Inside the 54th Infantry

imagine being told you couldn't fight in a "white mans war". imagine being told you weren't as important just because you were black. For the 54th infantry these were just a few of the things that they would be told. The 54th consisted of free black men during the times of the civil war. Abraham Lincoln's emancipation proclamation helped make the infantry to become what it was. The men would be allowed to volunteer to fight in the civil war. They were commanded by General Robert Gould Shaw as he was happy to take control of this infantry. Though all was seemed to be going well for the men, there was a lot of controversy against this regiment because of race. Just because of their color they were not granted the necessities that were needed during this time. in a letter General Shaw wrote to his wife, he described the cruel punishment the other generals would show the soldires treating them as if they were slaves and nothing but a piece of property. They were forced to even march barefoot during training in the snow. It was until they had their first small battle encounter is when they first got noticed and they finally got what they deserved,respect. Another part was the pay. They would pay them as minimal as them compsred to the generals.