July 18, 1863Reputable sourceWell documented
The 54th Massachusetts and Black Soldiers
On the timeline · around July 18, 1863 ·
What happened
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first Black regiments raised in the North, led the assault on Fort Wagner outside Charleston, South Carolina. Though the attack failed and their commander, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, was killed, the regiment's valor was widely celebrated.
Why it matters
The bravery of the 54th helped shatter doubts about Black soldiers and spurred the enlistment of many thousands more into the Union ranks.