Massachusetts Governor John Andrew established the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry in response to Abraham Lincoln’s call for Black regiments to be raised following the Emancipation Proclamation.
In 1863, the Governor appointed Robert Gould Shaw, the son of a wealthy abolitionist, to command this regiment. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry is significant in historical reflections because it provided an opportunity for Black soldiers to demonstrate their capability.
According to the Bill of Rights Institute, it was another victory for the black race in its fight against racial inequality and demand for diversity for abolitionists Frederick Douglass. Douglass played an important role in recruiting volunteers for the regiment, which included his two sons.
Many of the Black soldiers came from New York, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Boston, and other northern cities. Because, despite African-American soldiers fighting in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, racial discrimination in the North prevented them from fighting in America’s Civil War.
Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 was viewed as a chance for African-American soldiers to prove their worth. When they enlisted, however, instead of serving on the battlefield, many were assigned to menial tasks. In that regard, they were paid as laborers rather than soldiers.
Some were also assigned to ancillary duties such as guarding bridges and supply trains, as well as rescuing wounded soldiers from the battlefield. The black regiment’s casualty rate increased due to illness and strenuous labor work.