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Undying Glory: How the 54th Changed History Many troops and leaders were made famous in history in their role during the Civil War. One of the most glorified troops was the Massachusetts 54th, the first colored regiment to enter in any American war weren’t just important because they were the first colored regiment, but should be remembered because they helped the Union win the war. The leader of the Massachusetts 54th was a man named Robert Gould Shaw who was raised as an abolitionist. Robert Gould Shaw was born on October 10, 1837. He was raised in Boston by his wealthy parents and was schooled in West Roxbury. His parents were devoted to the antislavery cause and were friends to William Lloyd Garrison, Harriet Beacher Stowe, and Sarah Child. Also, his parents were part of the American Anti-Slavery Society. His education at West Roxbury was under the foundations of Boston Puritanism, but trimmed up by Unitarianism beliefs. His family moved to Staten Island in West Brighton along side abolitionists and Unitarians. At age 13, he was sent to Saint John’s College in Fordham, New York, which was a catholic school. After pleading with his parents to take him out of Fordham, he went to Europe and was schooled at a boarding school of Monsieur and Madame Roulet in Neuchatel, Switzerland until the age of 18. While he was in Monsieur and Madame, he stayed a Unitarian but was not religious. He did however attend Protestant worship services of several denominations. In May 1856, Shaw enrolled into Harvard and began to study business until in 1857 when the Massive Economic Depression occurred, when he decided not to go into business (Duncan, 5- 34). In 1860, at the beginning of the Civil War, he enlisted into the New York Seventh National Guard after South Carolina seceded from the Union. He went to fight on the Battle of Big Bethel, where he lost his best friend, and soon after, lost many friends from Harvard in Antietam, Gettysburg, Cedar and South Mountains (Cox, 21). He then joined the Massachusetts 2nd where he became a Second Lieutenant and in Spring 1862, he saw action against Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah River Valley. Also, he fought on Cedar Mountain. “We had a hard fight yesterday…the Second Massachusetts [suffered] more than the rest. Captains Cary, Williams, Abbot, and Goodwin, and Lieutenant Perkins were killed. Major Savage wounded and taken [prisoner]; Lieutenants Robeson, Oakey, Browning, and Grafton wounded, and sent to Alexandria. Captains Russell and Quincy, and Lieutenant Miller, prisoners. Surgeon Leland also wounded.” (Duncan, 39). He then, with the Massachusetts 2nd went to Antietam where he left with only a bruise on his neck. He arrived home in January 1863. The Massachusetts 54th was created with the help of Governor Andrew, and Fredrick Douglass. Governor Andrew carefully selected officers who had proven themselves in battle and came from respected anti-slavery families (Emilio, 54). Robert Gould Shaw was asked to lead the Massachusetts 54th. At first, he refused but through long thought and remembering his best friend who died at Big Bethel, he decided to lead the Massachusetts 54th. Shaw left on February 14th to organize the Massachusetts 54th. Before Shaw arrived in Boston, Governor Andrew put together a special “Black Committee” to advise, recruit and raise money for the 54th.
Approximate Word count = 2157
Approximate Pages = 8.6
(250 words per page double spaced)
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