My main source that I have used during this project is a book called "A Brave Black Regiment" by Captain Luis F. Emilio (1844 – 1918). He was an officer that had been with the regiment since the start and until the regiment was disbanded.

This regiment was among the first that formed in the northern states east of the Mississippi River and only the best were recruited to this regiment. At this point of time there existed strong prejudices against supplying the African-Americans with guns and also against those officers that dared to command them. Almost the whole nation was against this and even the Union army opposed to this as well. Most people were certain that the African-Americans wouldn't fight, that it would prolong the war even further and also that white troops would refuse to serve together with the African-American troops.

Beside the moral courage that was required by those who were recruited there existed one other cause that required even more courage. The Congress of the Confederacy determined in an act on May 1, 1863, that said that all African-Americans that participated in the war would not be recognized as soldiers, but as escaped slaves and treated as such if captured, nor the people that armed, trained or led African-American troops would be treated as soldiers. In the eyes of the Confederacy they were traitors and would be treated as such, they were to be executed or punished in a suitable manner if they were captured.

On February 9, 1863, began the recruitment of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The following role-call was published in the Boston Journal on February 16, 1863:

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"To all colored men.

Required. Good men to the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers of African descent.

Colonel Robert G. Shaw.

Recruitment.

A $100 bounty after end of term. Pay $13 a month and state aid to families. All necessary information is available at drafting office, corner Cambridge and North Russel Streets.

Lieutenant J. W. M. Appleton, recruitment officer."

Five days later the first troop of 25 men had arrived at the camp of Readville, Massachusetts.

Robert Gould. Shaw's appointment to Colonel is dated to April 17, 1863.

At first the recruitment went slowly, but soon gave many free ex-slaves up their occupations and was recruited to the regiment. The most respected, bravest and intelligent members of the African-American society let themselves willingly be recruited for the fight over their own freedom.

That this happened in Massachusetts is not so strange, Massachusetts was the first state to abolish slavery, to make all men equal to the law and also the first state to let African-American children into the public schools.

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The camp at Readville became their home and there they were trained for three months, during this time they showed that they were just as good as any man. The white officers were proud to serve with these African-Americans. At the same time the nation followed the regiments development with the help from the articles in the newspapers. Finally it was time to join the war and they were sent to South Carolina.

On May 28, 1863, the regiment marched with its 850 soldiers through the streets of Boston with the citizens encouraging cheering. The newspapers had a lot to report about the regiment's departure. En paper said, "No other regiment has before gathered so many thousands of bystanders as the 54th. Great masses of people stood at the streets where the regiment would pass and the public scuffled with each other in a way that they normally only would do to celebrate 4th of July or similar events.

No other regiments with white soldiers from Massachusetts have surpassed the 54th when it comes to exercise, discipline, dignity and military knowledge. The regiment is just as good as every man here could wish for." They traveled on with a ship and arrived on June 4 at Beufort, South Carolina. They continued onwards through the islands that were along the coast of South Carolina.

On June 30, 1863, the soldiers of the 54th gathered together to get their first salary. But there were rumors that said that the government would not keep their promises, they also had lowered the salary with 3 dollars. Col. Shaw wrote a letter to governor Andrews where he spoke of the great injustices that had come up.

He thought the government was wrong when they backed down from the promises they had made and that the government should fulfill the contract that soldiers had signed up for. People were worried that the soldiers wouldn't fight since they had been cheated on their salary. But the African-American regiment proved to those people that they were wrong, despite the very bad treatment they yet had received.

Finally they arrived at James Island were they would came upon the horrors of war in close range. In the early dawn on July 16 the regiment saw its first real battle, they hardly had the time to take their positions when soldiers from other regiments began to retreat. If they had been delayed with only 5 minutes, the retreating soldiers from Connecticut 10th would surely have died.

A journalist from The Reflector reported: "The boys from Connecticut 10th could not do anything but love those men that had saved them from certain doom. I have been deeply touched when I heard about this immense gratitude from the officers and soldiers of Connecticut 10th and probably a thousand or so homes from Windham to Fairfield that through letters have told them how the dark-skinned heroes had fought and covered with their own brave hearts to make it possible for their brothers in arms to retreat."

The confederates eventually retreated and the regiment searched the area. Col. Shaw sent a message to General Terry that they had taken the area as ordered. The response was: "I am very pleased with the efforts of your regiment, they have done all they could and more". The casualties for the regiment were: 14 dead, 18 wounded and 13 missing in action.

The regiment got new orders and were to report with General Strong at Morris Island, the regiment marched during severe conditions to a place where they could go aboard the steamer "General Hunter", once they got there they found that only way to get aboard were with the help of a leaking boat that couldn't take more than 30 men at a time.