Co. G 54 Mass Vol. Fell in battle at Ft. Wagner, South Carolina
From Wikipedia:
The First Battle of Fort Wagner, occurred on July 11, 1863. Only 12 Confederate soldiers were killed, as opposed to the Union's 330 losses.
The Second Battle of Fort Wagner, a week later, is better known. This was the Union attack on July 18, 1863, led by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first major American military units made up of black soldiers. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw led the 54th Regiment on foot while they charged; he was killed in the assault. Although a tactical defeat, the battle proved to be a political victory for the Union since the valor of the 54th against hopeless odds proved the worth of black soldiers. It spurred additional recruitment that gave the Union Army a further numerical advantage in troops over the South.
The Union besieged the fort after the unsuccessful assault. After enduring almost 60 days of heavy shelling, the Confederates abandoned it on September 7, 1863. This was one of the bloodiest battles due to the number of men lost in the charge.
The main reason the fort was abandoned was fresh water. The bodies of the Union troops (54th Mass and many white troops) were buried close to the fort and that poisoned the fresh water well within the fort. Continuing bombardment and interception of food/water supplies by boat from Charleston made holding the fort difficult.
When the fort was abandoned in September 1863, the CSA forces left behind a large amount of gunpowder in the bomb proof. Two drunk Union soldiers were exploring the bomb proofs and set off the gunpowder, killing and injuring another 300 Union Soldiers stationed within the fort.
This fort was also a major part in the film Glory. The final scene; it portrays Colonel Shaw and the men of the 54th Massachusetts storming the fort unsuccessfully.
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The famous regiment that fought for the Union in the battle of Fort Wagner was the 54th regiment, which was one of the first African-American regiments in the war. The 54th was controversial in the North, where many people supported the abolition of slavery, but still thought of African-Americans as lesser or inferior to Whites. The bravery of the 54th regiment showed the North that African-Americans had the capability to fight a war. William Carney, an African-American and a sergeant with the 54th, is considered the first Black recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions that day in recovering and returning the unit's US Flag to Union lines.
After the battle, the Southern soldiers buried the regiment's commanding officer, Colonel Shaw, in a mass grave with the African American soldiers of his regiment, viewing this as an insult to him. Instead, his family thanked the Southern soldiers for burying Shaw with the rest of his men.
The mass grave at Fort Wagner no longer exists, the site eroded and the remains of Colonel Shaw and his men washed out to sea by Atlantic hurricanes.
From Wikipedia:
The First Battle of Fort Wagner, occurred on July 11, 1863. Only 12 Confederate soldiers were killed, as opposed to the Union's 330 losses.
The Second Battle of Fort Wagner, a week later, is better known. This was the Union attack on July 18, 1863, led by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first major American military units made up of black soldiers. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw led the 54th Regiment on foot while they charged; he was killed in the assault. Although a tactical defeat, the battle proved to be a political victory for the Union since the valor of the 54th against hopeless odds proved the worth of black soldiers. It spurred additional recruitment that gave the Union Army a further numerical advantage in troops over the South.
The Union besieged the fort after the unsuccessful assault. After enduring almost 60 days of heavy shelling, the Confederates abandoned it on September 7, 1863. This was one of the bloodiest battles due to the number of men lost in the charge.
The main reason the fort was abandoned was fresh water. The bodies of the Union troops (54th Mass and many white troops) were buried close to the fort and that poisoned the fresh water well within the fort. Continuing bombardment and interception of food/water supplies by boat from Charleston made holding the fort difficult.
When the fort was abandoned in September 1863, the CSA forces left behind a large amount of gunpowder in the bomb proof. Two drunk Union soldiers were exploring the bomb proofs and set off the gunpowder, killing and injuring another 300 Union Soldiers stationed within the fort.
This fort was also a major part in the film Glory. The final scene; it portrays Colonel Shaw and the men of the 54th Massachusetts storming the fort unsuccessfully.
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The famous regiment that fought for the Union in the battle of Fort Wagner was the 54th regiment, which was one of the first African-American regiments in the war. The 54th was controversial in the North, where many people supported the abolition of slavery, but still thought of African-Americans as lesser or inferior to Whites. The bravery of the 54th regiment showed the North that African-Americans had the capability to fight a war. William Carney, an African-American and a sergeant with the 54th, is considered the first Black recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions that day in recovering and returning the unit's US Flag to Union lines.
After the battle, the Southern soldiers buried the regiment's commanding officer, Colonel Shaw, in a mass grave with the African American soldiers of his regiment, viewing this as an insult to him. Instead, his family thanked the Southern soldiers for burying Shaw with the rest of his men.
The mass grave at Fort Wagner no longer exists, the site eroded and the remains of Colonel Shaw and his men washed out to sea by Atlantic hurricanes.
Co. G 54 Mass Vol. Fell in battle at Ft. Wagner, South Carolina
From Wikipedia:
The First Battle of Fort Wagner, occurred on July 11, 1863. Only 12 Confederate soldiers were killed, as opposed to the Union's 330 losses.
The Second Battle of Fort Wagner, a week later, is better known. This was the Union attack on July 18, 1863, led by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first major American military units made up of black soldiers. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw led the 54th Regiment on foot while they charged; he was killed in the assault. Although a tactical defeat, the battle proved to be a political victory for the Union since the valor of the 54th against hopeless odds proved the worth of black soldiers. It spurred additional recruitment that gave the Union Army a further numerical advantage in troops over the South.
The Union besieged the fort after the unsuccessful assault. After enduring almost 60 days of heavy shelling, the Confederates abandoned it on September 7, 1863. This was one of the bloodiest battles due to the number of men lost in the charge.
The main reason the fort was abandoned was fresh water. The bodies of the Union troops (54th Mass and many white troops) were buried close to the fort and that poisoned the fresh water well within the fort. Continuing bombardment and interception of food/water supplies by boat from Charleston made holding the fort difficult.
When the fort was abandoned in September 1863, the CSA forces left behind a large amount of gunpowder in the bomb proof. Two drunk Union soldiers were exploring the bomb proofs and set off the gunpowder, killing and injuring another 300 Union Soldiers stationed within the fort.
This fort was also a major part in the film Glory. The final scene; it portrays Colonel Shaw and the men of the 54th Massachusetts storming the fort unsuccessfully.
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The famous regiment that fought for the Union in the battle of Fort Wagner was the 54th regiment, which was one of the first African-American regiments in the war. The 54th was controversial in the North, where many people supported the abolition of slavery, but still thought of African-Americans as lesser or inferior to Whites. The bravery of the 54th regiment showed the North that African-Americans had the capability to fight a war. William Carney, an African-American and a sergeant with the 54th, is considered the first Black recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions that day in recovering and returning the unit's US Flag to Union lines.
After the battle, the Southern soldiers buried the regiment's commanding officer, Colonel Shaw, in a mass grave with the African American soldiers of his regiment, viewing this as an insult to him. Instead, his family thanked the Southern soldiers for burying Shaw with the rest of his men.
The mass grave at Fort Wagner no longer exists, the site eroded and the remains of Colonel Shaw and his men washed out to sea by Atlantic hurricanes.
From Wikipedia:
The First Battle of Fort Wagner, occurred on July 11, 1863. Only 12 Confederate soldiers were killed, as opposed to the Union's 330 losses.
The Second Battle of Fort Wagner, a week later, is better known. This was the Union attack on July 18, 1863, led by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first major American military units made up of black soldiers. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw led the 54th Regiment on foot while they charged; he was killed in the assault. Although a tactical defeat, the battle proved to be a political victory for the Union since the valor of the 54th against hopeless odds proved the worth of black soldiers. It spurred additional recruitment that gave the Union Army a further numerical advantage in troops over the South.
The Union besieged the fort after the unsuccessful assault. After enduring almost 60 days of heavy shelling, the Confederates abandoned it on September 7, 1863. This was one of the bloodiest battles due to the number of men lost in the charge.
The main reason the fort was abandoned was fresh water. The bodies of the Union troops (54th Mass and many white troops) were buried close to the fort and that poisoned the fresh water well within the fort. Continuing bombardment and interception of food/water supplies by boat from Charleston made holding the fort difficult.
When the fort was abandoned in September 1863, the CSA forces left behind a large amount of gunpowder in the bomb proof. Two drunk Union soldiers were exploring the bomb proofs and set off the gunpowder, killing and injuring another 300 Union Soldiers stationed within the fort.
This fort was also a major part in the film Glory. The final scene; it portrays Colonel Shaw and the men of the 54th Massachusetts storming the fort unsuccessfully.
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The famous regiment that fought for the Union in the battle of Fort Wagner was the 54th regiment, which was one of the first African-American regiments in the war. The 54th was controversial in the North, where many people supported the abolition of slavery, but still thought of African-Americans as lesser or inferior to Whites. The bravery of the 54th regiment showed the North that African-Americans had the capability to fight a war. William Carney, an African-American and a sergeant with the 54th, is considered the first Black recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions that day in recovering and returning the unit's US Flag to Union lines.
After the battle, the Southern soldiers buried the regiment's commanding officer, Colonel Shaw, in a mass grave with the African American soldiers of his regiment, viewing this as an insult to him. Instead, his family thanked the Southern soldiers for burying Shaw with the rest of his men.
The mass grave at Fort Wagner no longer exists, the site eroded and the remains of Colonel Shaw and his men washed out to sea by Atlantic hurricanes.
Inscription
Co. G 54 Mass. Vols. Fell in Battle of Fort Wagner, So. Carolina.
Family Members
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
