What happened at the Second Battle of Fort Wagner?
The Second Battle of Fort Wagner, a week later, is better known. It was the Union attack on July 18, 1863, led by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first major American military units made up of black soldiers.
How many soldiers died at the Battle of Fort Wagner?
133 wounded; 5 missing/captured) The Second Battle of Fort Wagner, also known as the Second Assault on Morris Island or the Battle of Fort Wagner, Morris Island, was fought on July 18, 1863, during the American Civil War.
What was the significance of the assault on Fort Wagner?
The planned assault on Fort Wagner offered the regiment a chance to prove themselves, and their commander, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, jumped at the opportunity. The 54 th ’s assault on Fort Wagner became the first time the all-Black unit fought alongside White troops. [4]
What is the exact location of the Battle of Fort Wagner?
/ 32.73000°N 79.87111°W / 32.73000; -79.87111 / 32.73000°N 79.87111°W / 32.73000; -79.87111 The Second Battle of Fort Wagner, also known as the Second Assault on Morris Island or the Battle of Fort Wagner, Morris Island, was fought on July 18, 1863, during the American Civil War.
What is the significance of the Battle of Fort Wagner?
The 54th Massachusetts' valor at the Battle of Fort Wagner paved the way for more African Americans to enlist. By the end of the war more than 180,000 African Americans enlisted in the U.S. Army, making up 10% of all U.S. forces for the duration of the war.
What happened to the 54th Massachusetts at Fort Wagner?
The 54th lost the battle at Fort Wagner, but they did a great deal of damage there. Confederate troops abandoned the fort soon afterward. For the next two years, the regiment participated in a series of successful siege operations in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
What happened in the First Battle of Fort Wagner?
The First Battle of Fort Wagner was fought on July 10 and 11, 1863, on Morris Island in Charleston harbor during the American Civil War. An attempt by the Union Army to capture Fort Wagner was repulsed....First Battle of Fort Wagner.DateJuly 10, 1863 – July 11, 1863LocationCharleston, South CarolinaResultConfederate victory
Is movie Glory historically accurate?
The answer for Glory is yes. It is not only the first feature film to treat the role of Black soldiers in the American Civil War; it is also the most powerful and historically accurate movie about that war ever made.
Is the movie Glory a true story?
Directed by Ed Zwick with a screenplay by Kevin Jarre, the film tells the true story of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) as he leads the 54th Massachusetts, the U.S. Civil War's first all-black volunteer regiment.
Who won the battle of Fort Wagner?
ConfederateWhile the Battle of Fort Wagner was a Confederate victory, this battle showed the fierce determinations of African Americans in the Union army with the brave assault led by the 54th Massachusetts Infantry. For their valor, numerous soldiers, such as Seg.
How did the Confederates won Fort Wagner?
Union Army troops commanded by Brig. Gen. Quincy Gillmore launched an unsuccessful assault on the Confederate fortress of Fort Wagner, which protected Morris Island, south of Charleston Harbor....Second Battle of Fort Wagner.DateJuly 18, 1863ResultConfederate victory1 more row
What was the result of the assault on Fort Wagner by the African American soldiers of the unions?
The Confederates, outnumbered nearly three to one, refused to cede Fort Wagner, and the 54th was forced to retreat with the rest of the Union forces.
Did any of the 54th Regiment survive?
A group of men led by 3rd New Hampshire Colonel John Jackson started forward with the general and the flag, but were mowed down by a salvo of canister shot. Miller survived unscathed, but his flag was riddled.
What did the 54th Massachusetts Regiment accomplish at Fort Wagner?
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment is best known for its service leading the failed Union assault on Battery Wagner, a Confederate earthwork fortification on Morris Island, on July 18, 1863.
Who won the Battle of Fort Wagner?
Confederate victoryGen. Quincy Gillmore launched an unsuccessful assault on the Confederate fortress of Fort Wagner, which protected Morris Island, south of Charleston Harbor. The battle came one week after the First Battle of Fort Wagner....Second Battle of Fort Wagner.DateJuly 18, 1863ResultConfederate victory1 more row
Where is the 54th Massachusetts buried?
The most well known memorial, however, is the Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial. It is a bas-relief of Shaw and his men, designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, and placed on Boston Common, across Beacon Street from the Massachusetts State House, in 1897.
What is the 2nd Charleston Harbor?
2nd Charleston Harbor. Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter National Monument marker of the Map of Charleston Harbor defenses. Fort Wagner or Battery Wagner was a beachhead fortification on Morris Island, South Carolina, that covered the southern approach to Charleston Harbor.
How big was Fort Wagner?
Named for deceased Lt. Col. Thomas M. Wagner, Fort Wagner measured 250 by 100 yards (91 m), and spanned an area between the Atlantic on the east and an impassable swamp on the west. Its walls, composed of sand and earth, rose 30 feet (9.1 m) above the level beach and were supported by palmetto logs and sandbags. The fort's arsenal included fourteen cannons, the largest a 10-inch (250 mm) Columbiad that fired a 128-pound shell. It was a large structure capable of sheltering nearly 1,000 of the fort's 1,700-man garrison and provided substantial protection against naval shelling. The fort's land face was protected by a water-filled trench, 10 feet (3.0 m) wide and 5 feet (1.5 m) deep, surrounded by buried land mines and sharpened palmetto stakes. The fort itself was supported by defenses throughout Morris Island.
What was the most famous regiment that fought for the Union in the Battle of Fort Wagner?
The most famous regiment that fought for the Union in the battle of Fort Wagner was the 54th regiment , which was one of the first African-American regiments in the war. The 54th was controversial in the North, where many people supported the abolition of slavery but still treated African Americans as lesser or inferior to whites. Though some claimed blacks could not fight as well as whites, the actions of the 54th Massachusetts demonstrated once again the fallacy in that argument, as this was not the first time blacks ever fought in war or even for the United States.
What was the second Battle of Fort Wagner?
The Second Battle of Fort Wagner, a week later, is better known. It was the Union attack on July 18, 1863, led by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first major American military units made up of black soldiers.
How many acres is Morris Island?
Instead, his family considered it an honor that Shaw was buried with his men. Morris Island is smaller than 1,000 acres and is subject to extensive erosion by storm and sea. Much of the site of Fort Wagner has been eroded away, including the place where the Union soldiers were buried.
How far did the Union attack the Advanced Rifle Pits?
By August 25, Union entrenchments were close enough to attempt an assault on the Advanced Rifle Pits, 240 yards in front of the Battery, but the attempt was defeated. A second attempt, by the 24th Massachusetts Infantry, on August 26 was successful.
Who died in the final scene of Magnus Chase and the Ship of the Dead?
In the book Magnus Chase and the Ship of the Dead, a character named T.J. dies charging the battlements at Fort Wagner.
What would happen if Fort Wagner was captured?
If captured, Fort Wagner would provide the Union an opportunity to bombard Fort Sumter and provide access into Charleston harbor itself, an important step in securing the city that many saw as the birthplace of the Civil War. Union forces stormed Morris Island on July 10, 1863. Assisted by a naval bombardment, the troops captured ...
What was the name of the city that the Union occupied in 1863?
The formidable Fort Sumter guarded the entrance to the harbor, while Fort Wagner, located on Morris Island, commanded the southern portion of the harbor. That strategic location on the southern edge, however, also left Fort Wagner relatively vulnerable to Union assault. [1] If captured, Fort Wagner would provide the Union an opportunity to bombard Fort Sumter and provide access into Charleston harbor itself, an important step in securing the city that many saw as the birthplace of the Civil War.
How long did the Battle of Fort Wagner last?
To aid in the attack, Union ground artillery and naval guns bombarded Fort Wagner. The barrage lasted six hours, killing 8 and wounding 20 in a garrison of 1,700 Confederate soldiers.
How long did the Union keep Fort Wagner?
Union forces kept the fort surrounded for sixty days. The combined pressure of the blockade and constant skirmishing nearby forced the Confederate troops to abandon Fort Wagner. Union forces then occupied the fort, allowing for a sustained bombardment of both Fort Sumter and the city of Charleston. For the 54 th, the Second Battle ...
What was the second battle of Fort Wagner?
The Second Battle of Fort Wagner served as the 54 th Massachusetts’s trial by fire. The all-Black volunteer regiment first experienced combat only two days prior in a comparatively minor skirmish. [3] . The planned assault on Fort Wagner offered ...
What day did the Union attack Morris Island?
Union forces stormed Morris Island on July 10, 1863. Assisted by a naval bombardment, the troops captured the southern portion of the island, but could not take Fort Wagner when the attack resumed the next day. [2] . On July 18, the 54 th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment led a second Union assault against Fort Wagner.
How many African Americans enlisted in the Union Army?
By the end of the war more than 180,000 African Americans enlisted in the Union Army, making up 10% of all Union forces for the duration of the war. Correspondents relayed the 54th Massachusetts’ heroism and devotion, even after their defeat.
How many howitzers did the Battery Wagner have?
The sea face of Wagner was armed with one 32 lb. carronade, one 10-inch Columbiad, and two 12 lb. howitzers. The garrison of Battery Wagner consisted of the 1st South Carolina Artillery, the Charleston Battalion, the 31st North Carolina, and the 51st North Carolina.
How many Union soldiers died in the Battle of Wagner?
In all, about 1,515 Union soldiers were killed, captured, or wounded in the assault of July 18, although this number has never been accurately ascertained. Gen. Hagood, the commander of Fort Wagner on the morning of July 19, stated in his report to Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard that he buried 800 bodies in mass graves in front of Wagner. Only 315 men were left from the 54th after the battle. Thirty were killed in action, including Col. Shaw and Captains Russel and Simpkins, and buried together in a single grave. Twenty-four later died of wounds, fifteen were captured, and fifty-two were reported missing after the battle and never seen again. The men of the 54th Massachusetts were hailed for their valor. William Carney, an African-American sergeant with the 54th, is considered the first black recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions that day in recovering and returning the unit's U.S. Flag to Union lines. Their conduct improved the reputation of African Americans as soldiers, leading to greater Union recruitment of African-Americans, which strengthened the Northern states' numerical advantage. In addition, the South recognized for the first time that captured African American soldiers were to be treated as enemy combatants and not criminals. Confederate casualties numbered 174.
What time did the Massachusetts attack begin?
The assault began at 7:45 p.m. and was conducted in three movements. The 54th Massachusetts attacked to the west upon the curtain of Wagner, with the remainder of Gen. Strong's brigade and Col. Putnam's brigade attacking the seaward salient on the south face.
What was the name of the battle on July 18th?
2nd Charleston Harbor. Fort Sumter. Map of the charge of the 54th Massachusetts. Depiction of the battle in the painting The Old Flag Never Touched the Ground. The Second Battle of Fort Wagner, also known as the Second Assault on Morris Island or the Battle of Fort Wagner, Morris Island, was fought on July 18, ...
How many shell guns were used in Fort Wagner?
The armament of Fort Wagner on the night of July 18 consisted of one 10-inch seacoast mortar, two 32 lb. carronades, two 8-inch shell guns, two 32 lb. howitzers, a 42 lb. carronade, and an 8-inch seacoast mortar on the land face.
Why was Fort Wagner abandoned?
The Confederates abandoned the fort on September 7, 1863, after resisting 60 days of shelling, it having been deemed untenable because of the damage from constant bombardment, lack of provisions, and the close proximity of the Union siege trenches to Wagner.
When did Gillmore bombard Fort Wagner II?
Gillmore ordered his siege guns and mortars to begin a bombardment of the fort on July 18 and they were joined by the naval gunfire from six monitors that pulled to within 300 yards of the fort.
Morris Island
Fort Wagner, lost to the sea since the late 1800's, was part of the Confederate defenses of Charleston Harbor and was located on the narrow Morris Island on the coast. The site of the fort is not easily accessible.
Preservation
The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 118 acres at Fort Wagner Battlefield.
how many of the 54th died at fort wagner?
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was the most famous and effective of all black Union regiments, having fought in several battles, including the Second Battle of Fort Wagner on July 18, 1863.
what happened at fort wagner?
After Gould Shaw was killed at the Second Battle of Fort Wagner, Edward Hallowell became the colonel and leader of the 54th Massachusetts.
What did Andrew say when he presented the 54th Regiment with the flag?
As Andrew presented the 54th Regiment with the United States flag, he said, “Whenever its folds shall be unfurled, it will mark the path of glory.”. The governor then handed the colonel a telegram with orders to report to South Carolina.
What did Shaw say to the Union troops?
Hand grenades showered down as the 54th charged. As artillery shredded the regiment, Shaw shouted, “Onward, boys!”. The Union force climbed the earthen ramparts, and fierce hand-to-hand fighting ensued. As soon as Shaw reached the crest of the parapet, though, he was struck by bullets and mortally wounded.
How many black soldiers were in the Union Army at Fort Wagner?
By war’s end approximately 200,000 black soldiers would serve in the Union Army. Nearly 40,000 of them gave their lives.
Who led the attack on the beachhead fortification?
Strong wanted to try again. He asked the 54th Regiment, the largest among the Union’s 5,000 soldiers on the island, to lead the attack.
Who was concerned about the morale of white soldiers and alienating slaveholding border states?
President Abraham Lincoln, concerned about harming the morale of white soldiers and alienating slaveholding border states, ...
Who was the first woman to lead a major U.S. political party?
Hillary Clinton accepts Democratic nomination, becoming first woman to lead a major U.S. political party. He asked the 54th Regiment, the largest among the Union’s 5,000 soldiers on the island, to lead the attack. Strong told Shaw, “Your men, I know, are worn out, but do as you choose!”.
Who was the only son of a wealthy Boston abolitionist family?
The governor offered the unit command to Union officer Robert Gould Shaw, the only son of a wealthy Boston abolitionist family. Although only 25 years old, the Harvard-educated Shaw had been battle-tested at Antietam and served with distinction as captain of the elite 2nd Massachusetts Regiment. Although initially reluctant, Shaw arrived in Boston ...
Overview
54th Massachusetts
The most famous regiment that fought for the Union in the battle of Fort Wagner was the 54th regiment, which was one of the first African-American regiments in the war. The 54th was controversial in the North, where many people supported the abolition of slavery but still treated African Americans as lesser or inferior to whites. Though some claimed blacks could not fight as well as whites, the actions of the 54th Massachusetts demonstrated once again the fallacy in th…
Construction
Named for deceased Lt. Col. Thomas M. Wagner, Fort Wagner measured 250 by 100 yards (91 m), and spanned an area between the Atlantic on the east and an impassable swamp on the west. Its walls, composed of sand and earth, rose 30 feet (9.1 m) above the level beach and were supported by palmetto logs and sandbags. The fort's arsenal included fourteen cannons, the largest a 10-inch (250 mm) Columbiad that fired a 128-pound shell. It was a large structure capa…
History
The First Battle of Fort Wagner, occurred on July 11, 1863. Only 12 Confederate soldiers were killed, as opposed to 339 losses for the U.S. side.
The Second Battle of Fort Wagner (pictured in Glory (1989 film)), a week later, is better known. It was the Union attack on July 18, 1863, led by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first major American military unit…
In popular culture
• This fort plays a major part in the film Glory. One of the final scenes portrays Shaw and the men of the 54th Massachusetts leading the attack and storming the fort unsuccessfully.
• In the book Magnus Chase and the Ship of the Dead, a character named T.J. dies charging the battlements at Fort Wagner.
Preservation
Although the Atlantic Ocean consumed Fort Wagner in the late 1800s and the original site is now offshore, the Civil War Trust (a division of the American Battlefield Trust) and its partners have acquired and preserved 118 acres (0.48 km ) of historic Morris Island, which had gun emplacements and other military installations during the war.
External links
• Life magazine of November 22, 1963
• Assault on Battery Wagner: Maps, Histories, Photos, and Preservation News (Civil War Trust)