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54 th Massachusetts

54 th Massachusetts. First All Black Regiment. Objectives. Learn why John Andrew wanted to form an all black regiment. Learn how the 54 th did in battle. Learn what the legacy of the 54 th Massachusetts was. Governor John Andrew.

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54 th Massachusetts

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  1. 54th Massachusetts First All Black Regiment

  2. Objectives • Learn why John Andrew wanted to form an all black regiment. • Learn how the 54th did in battle. • Learn what the legacy of the 54th Massachusetts was.

  3. Governor John Andrew When it was announced that emancipation would take place, Massachusetts Governor John A. Andrew immediately went to work on forming an all black regiment of soldiers.

  4. Forming the Regiment To help in forming the regiment, Frederick Douglass aided in recruiting, and volunteered to serve in the regiment. He was deemed to old and valuable, so his sons served in his stead.

  5. White Officers Black officers were not permitted in the army. All the officers were white, carefully chosen from abolitionist families. Robert Gould Shaw was chosen to be colonel of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment.

  6. 54th Massachusetts Beginning late in 1862, the 54th trained in Readville Massachusetts, doing the daily practice of “Drill, drill, lunch, drill, and more drill”. Learning to march as and maneuver as a group.

  7. Coastal Duties In June of 1863 they were sent to the coastal operations in South Carolina. There they were just assigned manual labor duties until July.

  8. James Island On July 16, while supporting the 10th Connecticut, they saw their first combat. Their actions saved the white regiment from disaster and allowed another regiment to join the fight in favor of the Union soldiers.

  9. Fort Wagner After a two day march, they led the assault on Fort Wagner guarding the entrance to Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. In the assault, half the regiment was lost including Shaw.

  10. 54th’s Legacy The bravery of the 54th opened the path for thousands of Blacks into the army. By the war’s end, the Union had 180,000 Black troops. That number was greater than the entire Southern Army.

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