12 Questions

Asked and Answered About:

The Massachusetts 54th

and the American Civil War

by the Conservatory Lab Charter School

2011-2012 Sixth-Grade Class

Conservatory Lab Charter School, 2012

This book is dedicated to the soldiers of the

Massachusetts 54th Regiment.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
_______
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................. 5
How did the Emancipation Proclamation lead to the creation of the
54th regiment?
LUIS BENEDICTO .................................................................. 7
What types of men joined the 54th regiment?
JACKIE FUNCHES .................................................................. 9
Do we know about any individuals in the 54th regiment?
JOSHUA LEWIS .................................................................... 10
How much were the soldiers in the 54th regiment paid?
BEATRIZ GONCALVES ........................................................ 12
What extra challenges did the soldiers of the 54th regiment face?
WOODDYNNE DEJEAN LOUIS ............................................ 14
What weapons did the 54th regiment use?
EZEKIEL SANTIAGO ............................................................ 17
What battles did the 54th regiment fight in?
AZADI CHARLES-SAMPSON .............................................. 18
What the battle strategies were used?
JERIYLA KAMAU-WENG..................................................... 20

What was the role of the drummer boys?

MELISSA VALLEJO .............................................................. 22
Did animals have a role in fighting the Civil War?
NEHEMIAH YISRAEL .......................................................... 24
What food did the soldiers eat?
ADAM WERTHEIMER.......................................................... 25
Were there any other African American regiments other than the
54thregiment?
JULIA PAIGE .................................................................... 27
BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................... 29
THANK YOU! ........................................................................ 30
ABOUT THE SCHOOL .................................................................... 31

Introduction
_______
Was the American Civil War fought to end slavery?
Well, yes and no. When Abraham Lincoln was elected
president in 1861 the popular debate in our country was
whether the institution of slavery should be allowed to
spread to new states entering the Union, not if it should be
abolished outright. And, many of these conversations were
motivated more by economics than morality. Yes, 11
southern states seceded from the Union to form the
Confederacy because they wanted to ensure their rights to
keep slaves, however, Lincoln entered the Civil War not to
end slavery, but to keep the country whole.
Lincoln had always been an abolitionist -- someone
who abhorred slavery for moral reasons -- but putting an
end to slavery did not become the central focus of the Civil
War until the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in
1863. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued as a war
strategy. It only proclaimed the end of slavery in the South,
in the states that Lincoln no longer controlled. He allowed
slavery to remain legal in the 4 border-states that had
refused to secede. However, an additional allowance of this
proclamation was the raising of African American troops to
fight in the war. This meant that while fighting in the South,
Union armies could confiscate slaves and train them as
soldiers. And, in the North, free African Americans could
enlist to fight for the Union. The Massachusetts 54th
regiment was the first regiment created during the Civil War
to be filled with African American volunteer recruits.
The sixth grade students at Conservatory Lab began the
academic year by studying the Underground Railroad and

the role of Boston abolitionists in the fight against slavery.

At the end of this unit we went on a tour of the Black
Heritage Trail. There, we saw the memorial dedicated to
Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and we learned about the brave
African American soldiers in the 54th regiment who took up
arms in hope of putting an end to the institution of slavery.
With our curiosity piqued, we watched the film Glory about
the Massachusetts 54th. Afterwards, we decided to do some
research to discover how historically accurate this film was.
As a class, the sixth graders brainstormed questions
that they had about the 54th regiment. We took several trips
to the local public library, checked-out many books, and
read through numerous primary and secondary sources
with the hope of finding the answers that we were looking
for. Sometimes our research actually raised more questions
than answers, or gave us answers to questions that we didn't
even know we had to ask!
After much research, students organized their notes
and typed up answers to their questions. It was a challenge
to support answers with specific facts and to smoothly
transition between ideas. Students tweaked the order in
which they presented facts, improved their word choices, rewrote their introductions and conclusions, and made
corrections for grammar. After many re-reads, peer-edits,
and teacher conferences, everyone's essays were complete!
We learned many fascinating facts during our research,
and I hope you learn something from our work too!
Bry Gapp, Sixth-Grade Teacher

How did the Emancipation Proclamation lead to

the creation of the 54th regiment?
LUIS BENEDICTO
_______
Before 1863, African Americans were not allowed to
fight in the United States Army. During the Civil War,
President Lincoln passed the Confiscation Act and signed the
Emancipation Proclamation, allowing African Americans to
join the Union Army. The Emancipation Proclamation helped
to create the 54th Regiment.
Before the Emancipation Proclamation, African
Americans could not fight in the Civil War. They were only
used for filthy work. African Americans werent allowed to
fight in the early part of the war, although the Union hired
them to bury dead soldiers and build army camps. In the
South, slaveholders used their slaves to perform manual labor
as well. This helped the South because then all young white
men could be used as soldiers. Because of this, In July 1862,
congress passed the Confiscation Act This law authorized
President Lincoln to allow African Americans to join the
Union Army as soldiers, (De Angelis, pg. 15). This act
allowed the Union generals to capture slaves and use them to
help fight against the South. In September, 1862, General
Butler began organizing the Louisiana native guards from
free Negroes, (Emilio, pg. 1). This was only the first step
towards having African American soldiers.
In 1863, during the Civil War, President Lincoln signed
the Emancipation Proclamation and then African Americans
were allowed to fight in the Union Army. President Lincoln
made this decision because this would give them many more

soldiers to use in the fight. This was the opportunity that

many African Americans were waiting for. Lincoln's
Emancipation Proclamation opened the door for African
Americans to enlist in the United States army. And thousands
raced to volunteer, (Emilio, pg. 2).
Because of the
Emancipation Proclamation, 167 regiments of infantrymen,
cavalrymen, and sailors were formed with 186,097 African
Americans who enlisted to serve the Union. With all the new
African American men in the Union, it created an all black
regiment.
The result of the Emancipation Proclamation was the
formation of the fifty-fourth regiment. Shortly after adoption
of the Emancipation Proclamation, Massachusetts abolitionist
Governor John A. Andrew obtained authorization to organize
the first regular army regiment of black troops from the
North, (Yacovone, pg. 17). Enough African Americans
enlisted that the Union made two black regiments. Blacks
from across the North traveled to the fifty-fourth camp at
Reedville and by the end of May 1863, enough volunteers had
arrived to fill a second unit, (Brewer, pg. 73). This was proof
of the hopes of African Americans being accomplished. The
fifty-fourth Massachusetts embodied the aspirations of a
people and their hopes to end slavery and racial prejudice,
(Sheinkin, pg. 132).
In conclusion, President Lincoln signed the
Emancipation Proclamation, which helped to form the fiftyfourth regiment. When, in 1863, he signed the Emancipation
Proclamation, many African Americans showed up at the
fifty-fourth regiment camp to enlist.
These African
Americans were given the opportunity to fight for their
freedom and against slavery.
_______
8

What types of men joined the 54th regiment?

JACKIE FUNCHES
_______
In 1863 the first northern African American regiment
was created. This was the Massachusetts 54th regiment. I am
going to tell you about the different types of men who joined
this regiment.
The men who became soldiers in the 54th regiment
came from a wide variety of backgrounds. Many of the
soldiers were former slaves who had run away to the North.
Other soldiers had been laborers, seamen, farmers, artists,
journalists, and teachers before they joined the 54th regiment.
Also, the children of black leaders, like Frederick Douglass,
enlisted in the army. The African American soldiers in the
54th came from much different backgrounds than the white
officers that they served under.
There were 1,007 African American soldiers in the 54th,
and they were led by 37 white male officers. The Colonel of
the 54th regiment was Robert Gould Shaw. Robert Shaw was
educated in New York and Europe and attended Harvard
University in Massachusetts. He was only 25 years old when
he agreed to lead the 54th regiment. This was younger than
many of the African American soldiers.
During the Civil War the acceptable age for men joining
the military was 18 to 45 years old. There were some
exceptions to this rule. For example, Peter Vogelsang was
aged 46 when he joined the 54th regiment. He became one of
the first black officers in the U.S. army. Boys also joined the
regiment as drummers.
The men who joined the 54th regiment came from many
places. They came from fifteen northern states, all 4 border9

states, 5 confederate states, the western states, Hawaii,

Canada, and even Europe! Only 13% of the men were from
Massachusetts.
There were many people who fought in the war and
they all were all brothers in the fight. The men in the 54th
may have come from different backgrounds, but they all had
the same dream for peace and equality!
_______

Do we know about any individuals in the 54th

regiment?
JOSHUA LEWIS
_______
There are many examples of individuals in the Civil
War who became famous for many reasons and in many
ways. Some made a name for themselves by being the first to
achieve something, others went through racial obstacles, and
others accomplished specific acts. In this paper I will tell you
about five individuals who made a name for themselves in
the Civil War.
One example of a soldier in the 54th regiment who made
a name for themselves was William Carney, who became the
first African-American to be awarded with the Medal of
Honor. He was also the first African American who was
promoted to an officers rank during the Civil War. He
received the medal because even though he got shot during
the battle on Ft. Wagner, he carried the flag and planted it in
the ground.
A second example is George E. Stephens. He was a free
black man who lived in the North before the Civil War.
10

When the Civil War broke out he signed up to be the chef and
personal assistant for a white officer in the Union Army. In
this role he was able to witness what was going on in the war,
and wrote down what he saw and sent it to the New York
Weekly Anglo-African. He became the most important black
correspondent of the Civil War. When the 54th regiment was
formed he signed up. He fought bravely, survived the assault
on Ft. Wagner, and was promoted to the rank of 1st
Lieutenant.
Another man who made a name for himself in the 54th
regiment was Robert Gould Shaw. He was the son of Boston
abolitionists, was educated in New York and Europe, and
attended Harvard College in Massachusetts. After the
Emancipation Proclamation he became the Colonel for the
first African American regiment raised in the North. Even
though he was a white officer, he trained black soldiers and
died fighting side by side with his men.
There were many other African Americans who were
not in the 54th regiment who also made a name for themselves
during the Civil War. For example, a man named Alexander
T. Augusta was born in the South, but eventually went to
Canada. There, he earned a medical degree. He later became
an officer in the Seventh U.S. Colored Troops, but he resigned
to pursue a medical career. He was the first African
American in the United States to direct a government
hospital.
A final example of a man who made a name for himself
by performing a specific act was Robert Smalls. He was
forced to fight for the Confederate State, but he and his
brother, along with other black soldiers, hijacked a boat and
sailed it all the way to the Union. When they arrived in the
North, they enlisted in the Unions army.

11

In this paper I have told you about five individuals who

made a name for themselves in the Civil War. Some made a
name for themselves by being the first to achieve something,
others went through racial obstacles, and others
accomplished specific acts.
_______

How much were the soldiers in the 54th regiment

paid?
BEATRIZ GONCALVES
_______
When the Massachusetts 54th regiment was formed,
blacks were promised the same pay as whites. Starting in
1862 the U.S government offered whites and blacks $13 a
month. Soldiers who finished their service would get an
extra $100 bounty. Many northern states paid additional
enlistment bonuses. Although they were promised equal pay
to whites, African American soldiers actually did not receive
equal pay at first.
The U.S. government decided to pay African American
troops less than whites. They decided African American
troops should only receive $10 a month in pay because the
government would deduct $3 a month for food and clothing.
At St. Helena Island, the 54th regiment was mustered for pay
on June 30th, and it was then that they first heard about the
ruling. African American soldiers were angered to learn that
they would get paid less than whites. The members refused
to accept pay unless it was equal to white soldiers pay.
Since the 54th regiment soldiers refused pay their decision
12

caused hardship for their families. Their families often did

not have enough money for food. The reason the soldiers
refused their pay was not because they didnt need the
money, but because it was an issue of pride. These African
American soldiers were not alone in their fight to get equal
pay.
Colonel Shaw tried helping his African American
soldiers get equal pay. He wrote in protest to Governor
Andrews on July 2nd saying that in his opinion black soldiers
should get equal pay to whites. In response, the Governor
offered to make up the difference in pay with money from
the Massachusetts State treasury. However, members of the
54th refused this offer. They wanted the Federal Government
to pay them the wages that they deserved.
Eventually, in June 1864, some African American
soldiers did receive the full pay they were promised. In this
month, congress gave equal pay to African Americans in the
Union Army who had been free as of April 19, 1861, the day
the Civil War began. Many African Americans were still
unhappy about their pay. It was not until March 1865, a
month before the war ended, that congress finally agreed to
pay former slaves in the army the same amount as white
soldiers.
In conclusion, black and white soldiers were paid
equally by the end of the war. While black soldiers did have
to struggle for this, in the end, congress kept their promise of
paying all soldiers $13 a month.

_______

13

What extra challenges did the soldiers of the 54th

regiment face?
WOODDYNNE DEJEAN LOUIS
_______
The Civil War was the bloodiest war in U.S. history. It
left tens of thousands dead, and millions mourning. Many
families experienced the loss of loved ones. Battles were lost
and battles were won. Yes, there were victories and defeats.
Still, there was a lot more to a battle than just death. There
were challenges. There were challenges all Union soldiers
faced, white Americans and black African Americans.
The extra challenges a soldier in a regular all-white
regiment faced were losing their supplies: supplies like
shoes, blankets, weapons, ammunition, and clothes (etc.).
There were shoes that fell apart on the first wearing.
Blankets that were too thin to keep warm. Food that was
spoiled. The government had to raise taxes significantly in
order to supply Union soldiers.
They also lost hospital equipment and room. Nurses
ran out of hospital space and they had to make outdoor
hospitals. Nurses had little to offer their patients. People
didnt understand which germs spread illness, and surgical
tools were not very sterile. They had to become more
protective of themselves to avoid getting wounded. In battle
one third of the soldiers were dead, twenty percent were
wounded and eighteen percent were captured. They had
nothing to eat except decayed crackers for most of the time.
On special occasions there were given more food. They
struggled through life as a soldier. They were whipped if
they tried to run away, and were trained extensively.

14

Also, one of the challenges was getting captured and

put in prison. Many Union armies were captured, and put
into captivity. One of the worst prisons for Union Soldiers
was the Andersonville, in Georgia. Andersonville was the
largest Confederate prison for Union prisoners of war. It
held thirty-two thousand soldiers. More than half starved to
death or died of diseases. Twenty-year-old Ferren Hopkins
was captured by Confederates in the spring of 1864. Inside
the camp, wrote Hopkins, death stalked every hand.
Death at the hands of the guards through murder in cold
blood was merciful behind the systematic absolute murder
inside by slow death, inch by inch.
Before the Emancipation Proclamation, all Union
soldiers faced the same extra challenges. After the
Emancipation Proclamation everything changed. Now
African Americans were a part of the war.
The African Americans in the Massachusetts 54th
regiment, and others, faced more extra challenges than any
soldier in an all-white regiment. They lost supplies like the
white Union soldiers. They lost hospital equipment and
space. Many died. They even starved to death too, having
nothing to eat except stale crackers. They were trained hard
and were whipped if they tried to run, but in addition, the
African Americans werent treated as equally as they
thought they should. For example, they were paid less than
promised, which caused a great commotion. They had to
fight through the struggles of racism in the Union ranks;
many Yankee soldiers did not support the Emancipation
Proclamation. They were given the treacherous jobs. Many
whites thought they would have a chance to survive because
the African Americans would die before them. The African
Americans also had to risk being captured or sold back into
slavery, the institution they were fighting against. If they
15

were captured they wouldnt be put into jail like other

soldiers. They might be shot or hung until dead. The
Confederate States commissioned that:
All negro slaves captured in arms be at once delivered
over to the executive authorities of the respective states
to which they belong to be dealt with according to the
law of said states.
Still, there were African Americans who stayed and fought.
The challenges were not only for the African Americans
in these regiments. There were even additional challenges
for the white officers who led these African American
regiments. The Confederate States also commissioned that:
Every white person being a commissioned officer, or
acting as shall command negroes or mulattoes in arm
against the Confederate states, or who shall arm, train,
organize, or prepare negroes or mulattoes for military
services against the Confederate states or who shall
voluntarily aid negroes or mulattoes in any military
enterprise, attack, or conflict in such service, shall be
deemed as inciting servile insurrection, and put to
death or be otherwise punished at the discretion of the
court.
Even after those commissions they still stood and
fought. The men who were fighting realized that they were
fighting not for themselves, but on the behalf of all Americans
and future Americans. In conclusion, there were many
struggles that the Union regiments faced. They lost supplies.
They werent treated equally. Death and punishments were
commissioned, but still they fought and many died. Those
16

who died did so with dignity because they died for our
country.
_______

What weapons did the 54th regiment use?

EZEKIEL SANTIAGO
_______
Many different weapons were used during the Civil
War. They used pistols, rifles, cannons, and even swords!
The old weapons the Union used were not very efficient, but
the new upgrades were. Even the 54th regiment got them. By
the end of the war the 54th regiment got sufficiently better
with the new weapons.
The Enfield rifles were the original weapons used by
the infantrymen in the Union Army. These were the first
rifles given to the soldiers of the 54th regiment. The Enfield
rifles were first made in 1853. They were difficult to load.
The bullet was inserted into the muzzle of the rifle, and this
led to long wait times between firings. This rifle was also
not very accurate. It was difficult to shoot at a target over
500 yards away. These weapons were not efficient to use,
but the upgrades were easier to use and more accurate to
shoot.
The weapons used by soldiers improved throughout
the Civil War. While the original weapons were not efficient
to use, the upgrades were easier to use and more affective.
The Springfield rifle was first adapted by the Union Army in
1862. This was the last muzzle-loading rifle used by the U.S.
army. When the Union army got a new shipment of
Springfield rifles, the 54th regiment received them too. One
17

of the many upgrades of the Springfield rifle was the ability

to reload the gun. While it was a muzzle-loading rifle, the
reloading process of the Springfield was faster than the
Enfield rifle, which made it better for combat. Another
improvement over the Enfield rifle was Springfield rifle was
lighter than the Enfield rifle. Around this time the sharps
carbine was invented. It was figured out that if you loaded
ammunition from the bottom of the barrel the rifle could
shoot more rapidly.
The generals and commanders of the 54th regiment
were also issued swords. This was a standard weapon for
cavalrymen, and officers in the Union Army often rode
horses into battle.
Most of the swords would have a
knuckle protector, which were like hand shields. These
weapons were used in battle charges to give signals to the
army men to go ahead.
Over the years the weapons that the U.S. army has been
using started to progress. Muzzle loading guns turned into
bottom barrel loading guns and single shot guns turned into
multiple shooting guns. This helped the 54th regiment and
the U.S. army win the Civil War.
_______

What battles did the 54th regiment fight in?

AZADI CHARLES-SAMPSON
_______
In the Civil War one group of black men that fought
bravely was the 54th regiment. The black men in the 54th
proved themselves in many battles. I will talk about those
black men and the deaths of them.
18

The 54th regiment spent many months drilling and

performing manual labor before their first battle. They had
to lift many things and do all of the hard work for
everybody else. Finally they got to prove themselves in
battle. On James Island, June 16 1863, at about 3 oclock, a
battle began with the 54th and the Rebels. Corporal James
Henry Gooding reported that, Our loss in the skirmishing
before the battlewas nine killed, thirteen wounded, and
seventeen missing. This was only the first of many battles
for the 54th regiment.
The battle at Fort Wagner was the battle where the 54th
regiment lost the most men. During the attack on Fort
Wagner 357 men were killed, wounded, or missing. Of those
wounded, 70 were expected to heal and be fit to continue to
serve. Colonel Shaw, the leader of the 54th, died in the battle.
He was buried in a trench with 45 of his men. This was
disrespectful to his rank. During the battle on James Island, a
rebel officer was killed, but Shaw buried him with the honor
of his rank, but, The rebels did not return the favor. This
was not the last battle that the 54th regiment fought in.
The 54th regiment was later involved in the battle of
Olustee. This battle took place on February 20, 1864 in
Florida. Of all the Union soldiers who fought in this battle,
203 men where killed, 1,152 men were wounded and 506
men missing. That made a total of 1,828 men. The
Confederates lost less men, but their numbers were also
significant. After this bloody battle was over, members of
the 54th regiment dragged back the wounded soldiers for
five miles, until they could find horses to take over. This
shows that they were very courageous.
All together, 180,000 African Americans wore the
Union Armys blue uniform. Another 20,000 African
Americans served in the U.S. Navy. They fought and died at
19

many battle fields. The members of the 54th Regiment were

very brave and that is why 21 African American soldiers
won the Congressional Medal of Honor.
_______

What the battle strategies were used?

JERIYLA KAMAU-WENG
_______
In the Civil War many battle strategies were used.
Many of these strategies helped the Union and Confederates
win many battles against each other.
The first strategy that Im going to talk about is armys
tactics in battle and the way an army is made up. Foot
soldiers and infantry fought on land and mainly used
handheld guns, artillery and other weapons. They most
often held and captured enemy territory. Their success
mostly depended on the effectiveness of their organization
and tactics.
The basic infantry unit was the regiment, which
numbered to a thousand men. Three to six regiments made
up a brigade, two or three brigades formed a division, and
three divisions made up a corps. There were seven corps
makes in the Union Army. Keeping an armys structure
and unity in combat situations was very important. If an
armys unity and structure fell apart during a combat
situation it was most likely that they would fall to the hands
of a more organized and structured army.
There were two types of main battle tactics. One of
them was called firefight. When two armies met on a clear
battlefield they would both fire their guns at each other. If
20

the enemy didnt retreat they fired more volleys. The fight
ended when one of the sides ran out of ammunition or was
too tired to continue. It was very common for both sides to
fall back. The other battle tactic was trench warfare. This
battle tactic consisted of building, defending and attacking
fortified trenches. A normal version of a trench was about 4
to 6 ft deep, with the soil piled up in front as a barrier. The
main motive for this fieldwork was defense, but a second
motive was to force the approaching enemy into the open
where the soldiers were the most vulnerable.
Now that you know the basics of army tactics and
strategies Im going to go on and talk about the early war
strategies of the North and South. The Souths strategy to
maintain its independence was that that they defended their
land and water borders. The early Southern military planned
to defend its borders and attack in the north. Southern
generals called this strategy offensive-defensive. In 1863
the Northern strategy changed to decimating Southern
armies. As a defensive measure, the South sent small or
moderate-sized armies to various positions. They did this in
order to stop Northern invaders. One disadvantage this had
was that it left gaps in the defense, but this was overcome by
their offensive plan.
The Norths strategy was to use General Winfield
Scott's Anaconda Plan to cut off the Confederate's supplies
and commerce by sea. The reason it was called the
Anaconda Plan was because the Union ships would
blockade the Souths navy and trading ports thereby
choking the South of its commerce much like the way an
anaconda would do to its prey. The aims for cutting off the
Confederate's trading ports were to stop the South from
importing and exporting goods from other countries,
thereby crushing the Souths economy. This was the Union's
21

biggest success of the first year of warfare. Lincoln told the

ships, If a vessel shall approach or shall attempt to leave
either of said ports she will be captured and sent to the
nearest (Union) ports where the cargo would be seized and
the captain prosecuted."
Another strategy that was used was Lincolns
Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation decreed that
all the slaves in the Confederates states were free. On
January 1, 1863 Lincoln issued the Emancipation
Proclamation. This had two effects on the Confederacy.
One, it deprived the South of its most prized possessions:
slaves. When the North proclaimed all the slaves in the
South free this encouraged many slaves to start running
away to the North. With many of the slaves gone, the South
was deprived of its labor force and there was nobody left to
build fortifications. The other effect that the Emancipation
Proclamation had was that it allowed the Union to form
black regiments and also increased the number of men
available to serve in the war.
Many battle strategies were used in the Civil War and
many of theses strategies changed the tide of battle in this
bloody American war.
_______

What was the role of the drummer boys?

MELISSA VALLEJO
_______
All regiments, including the 54th regiment, had drummer
boys in their ranks. Drummer boys had many roles in the

22

Civil War. While the drumming was very important in the

war, the boys also had more jobs than just drumming.
Children served in the Civil War, often as drummer
boys. Many teenage boys tried to join the army as
infantrymen, but were denied because they were too young.
Because drummer boys were not fighters, the armys
recruiters did not worry about their age. Even though they
were not on the front lines, these boys could be caught in the
crossfire. Drummer boys as young as ten to twelve died in
battle.
Drummer boys had many jobs in the Civil War. During
battle, the drummer boys were usually standing on a hill
and could see the whole battle and where the soldiers were
located. The drumming helped the soldiers know when to
maneuver when smoke had poured over the battlefield.
Drumming helped the soldiers during the Civil War know
when the other regiments were near by.
Drumming wasnt the only job these boys were
responsible for. They also carried water, rubbed down the
horses, gathered wood, or cooked for soldiers. Afterwards,
when a battle was over, the drummer boys helped carry
wounded soldiers to shelter.
All regiments, including the 54th regiment, had drummer
boys in their ranks. Drummer boys had many roles in the
Civil War. These were some of the roles the drummer boys
had during the Civil War.
_______

23

Did animals have a role in fighting the Civil

War?
NEHEMIAH YISRAEL
_______
While there is not much evidence about animals in the
54th regiment, animals were important to the Civil War.
Animals were used in many ways during the Civil War.
One of these ways was as mascots. Mascots were animals
used to represent the regiments. In a way, these mascots
were the pets of their regiments, and definitely helped boost
the morale of the men in these units. One example is Abe,
an eagle that was a mascot for the 8th Wisconsin Volunteer
Infantry Regiment. Many other animals were used to do
actual work, and these animals were very important to the
Civil War.
Dogs were a common sight during the Civil War.
Different dogs helped the war effort by carrying supplies.
Soldiers brought dogs that carried and pulled wagons.
Stonewall was a dog that carried lumber during battles. He
was even taught to answer roll calls! The lumber he carried
was used as shelter for soldiers. Robert was dog that carried
artillery to the soldiers. He showed up with a pipe in his
mouth on the battlefield. Some animals actually went into
the middle of the battle and helped. York was a setter that
went into war with his owner and sometimes fought men in
battle. Also, a dog named Jack looked for wounded men
after the battle.
Other animals were also used to help carry people and
supplies. Horses were the most common animals used for
travel. Officers rode horses during the war. Cavalrymen

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were also an important part of battle strategy. However,

horses were not the only animals used in this way! Douglas
was a camel that carried some colonels that lost their horses
during a battle. Also, some soldiers even kept squirrels that
carried bullets!
In conclusion, animals were used in many ways during
the Civil War. They were mascots, fighters, carriers and
holders. That is how they were important to the Civil War.
_______

What food did the soldiers eat?

ADAM WERTHEIMER
_______
Soldiers ate different types of food while fighting the
Civil War. Some fun-facts are that soup, coffee and meat
were often cooked in camp kettles, dinner was mostly the
same as breakfast, and if a soldier didnt have a musical
instrument he would sometimes use the bones from dinner
as drumsticks. There are also many un-fun facts about the
food eaten during the Civil War because, overall, the food
was very revolting.
Soldiers in the Union Army were given rations. A
ration is a food allowance. One example of the food they
were given is, hard bread, raw pork, and coffee, (C
Clinton). Another example is, sugar, potatoes, soup, beans,
rice, and onions, (J. Murphy). Also, the vegetables that
Union soldiers ate were dried and came in cubes, (J.
Herbert). Understandably, there were many complaints
about the rationed food.

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Soldiers in the Union Army wrote home to complain

about the food. The amount of food available was often
scarce. One soldier wrote, Rations at last; one course meal
crackers and a bit of bacon, (C. Clinton). The quality of
the food was also very poor. Some soldiers said that the,
beef was so bad they called it embalmed beef, (J. Herbert).
There are also stories of soldiers having to smash their
crackers with the butt of their gun to break them so that they
could eat them because they where to hard and stale, (S.
Sheinkin). This is the food they complained about.
Because the food was so bad, Union soldiers had some
clever ways to find alternative meals. Hungry soldiers often
spent their own money on extra food, (S. Sheinkin). One
example of this is a soldier who bought molasses and
Yankee crackers. Then he dipped the crackers in molasses
and he said it was the best meal he ever had. Soldiers would
risk stealing animals from a farm for food, (J. Herbert).
Soldiers in the Union Army and the Confederate Army
would even trade tobacco across rivers, (A. Bowers). This is
what they did about the disgusting food.
In conclusion there were many types of food in the
Civil War. Most of the food tasted and looked like it came
from a sewer. I hope that the food served by today's U.S.
army has improved dramatically!
_______

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Were there any other African American

regiments other than the 54thregiment?
JULIA PAIGE
_______
The answer to this question is yes! There were other
African American regiments.
There were contraband
regiments made up of slave-soldiers, other Northern African
American regiments, and even Confederate regiments with
African American troops.
Union generals in the Civil War took runaways slaves
and formed them into units when they needed extra
manpower.
These were considered contraband units
because the slaves were stolen property. Some of these units
were formally trained. Some examples are: company E, 1st
and 3rd Louisiana regiments, and the 107th U.S. Also, in
May 1862, Union Army General David Hunter decided to
form a regiment of ex-slaves living on the sea islands of
South Carolina. The formation of contraband units meant
that African Americans could be recruited to defend Union
bases on the Mississippi River. At first, African Americans
were not welcomed as soldiers. These Negro Units, as they
were called during this time period, were formed when
enlistment times had run out and casualties had reduced the
size of the Union Army.
After the Emancipation Proclamation, Northern states
were permitted to recruit African American regiments
formed of free African Americans. The 54th regiment was
the first of this type of regiment, but because so many men
volunteered, the 55th Infantry and the 5th Calvary Units

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were also formed in Massachusetts. The U.S. Colored

Troops were also formed during this period. Both the Union
Army and the Confederate Army had uses for African
American soldiers.
The Confederacy also had uses for African American
soldiers. In the beginning of the war, slaves were not
allowed to be soldiers because they were not considered
citizens. However, many confederate officers brought their
slaves with them while in the army. These slaves had to do
much manual labor, such as digging ditches or holes and
lugging heavy things. These slaves did anything that would
make the white men tired or distract them from battle. But
towards the end of the war, when the Confederacy was
becoming desperate, they did allow African Americans to be
soldiers.
In conclusion, yes, there were many African Americans
besides the 54th regiment in the Civil War. Nearly 180,000
African Americans fought in the war, and thirteen of these
soldiers were proudly awarded the Medal of Honor.
_______

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Bibliography
_______
Black, Wallace B. Slaves to Soldiers: African-American Fighting
Men in the Civil War. New York: Franklin Watts, 1998.
Blatt, Martin H., Thomas J. Brown, and Donald Yacovone,
eds. Hope and Glory: Essays on the Legacy of the 54th
Massachusetts. Boston: University of Massachusetts
Press, 2001.
Bowers, Arden, ed. The Civil War (Researching American
History). USA: Discovery Enterprise, 2001.
Brewer, Paul. The American Civil War: History of Warfare.
Austin, TX: Raintree, 1999.Clinton, Catherine. Scholastic
Encyclopedia of the Civil War. New York: Scholastic,
1999.
Deangelis, Gina. The Massachusetts 54th: African American
Soldiers of the Union. Mankato, MN: Bridgestone Books,
2003.
Emilio, Luis F. A Brave Black Regiment: The History of the
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Fifty-Fourth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry,

1863-1865. Ed. Gregory J.W. Urwin. Boston: Perseus
Book Groups, 1995.
Golay, Michael. America at War: Civil War. New York:
Chelsea House, 2011.
Gooding, James Henry. On the Altar of Freedom: A Black
Soldier's Civil War Letters from the Front. Ed. Virginia M.
Adams. Boston: University of Massachusetts Press,
1999.
Herbert, Janis. The Civil War for Kids. Chicago: Chicago
Review Press, 1999.
Hull, Mary E. The Union and the Civil War. New York:
Enslow Publishers, 1974.
Kent, Zachary. The Civil War: "A House Divided". Springfield,
NJ: Enslow
Publishing, 2000.
Kostyal, Karen. 1862: Fredericksburg: A New Look at a Bitter
Civil War Battle. New York: National Geographic
Children's Books, 2011.
Murphy, Jim. The Boys' War: Confederate and Union Soldiers
Talk About the Civil War. New York: Clarion Books,
1990.
Nardo, Don. The Civil War. Michigan: Lucent Press, 2008.
Nelson, Kadir. Heart and Soul: The Story of America and
African Americans. New York: Harper Collins, 2011.
Regan, Pauls, ed. Weapon: A Visual History of Arms and
Armor. New York: Dorling Kindersley Ltd., 2006.
Sheinkin, Steve. Two Miserable Presidents: Everything Your
Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the Civil War.
Harrisonburg, VA: Roaring Book Press, 2008.
Smolinski, Diane. Soldiers of the Civil War. Chicago: Reed
Educational Publishing, 2001.
Stephens, George, and Donald Yacovone, eds. A Voice of

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Thunder: A Black Soldier's Civil War.

Chicago:
University of Illinois Press, 1997.
Volo, Dorothy Denneen, and James M. Volo. Daily Life in
Civil War America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press,
2009.
Yacovone, Donald. We Fight for Freedom: Massachusetts,
African Americans, and the Civil War.
Boston:
Massachusetts Historical Society, 1993.
_______

Thank You!
_______
Bry Gapp our teacher, for teaching us to be researchers and
historians.
Matthew Liles, our classroom volunteer, for helping us
organize our notes, and revise and edit our work.
Suzy Spressert, for helping us set up fieldwork to the Black
Heritage trail, where we were first introduced to the 54th
regiment.
Rhonda Berkower, for providing us with guidance and
numerous resources.

31

Shoshana Jacobs, for your continuous encouragement and

support, and for sitting with some of us individually when
we needed help editing.
Dorothy Keller, librarian at the Faneuil Branch of the Boston
Public Library, for helping us find primary and secondary
sources on the Civil War.
And to Our Peers in the 6th Grade, thank you for sharing
the resources that you took out of the library, for reading our
rough drafts, helping us edit, and for ensuring that each one
of us were proud not only of our own work, but of each
others as well!

About Conservatory Lab

_______

Conservatory Lab is a K1 6 music-infused

charter school in the heart of Boston. We believe in
the power of music to transform the lives of children
and adolescents.
We use Expeditionary Learning as a framework
for our unique, interdisciplinary curriculum that
deepens students appreciation of the role of music in
the world and promotes opportunities for the
students to create and perform music and to achieve
scholastic benchmarks.
Our expeditions are discovery operations. We
cherish active, hands-on learning where what we are
32

doing matters to us and has consequences. To

encourage deeper learning, our expeditions demand
fieldwork and assistance from experts.
Conservatory Lab is also the only school in the
country to incorporate El Sistema Program and
Methods into its core school day. El Sistema is a
unique program designed to nurture promising
futures for underserved communities through
intensive, ensemble-focused music education.
Diana Lam
Head of School

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