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17 mar 2011 · The Letters: 1861-1863; Official Record Correspondence pertaining to Shaw’s movements and outside events; The Literature of Walt Whitman; Fort Sumter Crisis of 1861; Who I am. Robert Shaw Images; Brief Shaw Biography
While the whereabouts of Shaw's original letters to his wife are unknown, most of his letters to the rest of his family are held by Harvard University's Houghton Library.
Robert Gould Shaw (October 10, 1837 – July 18, 1863) was an American military officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. As Colonel, he commanded the all-black 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment.
Colonel Shaw was the Commander of the Massachusetts 54th Infantry regiment, the first official African American regiments to be formed in the United States. Colonel Shaw was killed at the battle for Fort Wagner, near Charleston South Carolina on July 18, 1963. Creator: Shaw, Robert Gould, 1837-1863 Date: April 27, 1863 Format: Letters ...
The bulk of the collection consists of letters by Robert Gould Shaw to his family, including 98 letters to his mother, 31 to his father, and some to his sisters and brothers-in-law. Most were written during the Civil War, though some to his parents are from his pre-war days when he traveled in Europe and was a student at Harvard.
The most remarkable item in the collection is the officer’s sword carried by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, 54 th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment – the first Northern regiment composed of free black volunteers. One hundred fifty-four years ago, Shaw carried the weapon during the failed assault on Fort Wagner, Morris Island, South Carolina.
Robert Shaw writes to his father, Francis, of the need of his help in the formation of the first black regiment [the 54th Massachusetts]. He mentions that the regimental committee has hired a black man, W. Wells, who will help to enlist men and will call upon Francis.
