54th Massachusetts leaves Boston
- When
- 1863
- Where
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Episodes
- 1
The 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment departed Boston on May 28, 1863, following its muster into federal service. This African-American regiment, organized in the Northern states, was commanded by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. The unit had recruited in February 1863 and trained at Camp Meigs near Boston before leaving for South Carolina.
Episodes
Background and detail
Background. The 54th Massachusetts was organized in the Northern states during the Civil War, consisting of African-American enlisted men commanded by white officers. Recruitment began in February 1863, with training conducted at Camp Meigs on the outskirts of Boston. The regiment was mustered into federal service on May 13, 1863, prior to its departure.
Departure. After muster into federal service on May 13, 1863, the 54th left Boston with fanfare on May 28. The regiment was subsequently shipped to Beaufort, South Carolina, becoming part of the X Corps. This departure marked the beginning of its extensive service in the Union Army.
People involved
- Robert Gould Shaw · Colonel (promoted April 17, 1863; major before that date)
Sources
- 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-07
- Robert Gould Shaw Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-26
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.