Only hours later, the body of colonel robert gould shaw, the regiments white. Exercises at the dedication of the monument to colonel robert gould shaw and the fiftyfourth regime gould shaw, colonel robert on. Shaw was to raise and command the first regiment of black troops organized in a northern state. Through his father, he was a grandson of investor quincy adams shaw and cousin of civil war union casualty colonel robert gould shaw. Robert gould shaw and the 54th regiment boston african. Famous civil war sword belonging to robert gould shaw found in. Colonel robert gould shaw and the 54th massachusetts infantry, university of georgia press, 1999. At the time he took command of the 54th in 1863, shaw was 25 years old and had already taken part in several. The regiments commander, colonel robert gould shaw, immediately appointed douglass as a sergeant major, the. The civil war letters of colonel robert gould shaw, university of georgia press, 1992.
Robert gould shaws letters digitized aug 25th, 2011 by houghtonmodern in 1862, boston native and union army officer robert gould shaw took command of the 54th massachusetts volunteer infantry regiment, the. Genealogy charts for robert gould shaw may include up to 30 generations of. In a family of four sisters with robert being the only son. Event robert shaws family moved to staten island, new york. Exercises at the dedication of the monument to colonel robert gould shaw and the fiftyfourth regime. Robert gould shaw 18371863 son of a prominent boston abolitionist family, robert shaw was serving as a captain in the 2nd massachusetts when he was tapped by massachusetts governor john andrew for a special assignment. He was the only son of viscountess nancy witcher langhorne and her first husband landownersocialite robert gould shaw ii, who was a son of investor quincy adams shaw and first cousin of civil war union casualty colonel robert gould shaw.
Colonel robert gould shaws missing civil war sword found. But after a few days he reconsidered and accepted the position. Letters from robert gould shaw of the seventh regiment. Promoted to colonel, shaw oversaw the recruitment and training of the 54th, then led it. Colonel shaw and the 54th regiment were placed under the command of. Robert gould shaw and the civil war timeline timetoast. Harv and sfn template errors articles with short description wikipedia. At the time he took command of the 54th in 1863, shaw was 25 years old and had already taken part in several battles with his old regiment, the 2nd. Robert gould shaw and the massachusetts a limited edition collectors art print by mort kunstler featuring african american colored troops of the first volunteer black regiment in the north. The regiments commander, colonel robert gould shaw, immediately appointed douglass as a sergeant major, the highest rank an african american could. The letters of robert gould shaw at the massachusetts. Robert gould shaw, union army officer who commanded a prominent.
He was the colonel and commander of the 54th massachusetts volunteer infantry, the first officially authorized africanamerican regiment from the north. Following shaws april 17, 1863 commission to colonel of the 54th. The news coming out of the massachusetts historical society here in boston could not be more exciting. He was stationed for some time in boston and vicinity, and sailed for the gulf, arriving at ship island march 24, 1862. The civil war letters of colonel robert gould shaw ebook written by robert gould shaw. Where death and glory meet, but i was hoping for a more definitive biography. What follows is a brief chronology of robert gould shaw and his sword, as laid out. The way shaw overcame all the hinders that bothered the soldiers, his. In particular, it serves as a memorial to the group of men who were among the first african americans to fight in that war. Robert shaw chosen to lead 54th massachusetts infantry. The heir to a large fortune, francis shaw advocated for a variety of causes and robert was raised in an environment that included notable personalities such as william lloyd garrison, charles sumner, nathaniel hawthorne, and ralph waldo.
He asked robert gould shaw 18371863, a young white captain in the army, to serve as the regiments colonel. Lewis henry douglass biographies the civil war in america. Despite his image in the 1989 film glory, robert gould shaw was a reluctant leader of the famous 54th massachusetts infantry, one of the first african american regiments in the civil war. In 1864, american sculptor edmonia lewis created a bust of shaw. Francis traveled to virginia and presented the offer to his son. The partnership is working to develop an updated construction timeline. The robert gould shaw memorial was unveiled on may 31, 1897, at its site on the boston common.
The shaw 54th memorial located on the vibrant boston common is a vital. The shaws were a wealthy and well connected new york and boston family. Robert gould shaw was born to francis gould and sarah sturgis shaw. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read blueeyed child of fortune. Black history factsus historyhistory quoteshistory timelineunion armythe. Robert gould shaw at the age of 26, robert gould shaw was killed while leading his army of all africanamerican soldiers to attack the confederates at the. He is best known as the man who led his africanamerican regiment at the second battle of fort wagner in 1863. The civil war letters of colonel robert gould shaw shaw, robert gould, duncan, russell, mcfeely, william on. Michael parrish austin, texas blueeyed child offortune. Shaw, robert gould 10 october 183718 july 1863, soldier, was born in. Robert gould shaw, union army officer who commanded a prominent regiment of african american troops during the american civil war, the 54th massachusetts. Colonel robert gould shaw robert gould shaw, soldier, was born in boston, massachusetts, october 10, 1837, son of francis george and sarah blake sturgis shaw, and grandson of robert gould shaw of gouldsborough, maine.
Robert gould shawborn october 10, 1837 boston, massachusetts died july 18, 1863 morris island, south carolina union colonel of the allblack fiftyfourth massachusetts regiment led the assault on fort wagner in south carolina that proved the courage of black soldiers in combat source for information on robert gould shaw. Malen mit acryl, blaue welle, painting with acrylic, blue wave ocean duration. Robert gould shaw, born october 10, 1837, boston, massachusetts, u. Robert gould shaw biography facts, childhood, life. Robert gould shaw october 10, 1837 july 18, 1863 was an american officer in the union. Robert gould shaw article about robert gould shaw by the. One of his close companions in the 2nd massachusetts, lt.
Robert gould shaw october 1837 july as colonel, he commanded the all. The robert gould shaw and massachusetts 54 th regiment memorial, located across beacon street from the state house, serves as a reminder of the heavy cost paid by individuals and families during the civil war. The civil war letters of colonel robert gould shaw 1992. He broke with the convention of having members of the rank and file elect their own leaders and selected his own subordinates. Lawson since 1989 the massachusetts historical society has received more requests for information and copies of manuscripts concerning robert gould shaw and his brave black regi ment than any other subject.
Robert gould shaw iii was born on 18 august 1898 in beverly, massachusetts. A timeline created with timetoasts interactive timeline maker. Shaws collected letters were published in 1992 in blueeyed child of fortune. He was killed in a failed attempt to capture fort wagner, near charleston, south carolina. The long lost sword of colonel robert gould shaw, the commanding officer of the norths first allblack regiment during the civil war, has been acquired by the massachusetts historical society. At the time he took command of the 54th in 1863, shaw was 25 years old and had already taken part in several battles with his old regiment, the 2nd massachusetts infantry, including engagements at cedar mountain and antietam. Robert gould shaw ii sometimes rgs ii june 16, 1872march 29, 1930 a 1st cousin of colonel robert gould shaw was born into one of the wealthiest and most influential boston families. Til when colonel robert gould shaw, commander of the allblack 54th regiment during the american civil war, died at fort wagner, he was stripped and buried with his men as an insult. Robert was the principal subject of the 1989 film glory, where he is portrayed by matthew broderick. On february 2, 1863, shaws father received a letter from massachusetts governor john a. Yesterday the mhs announced that they are in possession of the sword that was carried into battle at battery wagner by colonel robert gould shaw, who commanded the 54th massachusetts volunteer infantry. Shaws character traits contd all of robert gould shaws character traits help him demonstrate heroism throughout this historic film. I would contest that rgs iii is a bit closer than a distant cousin of col.
He was a wealthy landowner and socialite during the late 19th century, known as the gilded age. Robert gould shaws gruesome task the new york times. Robert gould shaw the was the first group of black men permitted to fight during the war between the states. As a member of the seventh in april 1861, the 23yearold shaw, who was devoted to his family, wrote highly detailed and moving letters home describing the remarkable journey of the regiment from new york to rescue washington. Robert gould shaw was the man andrew chose to lead this regiment. An ardent white abolitionist, he was colonel of the 54th massachusetts regiment, the first body of black troops raised in a free state.
For more serious students of the war, the act of absorbing and digesting this feast and then placing it high in the historiographical canon will take only slightly longer. Robert gould shaw led his newly formed 54th massachusetts regiment down bostons beacon street and off to war, american poet john greenleaf whittier described shaw. Robert gould shaw and his regiment of hope and glory. Colonel shaw and the 54th regiment were placed under the command of general quincy adams gillmore and. Shaw initially refused the offer, fearing that he was the wrong man for the job and doubting the ultimate success of an allblack regiment. His father, however, proclaimed that he was proud to know that his son rests with his brave and devoted soldiers. Robert gould shaw 18371863 was the white colonel in charge of the 54th massachusetts infantry, one of the first allblack units to fight for the union during the civil war. Historical society acquires sword of robert gould shaw. The civil war letters of colonel robert gould shaw. Robert gould shaws sword, whereabouts unknown since his death at. The story of shaw and the 54th were depicted in the 1989 film, glory which was based upon the peter burchard book, one gallant rush. Robert shaws family moved to staten island, new york. Robert gould shaws hero journey heroism and heroic deeds.
The son of prominent boston abolitionists, robert gould shaw was born october 10, 1837, to francis and sara shaw. Leading the union infantry charge is the 54th massachusetts colored infantry commanded by colonel robert gould shaw who is killed and. Robert gould shaws sword, whereabouts unknown since his death at the assault on fort wagner, is among civil war items recently donated to the mhs. The memorial to robert gould shaw and the massachusetts fiftyfourth regiment is a bronze relief sculpture by augustus saintgaudens opposite 24 beacon street, boston at the edge of the boston common. Robert gould shaw was the commanding officer of the 54th. Heres how a famed civil war sword was lost and found. The focus of this lesson is the robert gould shaw and the massachusetts 54th regiment memorial by augustus saintgaudens. Exercises at the dedication of the monument to colonel. Copelandtold me he had a long talk with general banks about making use of the negroes against secessionists. Robert gould shaw 18371863 was the colonel in command of the allblack 54th regiment, which entered the american civil war in 1863. Mowbray colonel robert gould shaw clutched the sword in his hand until he was killed in battle by enemy troops at fort anne bentley, curator at the massachusetts historical society, said that in her business, its rare to come by an artifact with such historical importance that it. Colonel shaw and his troops landed at hilton head on june 3.
It depicts colonel robert gould shaw leading members of the 54th regiment massachusetts volunteer infantry as it marched down beacon street on may 28, 1863 to. Colonel shaw is shown on horseback and three rows of infantry. He was killed while storming a confederate battery at fort wagner in charleston on july 18th, 1863. Ancestor charts showing the family relationships of colonel robert gould shaw 18371863 to other famous people. Quincys brother was colonel robert gould shaw of the 54ths father, hence rgs and rgs ii were cousins. Through an amazing research effort, our curator and staff were able to put together a detailed timeline to authenticate the sword. Andrew offering robert command of the first black regiment raised in the north, the 54th massachusetts. Robert gould shaw family tree along with family connections to other famous kin. There he was enrolled in st, johns college roman catholic school, despite being unitarian.
Robert gould shaw was a prominent union army officer during the american civil war. Shaw, robert gould, 183763, union hero in the american civil war, b. Named after the american civil war colonel, robert gould shaw, who commanded the first african american regiment in the us army in 1863 and is the namesake of the shaw neighborhood, the colonel is meant to honor the significance of. Discussion colonel robert gould shaw civil war history. Harv and sfn template errors articles with short description wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the. He died fighting alongside the regiment while assaulting fort wagner, south carolina, in 1863. Luxury shaw apartments dc the colonel youre in charge. Civil war timeline gettysburg national military park u.
Robert gould shaw, wrote of copelands views in 1861. The letters of robert gould shaw at the massachusetts historical society edited by brenda m. Robert gould shaw, the commanding officer of the norths first allblack regiment during the civil war, has been acquired by the massachusetts historical. They were also radical abolitionists and unitarians. Shaw was born into an immensely wealthy boston family. Robert gould shaw and the men of the 54th massachusetts volunteer. Born in boston, massachusetts, the only son sarah sturgis and francis george shaw, a wealthy merchant.
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