54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment

E298893

The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was one of the first official African American units in the Union Army during the American Civil War, renowned for its bravery in the assault on Fort Wagner.

All labels observed (3)

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf African American military unit
Union Army regiment
infantry regiment
allegiance Union
associatedWith Frederick Douglass
authorizedBy Governor John Albion Andrew
burialOfCommander Robert Gould Shaw buried with his men at Fort Wagner
casualtiesAtFortWagner heavy
category United States Colored Troops
surface form: Union Army African American units
commander Edward Needles Hallowell
Robert Gould Shaw
commanderKilledAtFortWagner Robert Gould Shaw
conflict American Civil War
country United States of America
disbandedOn 1865
engagement Battle of Grimball's Landing
Battle of Honey Hill
Battle of Olustee
Assault on Fort Wagner
surface form: Second Battle of Fort Wagner

operations against Charleston
famousFor African American soldiers' bravery
assault on Fort Wagner
formedOn 1863
garrisonDuty Florida
James Island
surface form: James Island, South Carolina

Morris Island
surface form: Morris Island, South Carolina
inspired further recruitment of African American soldiers
legacy helped shift Northern public opinion on Black soldiers
memorializedBy Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial
surface form: Robert Gould Shaw and 54th Regiment Memorial
memorialLocation Boston Common
notableCommander Robert Gould Shaw
notableMember Lewis Henry Douglass
surface form: Lewis Douglass
officerComposition white officers
organizedIn Massachusetts
partOf United States Colored Troops
payControversy initially paid less than white regiments
portrayedAs pioneering African American combat unit
portrayedIn film "Glory"
protested unequal pay
raceComposition predominantly African American enlisted men
recruitedFrom Massachusetts
Northern states
free African Americans
roleInHistory demonstrated combat effectiveness of African American troops
serviceBranch Union Army infantry
size approximately 1,000 men at full strength
symbolOf African American military service
Union cause against slavery

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Referenced by (10)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Lewis Henry Douglass memberOf 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Glory (film score) subject 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment
this entity surface form: 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment
Massachusetts regiments hasPart 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Massachusetts regiments hasNotableUnit 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Military history of Massachusetts hasPart 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Glory mainSubject 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Assault on Fort Wagner notableUnit 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Charles Remond Douglass militaryUnit 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Robert Gould Shaw unitCommanded 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment
this entity surface form: 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment
Robert Gould Shaw associatedWith 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment
this entity surface form: 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry