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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. The 54th was created under the order of Massachusetts Governor John Andrew in 1863.
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.
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.
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:
9 maj 2012 · Cover title: Glory, one gallant rush. Includes bibliographical references (pages 161-164) and index. Story of Shaw's life and his heroic command of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, the first Negro unit raised in the North in the Civil War. Access-restricted-item.
On the Boston Common stands one of the great Civil War memorials, a magnificent bronze sculpture by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. It depicts the black soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry marching alongside their young white commander, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw.
Explore galleries relating to the soldiers of the 54th, their service, their supporters, and the creation and the legacy of the Memorial to them. Read about the ongoing work to restore the Memorial and the events surrounding the Memorial’s continuing legacy and meaning.
