shaw picked it up and pushed ahead.
Men scrambled up the sandy walls trying to reach the top, only to be hit by grape, canister, and ball. Douglass, screaming "Come on boys!" was hit; Wilkie was hit twice; Hallowell was hit in the groin and fell back into the moat. The battle for the top was vicious.
Shaw was the first man on the right to scale the wall. Two companies pushed up to the top with him and the fight became hand to hand. Shaw, waving his sword, yells "Forward, my brave boys!" and is shot once, then five more times. He dies instantly and falls back down the wall.
For almost an hour the 54th Mass and 6th Connecticut held the top of the southeastern wall, intermingled fighting side by side. No soldier had time to reload their muskets; they used bayonets, hand grenades, rifle butts, swords, and fists. But they were vastly outnumbered.
With all the senior officers killed or wounded the call to retreat came from Captain Luis Emilio, a Hispanic officer and son of Spanish immigrants. He was now the 54th's commanding officer. The surviving men poured back down the walls onto the beach, taking more deadly fire.
As the men flooded back to safety William Carney was among them, carrying the US flag he had picked up and planted on the ramparts. After being wounded numerous times he protected the flag and crawled to safety. Reaching safety white soldiers around him cheered his bravery.
And with that the assault was over. The 54th suffered over 272 casualties out of their 650 who went into the battle, a 42% casualty rate. Of the 34 killed in action, 23 were officers leading the charge. The 6th Connecticut lost even more. It was a bloody and useless assault.
The men of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry paid for their freedom and the freedom of all African Americans in blood. They, and all the US Colored Troops, showed true courage and honor during the Civil War. We owe them more than we can ever repay.
Thanks to everyone for following and liking this thread today. It's important to remember that 1) the Civil War wasn't just a white man's war and 2) 200,000 Black men fought for their and their family's rights and very lives. The 54th Massachusetts weren't the only ones. Huzzah.
