Army Life in a Black Regiment

by Thomas Wentworth Higginson

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Genres: History, Civil War, Nonfiction, Historical, War, American History, Biography

206 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

American writer and soldier Higginson, Thomas Wentworth Storrow led the first black regiment in the Army of the Union from 1862 to 1864; he wrote many biographies, including volumes on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and John Greenleaf Whittier in 1902, and he edited the poetry of Emily Dickinson.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_...

Reviews

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

One general lament is that I only get to read about two or three nonfiction books a year, but with my newest goal of reading more disparate works this year by (for instance) black voices, I think that my nonfiction reads will increase. One such really good nonfictional read is Army Life in a Black Regiment by Thomas Wentworth Higginson.

I was struck by how much the book read as if I were following along on a script for the movie "Glory." The actual book is the journal for Lt. Colonel Higginson, who along with Lt. Col. Robert Gould Shaw was one of the first leaders of an African American regiment during the Civil War. Army Life was published in 1870. Although much of the knowledge contained therein is antiquated, the book remains an insightful look into how the black soldier began to shift the cultural dynamics of the time period.

Freeing the slaves before inviting them to join the Union effort was strategically smart because it allowed black men the opportunity to act as stakeholders in the future. In fact, Higginson communicates just such a thought, when he relays conversations, he had with his regiment. One of the cultural idiosyncrasies he found endearing was the constant negro spirituals that rang out throughout the camp. The author explores no less than thirty-five songs that were commonly heard wherever his soldiers would go.

There are, of course, injustices catalogued (like the unequal pay of black to white soldier), but Higginson also marveled at his regiment's courage and constant readiness to volunteer. The read was not just enlightening, but also inspiring. In addition, this year, I have decided to add twelve stories to my "black voices, black stories" shelf. Army Life in a Black Regiment is the fourth of those twelve books.

[Illiterate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Romanticized memoir with flashes of humor. I like the moments when Black traditions effect military rituals.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this for a project I’m working on. I was expecting it to be a bit of a slog and instead I was treated to an excellent and informative narrative.

Thomas Higginson was a mentor to Emily Dickinson. His prose is excellent and the story he has to tell is a fascinating one. I can’t say I’d especially recommend it to someone who doesn’t have an interest in the Civil War or in African American history, but if either of those things strike your fancy then this is an excellent little book.

On thing that I would say was a bit challenging about reading this book was the way that Higginson’s abolitionism can sound a bit quaint or even racist to modern readers. For example, he says early on in the book that he thinks freed slaves made especially good soldier because their minds were empty, like those of children.

I’m not especially interested in condemning Higginson (or exonerating him either, for that matter) from claims of racism, but the way that his abolitionism exists within the framework of a broader racism will be a historical curiosity for some and a stumbling block for others.

The book doesn’t really follow any particular narrative arc, but is so replete with interesting anecdotes that it’s a fun read anyway. It’s similar to Mark Twain’s Life of the Mississippi and if you liked that book you’ll definitely like this one.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

From a one of many letters written at the conclusion of the Civil War:
"No one can possibly be so weary of reading of the wrongs done by Government toward the colored soldiers as am I of writing about them. This is my only excuse for intruding on your columns again."

Written by the white officer of one of the first regiments of escaped slaves, this first hand account of Army life is filled with the ideas of the time. Yet, the officer is learning to respect his men and to see the injustice of attitudes and actions. I'm thankful this was preserved.

[Ronda Wian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never before

Civil war read of 1st colored soldier and in the south. I picked this book as a change of pace.

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very eye opening into someone else's life who was entirely different from my own

[Braxton Schieler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Higginson's thoroughness and scrupulous attention to detail in all things is a gift to us who get to read this history.

[Rudy Herrera · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is very dry, not useful as a primary source for black peoples during the civil war. It is useful however as a perspective on white abolitionists during the period. It provides insight to how racist Americans were at the time.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five years after the close of the Civil War, abolitionist minister and problematic Emily Dickinson stan Thomas Wentworth Higginson drew from his letters and diaries to pen Army Life in a Black Regiment, a memoir of his experiences from 1862-1864 serving as colonel of the 1st South Carolina Volunteers(later the 33rd United States Colored Troops), the first federally authorized black regiment to serve in the Union army.

Beginning with the unexpected letter from General Saxton requesting he take command of the newly-formed regiment, Higginson covers his time training with his new troops at their camps near Beaufort, South Carolina, their first foray up the St. Mary's River to forage for supplies and runaway slaves, the blink-and-you'll-miss-it 1863 Union occupation of Jacksonville, and the final raid up the Edisto River to destroy a railroad bridge during which Higginson was injured and later invalided out. While he peppers his narrative with episodes of martial derring do, it's clear that the abolitionist Higginson is far more interested in the troops themselves, and devotes significant time to their habits, lives, and (likely heavily edited) commentary, along with an entire chapter on negro spirituals. He closes with an argument about the bravery and value of his black troops, which - given that it was written in 1870 - sounds to me at least like low-key shade being thrown at U.S. Government's wobbly Reconstruction efforts.

Higginson is the very definition an imperfect ally - this is, after all, the man who took it upon himself to "clean up" Dickinson's rhyme scheme - and modern day readers shouldn't expect him to qualify as even remotely woke by anything other than 19th century standards. He's paternalistic, prone to rendering quotes by his troops in execrable dialect, and tends to say things like "my conviction of the physical superiority of more highly civilized races is strengthened on the whole, not weakened, by observing {my troops}" when discussing his men's tendency to develop colds in the winter. That said, Higginson, is clearly on the side of the angels (more or less) in this one - he continued to advocate for his troops long after he retired due to his wounds - and it raises interesting questions about our predilection for rewriting historical figures so that they pass contemporary purity tests, and what that might say about how we treat allies today.

There's a somewhat annoying lack of specific detail to Higginson's Army - a few more exact dates and locations would have been nice, along with about fifty pages more on the occupation of Jacksonville - but that's because it's at least as much sermon as historical document. Higginson's goal was to demonstrate the value of his troops to the Union, and eventually American, cause, and may have elided facts that failed to support his argument; for instance, he boasts his men managed the seizure of Jacksonville with nary a shot fired, but Suzie King Taylor, a nurse in the regiment, relates in her Reminiscences a brief Rebel skirmish that left several wounded or dead. This is not to say we need to disregard Higginson completely, just that it's good to remember that even abolitionists who wind up on the right side of history had an angle.

Given that Higginson was something of a man of letters, it's no surprise that his Army Life is eminently readable. More than that, though, it's a fascinating first-hand insight into a little known episode of American history that desperately deserves more light shined on it.

(For those interested in a more detailed, academic version of the story, I recommend Stephen Ash's Firebrand of Liberty .)

[Bruce]

Adventures of the First South Carolina Volunteers, the first slave regiment mustered into the service of the United States during the civil war under the command of the author. Higginson was a Harvard grad, Unitarian minister before the war, Abolitionist, supporter of John Brown. Also editor of Emily Dickinson. He portrays the liberated slaves from South Carolina as good soldiers untouched by the cynicism of white culture. He primary observation was about the religious attitude that equipped slaves to accept humiliation without loss of dignity. Higginson chronicles the racism of the North with respect to black troops in that the Army and Department of Defense did not pay black troops their contracted payroll after the war.

[Terry Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting diary by the Colonel of the First South Carolina Volunteers. It spans the period from 1862 to 1864. The book was written 154 years ago and so the reader might be aghast at the condescension and tone. I found the descriptions of camp life atypical - with the exception that the Colonel was a little too enthusiastic and effusive. I suspect that his descriptions of punishments for desertion were not as light as one would believe. I also am aware that this book must be considered in light of its time in history. Another interesting piece was his descriptions of how he, the Col, attempted to test his guards one rainy night. He vowed to never do that again; it’s clearly evident that he is lucky to have survived. It was also a bit humorous. I am retired military and also remember testing the guards on many occasions.
The other very interesting thing was the short shrift that the Col gave to the Emancipation Proclamation. His version of the Regimental reading quickly devolved to an incident about a man that had no interest in fighting. From a purely military point of view, only another soldier would understand that the Col was interested in courage and fidelity.
Chapter 13, the conclusion is also very interesting. The Col finally vents his frustrations at the end of Chpater 12 and into 13. This chapter is important for its straight forward writing and assessment. Gone is the vacillating between sang froid, gloom, and enthusiasm.
Lastly, I wonder how much has really changed about our attitudes toward segregation, slavery, and racism? Frankly, we don’t seem to be have improved much. On the other hand why does this subject continue to devolve to such in your face divisiveness?
All in all an interesting diary that is a snapshot in time. Chapter 12, 13 and the Appendix will be useful to anyone studying the war from an academic point of view.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This memoir was occasionally dry, but offers interesting insight into what it was like serving with black troops during the Civil War. Higginson commanded the 1st South Carolina, a regiment that was composed of ex-slaves from South Carolina and Florida. The regiment didn't serve in any major battles, but saw service in many small actions on the coasts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

The most interesting parts of the memoir are Higginsons account of the 1863 Jacksonville expedition, and Higginsons evolving views and experiences of his troops. The narrative is composed partly of the authors wartime diary, and partly of his post-war recollections. Higginson was an abolitionist before the war, and though he had positive views toward African Americans, he still held to quite a few stereotypes. The diary part of the narrative charts the evolution of Higginsons view of his men as he gets to know them better and his range of experiences with them broadens. As the narrative continues, he writes less and less of the differences he sees in his men and more about how they're not really different from (and in his opinion, in some ways superior to) white troops.

[Calzean · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating insight into the First South Carolina Volunteers, the first slave regiment mustered into the Union forces during the American Civil War. Written by their Commanding Officer, we see the now free men fighting for the freedom of others including their families. Many people wanted the experiment to fail, instead the men showed they were fast learners, hard workers, good soldiers and dedicated to their comrades. As usual they are treated poorly by the Government being paid less than the white soldier – despite the promises made.

[Marie Bellmere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas Wentworth Higginson was the Colonel to the first federally commissioned all black regiment in the United States. Higginson is a great writer. His book includes flowery descriptions of nature and animals as well as exciting tales from the Civil War and amusing anecdotes that happened during his time as Colonel.

This book provides an interesting view of what the public's thoughts on race were during this time. Higginson himself was an abolitionist and talks a lot about what an inspiring group of men his regiment contained.

[Hans Ostrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating as a primary document of the Civil War. TWH, better known as friend of Dickinson and John Brown, led and helped to train one of the first (some say the first) Black regiments in the Civil War, starting months before the Emancipation Proclamation. Wince-worthy, at least, in many places: liberal, abolitionist racism (as you would expect). I read the U of Minnesota edition (1960).

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book. The author covered more aspects of the men's lives than just preparing them to be soldiers and the missions they were involved in.

A good look at part of the Civil War that has not, to my limited knowledge, been heavily covered.

[Sean Chick · Rating 2 out of 5]

A great source document but I dare you to read it for pleasure. It is dry, dreary and since Higginson never fought in a battle, utterly lacking in drama.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really worth a review, not much there.