African-American soldiers felt they had to prove their worth as human beings, not just as fighting men, when they charged into battle. The men of the 54th also felt this pressure to perform, to be a credit to their race and their country.

They had their opportunity at an Confederate earthwork called Fort Wagner. The fort was part of the defense of Charleston, South Carolina. Although the battle of Fort Wagner was minor compared to the Civil War's major battles, it educated a nation about the valor and bravery of its black soldiers.

At twilight on July 18, 1863, Col. Shaw and the 54th led two Union brigades through the Carolina low country and across a sandy beach toward the fort.

According to black historian George Williams' account of the battle, "All day they marched over the island under the exhausting heat of a July sun in Carolina...All night the march was continued through darkness and rain, amid thunder and lightning, over swollen streams, broken dikes, and feeble, sh

Although the 54th lost over 50 percent of its men, including Col. Shaw, the glory of the regiment and this battle was honored by the nation both during the Civil War and in the 130 years since.

Of the hundreds of Civil War monuments in this country, perhaps the most noble is the Shaw Memorial in Boston, honoring Col. Shaw and his brave 54th Massachusetts soldiers. Crafted by distinguished American sculptor Augustin Saint-Gaudens, the memorial shows Shaw on horseback surrounded by 23 black soldiers.

Some topics in this essay:
George Williams', Matthew Broderick, Gould Shaw, Freddie Francis, Watching Glory, Charleston SC, Civil War, Morgan Freeman, Col Shaw, Cary Elwes, civil war, robert gould shaw, fort wagner, robert gould, black soldiers, gould shaw, black troops, morgan freeman, thomas searles, col shaw, matthew broderick, trip denzel washington, sergeant william carney, gould shaw son, rawlins morgan freeman,