Thunder at the Gates: The Black Civil War Regiments That Redeemed America

by Douglas R. Egerton

An authoritative history of the first black regiments in American history, whose members helped transform the Civil War from a white man’s conflict into a revolutionary struggle for freedom

Soon after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, abolitionists began to call for the creation of black regiments. At first, the South and most of the North responded with outrage—southerners promised to execute any black soldiers captured in battle, while many northerners claimed that blacks lacked the necessary courage. Meanwhile, Massachusetts, long the center of abolitionist fervor, launched one of the greatest experiments in American history.

In Thunder at the Gates, Douglas Egerton chronicles the formation and battlefield triumphs of the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Infantry and the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry—regiments led by whites but composed of black men born free or into slavery. He argues that the most important battles of all were won on the field of public opinion, for in fighting with distinction the regiments realized the long-derided idea of full and equal citizenship for blacks.

A stirring evocation of this transformative episode, Thunder at the Gates offers a riveting new perspective on the Civil War and its legacy.

Genres: History, Civil War, American Civil War, Nonfiction, American History, War, Military Fiction

448 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2016

About the author

A specialist in the history of late 18th and early 19th-century America, Douglas Egerton is Professor of History at Le Moyne College.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letters U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder, and bullets in his pocket, and there is no power on the earth or under the earth that can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship.”
- Frederick Douglass (1863)

“And then we saw the lightening, and that was the guns; and then we heard the thunder, and that was the big guns; and then we heard the rain falling, and that was the drops of blood falling; and when we came to get in the crops, it was the dead we reaped.”
- Harriet Tubman, describing the assault on Battery Wagner by the 54th Massachusetts


The great Civil War historian Shelby Foote, speaking on the causes of the conflict, once said: “Believe me, no soldier on either side gave a damn about the slaves.” Foote is the Homer of the American Civil War. He was a magnificent storyteller, and was considered by many to be a national treasure. This statement, though, does him no credit. It is, for one, incredibly harsh and uncaring. Those slaves, after all, about whom no one gave a damn, were actually millions of men, women, and children who were forced to work, without pay, for the duration of their natural lives. More to the point, it is demonstrably false. And I’m not talking about the many white abolitionists and antislavery men who fought for the Union. I’m talking about the 200,000 black soldiers and sailors who enlisted following the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.

Foote had no excuse for his ignorance – or willful blindness. Others, though, less steeped in Civil War history, can be forgiven. Blacks have long been denied agency in their own deliverance, and there is precious little by way of books or films to celebrate their participation. (The 1989 movie Glory is an exception that is nearly 30 years old).

Douglas Egerton’s Thunder at the Gates, about the first black regiments to enlist in the Civil War, tries to change that, at least a little.

It bears mentioning at the outset that Egerton’s focus is rather narrow. When I first saw the title, I assumed it was a comprehensive overview of the subject. It is not. Instead, Egerton follows three of the earliest and most famous black regiments: the 54th Massachusetts, the 55th Massachusetts, and the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry. (Massachusetts, and her governor, John Andrew, took a lot of pride in raising these troops. Accordingly, even though black regiments were Federalized under the umbrella of the United States Colored Troops, the 54th, 55th, and 5th Cavalry kept their state designations). In terms of coverage, this means that certain noteworthy events – such as the early, unauthorized use of so-called contraband troops, the massacre at Fort Pillow, and the disaster at the Crater – are barely referenced.

Egerton devotes the first several chapters to introducing us to the black men who filled the ranks, and the white officers who led them (no provision being made for the commissioning of black officers). It was a fascinating lot, free men and slave, ardent abolitionists and grudging skeptics. Among the enlistees were two sons of Frederick Douglass, Charles and Lewis, as well as William H. Carney, a color bearer who won the Medal of Honor after his refusal to let “the old flag” touch the ground, despite grievous wounds. Egerton also discusses the training and provisioning of the regiments, and the ongoing discussions about how these men were to be used. Once equipped, the fear among those who supported the regiments was that they would only be used for fatigue duty.

Ultimately, they did see battle. The most famous of their engagements was the 54th Massachusetts' assault on Battery Wagner, outside Charleston.

This desperate charge, stalled bloodily on the parapets of Wagner, comes around the book's midpoint, and marks the dramatic high point. Egerton's retelling of the 54th's "gallant rush" is gripping, though the inclusion of a simple battle map would have made tactical discussions much simpler to follow. Despite the best efforts of the Union troops (which included white regiments as well), Wagner did not fall. Among the 54th's dead was Colonel Shaw himself, of whom the Confederate commander said: “We have buried him in the trench with his n-----s.” (Shaw’s family refused efforts to have him disinterred). Despite their failure to take the works, the bravery of the regiment captured – at least momentarily – the imagination of the Union. The success of the 54th allowed the entire project to move forward.

History does not always give us satisfying chronologies. That is certainly true, here. The attack on Wagner and the immediate aftermath is a climactic scene. However, that is not where the story ends. Despite Egerton’s best efforts, it is impossible, from that point, to avoid things going downhill. For me, the second half definitely lagged, despite going over areas of interest and importance (such as the battle of Olustee, in Florida, where Confederate soldiers executed wounded black troops).

The significance of the Massachusetts regiments goes beyond their fighting prowess. Foote’s assertions to the contrary, freedom and citizenship were at the forefront of the black fighting men, and those who supported them. The Confederacy was only one of many foes faced by the regiments. They also had to deal with Northern racism that manifested itself in segregated units, unequal pay, and a refusal to allow blacks to become officers. While the U.S. Army would remain segregated until the Korean War, the Massachusetts regiments ultimately earned an equal pay scale (they refused payment until this happened) and the commissioning of black officers.

As a companion to reading this, I re-watched the movie Glory. My favorite scene occurs shortly before the fatal assault on Wagner. The 54th Massachusetts is marching through the dunes, flanked on either side by white troops. Private Tripp, played by Denzel Washington, glances to the side and catches the eye of a racist soldier he had tangled with earlier. As James Horner’s score (accompanied by the Harlem Boys Choir) begins to swell, the racist shouts: “Give ‘em hell, 54th!” The cry is echoed all up and down the line. There is cheering. Horner’s music takes flight. A cannon booms. It is an excellent cinematic moment. Still gives me chills just thinking about it.

I kept thinking of that scene as I finished Thunder at the Gates. The subtitle claims that these three black regiments “redeemed America.” Although it is alluded to, Egerton does not really attempt to argue the point, for good reason. For all that they achieved, these soldiers did not “redeem” America, for the reason that America has refused that opportunity. Despite being that rarest of wars, a war to set men free (Churchill called it “the noblest and least avoidable of all the great mass conflicts”), the Civil War’s legacy is not simple. A brief period of Reconstruction gave way to de facto slavery that lasted another century. Even today, 150 years later and counting, we argue about causes and meanings and what to do with all those statues of Davis, Jackson, and Lee.

But I wasn’t thinking of those statues as I completed Thunder at the Gates. I was thinking of a different monument, the one by Saint-Gaudens on Boston Common.



It is a magnificent tribute, powerful in its simplicity. It is a bas relief of a mounted Colonel Shaw, sword in hand, riding next to his men, who march in column. The soldiers march with resoluteness, steadfastness. There is no hesitation in them. No doubt. The monument does not answer the question of where they are marching. Out of Boston? Ahead to Wagner? Into immortality? It does not matter. Wherever they are going, you can sense they will arrive.

On the back of the monument is a legend that elegantly summarizes the story found within these pages:

The Black rank and file volunteered when disaster clouded the Union Cause. Served without pay for eighteen months till given that of white troops. Faced threatened enslavement if captured. Were brave in action. Patient under heavy and dangerous labors. Cheerful amid hardships. Together they gave to the Nation and the World undying proof that Americans of African descent possess the pride, courage and devotion of the patriot soldier.

Glory. Halleluiah.

[Porter Broyles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written book --- 5 stars
Audio Book --- 1 star

I read this book 3 years ago and never gave it a full review, but I've often talked about it since then. Let me just say, this is one of the best books I've ever read. I highly recommend it. (It gets knocked down a star because the audio book was so bad that I almost didn't pick up the print book.)

As I'm often asked about the movie Glory or see people make references to the movie and wonder how accurate it was, thus I'm writing this review to answer that question.

One of the things Douglas Egerton does in the book is to compare the movie to reality. Unfortunately, the movie is not historically accurate. There are storylines that hold elements of truth, but the movie misses on a lot of key points. Let's work down the cast of characters:

Colonel Shaw --- Yes, he was a real person from Massachusettes. He came from a line of firm abolitionists. Left to his own devices, he probably would not have accepted the commission as colonel of the 54th. But he realized that he would not be living up to his family's ideals if he didn't. Basically, he was guilted into accepting. That does not mean that he didn't embrace the role, far from it. Shaw deserves the credit he gets.

Sgt Major Rawlings --- (Morgan Freeman's character) Entirely fictional. Which is a shame. Frederick Douglass had two son's who served in the Mass 54th. Lewis Henry Douglass was the first black person to achieve the rank of Sgt Major. There is also evidence that Lewis Douglass would have become the first black officer in the US Army if he hadn't been medically discharged. Having Freeman play a historic hero from the war would have been infinitely better than playing a fictional one.

Pvt Trip-- (Denzel Washington's character). Entirely Fictional. Again, there is a character that they could have written him in as --- William Henry Carvey. Carvey was an escaped slave. During the Battle of Ft Wagner, the flag bearer was killed. Today we don't think much about the role of flag bearer, but in 19th century warfare the flag was crucial. Carrying the flag made you the target of the enemy. Carvey, not the fictional Trip, picked up the 54th's flag after it fell. He carried the flag into battle---and when the order to retreat was issued carried out. He is the first black person to earn the Medal of Honor, for his actions at Ft Wagner.

Pvt Thomas Searles --- (Andre Braugher characer) Entirely fictional. A book worm who was the first volunteer for the 54th. Why not write the character as Charles Douglass, a book worm, and another of Frederick Douglass's children, who was the actual first volunteer? (Although his involvement might have another challenge as he was sick when the Mass 54 deployed to Ft Wagner.)

Major Cabot Forbes --- Entirely ficitonal, but there are any number of white officers who served with distinction that he could have portrayed. Some more willingly and open to black soldiers than others.

Where was Harriet Tubman? Tubman's career and the 54th are very intertwined. Tubman served as a spy and nurse for the 54th. She also helped bring recruits and volunteers from SC to help with the siege of Ft Wagner.

Where was Frederick Douglass? While I don't expect him to make a big appearance in the movie, his involvement in getting the 54th started and recruiting for it makes his abscence noticable.

In the movie there is a sequence about the pay disparity between white and black soldiers. White soldiers were paid $13 a month. Black's were promised the same thing, but the US then wanted to pay them $10 a month AND deduct an addition $3 for uniforms (which white soldiers didn't have to pay.) While Massachussettes was willing to make up the difference, the troops refused on principle. In the movie this controversy is resolved before Ft Wagner. In real life it took about 18 months for blacks to get paid the amount they were promised!

I'm not sure if they mentioned Ft Pillow and the Massacre in the movie. I know that the movie did talk about the South's threat to kill all black soldiers and the men who lead them---but the Pillow Masscare made it real. After Ft Wagner, blacks troops were not relegated to rear duty. Black troops fought to the death because they knew that if they were captured, they were as good as dead anyways.

Again, this is one of my favorite books, and my fondness has continued to grow. There were other problems with the movie which the book points out.

[Joy D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thunder at the Gates recounts the formation and battlefield actions of the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Infantry and the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry that fought for the Union in the Civil War. These regiments were led by white officers but composed of African American men born free or into slavery. Readers may be familiar with the story depicted in the notable 1989 film, “Glory,” which used composite black characters, but this book tells the story of the real participants. Egerton weaves together the history of the three regiments by focusing on fourteen of the men.

The book is well researched and well written. The use of primary sources is extensive. It provides details on recruiting, training, wartime service, occupation duties, and postwar experiences. It is an excellent history that portrays how distinguished military performance translated into political and social change. I think it is valuable to recognize that racial progress in American has taken a long, uneven path, and we still have a long way to go. This book is certainly relevant to ongoing contemporary discussions about the nature of racial progress in America, which has become even more important in recent times.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of history books, both professionally and for personal enrichment. There are a small group of books that are so well written, moving and powerful that I wish I had written them. 'Thunder at the Gates" by Douglas Egerton is one of those books. Egerton focuses on the role that the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Infantry and the 5th Massachusetts Calvary Regiments played during the American Civil War in allowing blacks to enter Union military service. Unlike many other books on this subject that I have read Egerton is able to stay away from the two common extremes: endless worship of Robert Gould Shaw and other white officers or wanting to talk about the 'average' black soldier in a way that makes them into statistics. Egerton is able to present a diverse cast that allows individuality for both officers and enlisted men while trying to represent thousands of men, many of whom have little information on their lives. Egerton also focuses on the families that were left behind and how the war affected them, especially black families that were hurt by the lower pay and high mortality rate of their husbands and fathers. His focus on the young widows and amputees is especially interesting with both being topics that aren't discussed as much as they should be.
Egerton not only takes the narrative beyond the attack on Fort/Battery Wagner to the conclusion of the war and the lives of the veterans and their families, but he also looks at the long term role of the regiments, especially the 54th, in the national narrative in the role of race, military service, and citizenship. He also moves away from the hero worship of the regiments and discusses how the men, both enlisted and officers, were normal people. Some men were heroic and inspiring, and others were criminals who abused their positions. Unlike portrayals like the film 'Glory', Egerton tells a story about real men and women, rather than caricatures.
The 54th Massachusetts memorial on Boston Common is discussed, both how it was made and how over the years it has become a focal point of discussion on the way that the war and the black regiments are remembered even today.

[Christopher Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Douglas R. Egerton's Thunder at the Gates offers a fine look at the experience of black Union regiments in the Civil War, specifically the three Massachusetts regiments (the 54th, 55th and 5th Mass Cavalry). Egerton, an excellent historian of Reconstruction, turns his attention to the experience of soldiers fighting for racial equality (as they saw it); the book's most interesting in contrasting the experiences of the fighting men (some ex-slaves, others educated freedmen) and their white officers, who racial idealism was largely abstract and often laced with condescension and bigotry. The pen portraits of different veterans of the regiment are most interesting; I was especially intrigued by Nicholas Said, an educated freedman who had been servant to a Turkish nobleman and escaped to America, refused promotions through the ranks and basically ignored his service later in life. Others went into political activism after the war, hoping to promote the civil rights that they had fought for (one veteran was the father of William Monroe Trotter). A worthwhile account, though not as thorough as Noah Andre Trudeau's Like Men of War.

[RK Byers · Rating 4 out of 5]

the irony of writing a book that delves more into the lives of the men that fought in the Massachusetts 54 is that Rob Shaw is, perhaps deservedly, still the focus.

[Roger DeBlanck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Egerton’s Thunder at the Gates is one of those rare scholarly works that capture the time period and its people with such realism and authenticity that it feels as though the author lived through the era. In examining how the Black Massachusetts Regiments of the 54th and 55th Infantries and the 5th Cavalry swayed the advantage of the Civil War towards the Union, Egerton’s spellbinding narrative offers dozens of richly detailed accounts of the soldiers, officers, and abolitionists who made the service of Blacks in the military possible.

Massachusetts Governor John Andrew’s vision of enlisting Blacks only became a reality because so many freemen and former slaves demonstrated their willingness to fight for a country that still denied them their full rights and equality as citizens. Even in the North, racism and ridicule made formation of the 54th Black Regiment a difficult undertaking. As they were in the South, Blacks were deemed inferior and therefore incapable of bravery in the face of combat. Opponents in both the North and the South concluded that when facing their enemy Blacks would prove cowardly and run.

In a most daring feat of valor, the 54th charged across the treacherous beachhead at Morris Island and up the rampart walls of Battery Wagner to confront the Confederate stronghold guarding the harbor into Charleston. The battle of Fort Wagner on July 18, 1863 may not have been a victory for the Union, but it demonstrated the great courage and fighting ability of Black troops and earned the 54th their honor as heroic soldiers. During each of the intense battles of James Island, Wagner, Olustee, and Honey Hill, the Black regiments continued to show their bravery as they often saved other companies and brigades from annihilation.

Egerton’s history is much more than a dramatic coverage of the battles, however. He details the long and arduous struggle of the Black soldiers to achieve equal pay to Whites and to earn their fair consideration for promotions in rank. This is the type of historical study that takes you to the antebellum and Civil War years and leaves you humbled by those who sacrificed so much to transform America from a fractured land tolerating the institution of slavery into a nation working towards acceptance of its diversity. Thunder at the Gates is a valuable work that honors the extraordinary contributions of the Black regiments in helping to shape America into a republic that would one day be representative of the true meaning of democracy and freedom.

[Reuben · Rating 5 out of 5]

An examination of the 54th and 55th Infantry Regiments and the 5th Cavalry, all mustered as Massachusetts regiments. The most famous of the three Massachusetts regiments, the 54th, gets the majority of the first half of the book but the others two units have their moments to shine in the second half as they come online following the gallant failure of Union troops to take Battery Wagner. I was fascinated (and in many ways ashamed to only now learn) so much more about all three units, from their unit makeup to their continuing action in battle post Wagner and into the Reconstruction era.

Egerton does an excellent job of compiling the stories of many of the individuals in each of these units, from the officers to their lowest private. He forms a cohesive narrative that proposes the thesis that the true turning point of the American Civil War was not the victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg, but rather the brave action of the men of the 54th at Battery Wagner. Their gallantry opened the door not only to the recruitment of ultimately over 178,000 men of color and the formation of over 175 USCT regiments, but more importantly their usage in actual combat. The vast majority of these units were composed of escaped former slaves and it was the ability of the Union to muster this extra manpower that allowed Grant to pursue his brutal strategy of attrition and truly doomed the Confederacy’s hopes of military victory.

It’s ironic and I can’t tell if intentional that Egerton uses the word “Redeemed” in the subtitle considering many confederates used the term to refer to their “Redemption” of the Reconstruction South following their political reconquista.

This is a very accessible account of the “regiments that redeemed America” and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about these men. I’d consider it an excellent jumping off point for further research into some amazing characters.

[Edith · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 and 1/2 stars. A fine history of all three of the Civil War Massachusetts regiments of men of color. It is the first such I have come across which tells the story of all three regiments, and doesn't stop with the 54th or Battery Wagner. What a pleasure to learn something more of the men of these regiments, runaway slave or free, and their families, and the sacrifices they made to prove they were truly men. Their white officers (initially, all the officers of these regiments were white) were men of principle and courage, but their actual experience with black men was limited, and their attitudes toward them tended, in the beginning, to be patronizing and dismissive, and, occasionally, bigoted. For most of these officers, growing experience with the men eroded their preconceptions as they fought together--against the enemy, and often, against their own government as well.

The ongoing struggle to get equal pay for these troops, to allow black officers, and to protect them from constant use as laborers in the service of white regiments, is a theme that weaves itself through the entire history of these regiments. What is sadder still, is that even after they had more than proved themselves, it was all to do over again in the Spanish American War, the First World War, and the Second World War, when the army was finally desegregated. (And it had happened in the American Revolution as well.)

Professor Egerton has written a thorough, well researched, and accessible account of these regiments, and includes a final section on the fate of the veterans and their families and the legacy these fighting men left behind. (I could have wished for better and more numerous maps, but that is a quibble.) Highly recommended.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding read by Professor Egerton on the Massachusetts 54th and 55th regiments. These two regiments were the first all black regiments in the Civil War. Incredible story about what these men faced in battle and succeeded to prove their honor as an American fighting force. They overcame several wars going on at the same time, bigotry, poor pay, lack of food but one thing they never lacked was their fighting spirit. Led with an idea, by Massachusetts Governor John A. Andrew to enroll native African Americans into the Union Army over the staunch northern objections that "Negroes can't fight" and the slow footedness of Abraham Lincoln to accept their worth as fighting men made this reading deplorable, unacceptable, and shocking.

Yes they fought the Confederacy but also the Union. Banding together as brothers they did not accept the difference in pay from white enlisted men - $10 v $8 plus cost of uniform did not deter their cause for fighting to abolish slavery was truly remarkable. Their fame started at Fort Wagner and continued on to the battle of Olstee, Chickamauga and others and finally at the liberation of Charleston. This is an eye opening account of these brave warriors who served their country to the fullest. An honor to read this account on the Massachusetts 54th and 55th Regiments, thank you.

[Paul Harbord · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written history of the first black regiments in the US during the civil war. Goes beyond the assault on Ft Wagner, and describes the other battles (and the politics) that befell those three regiments formed in Massachusetts. Also an extensive chapter of the post war endeavors of both the white and black members of these regiments to gain a political standing for the black people in this country. The military was never fully integrated until after World War II.

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a lot longer to read this book than I thought it would. Each chapter had a ton of information in it so I wanted to go slow. Egerton provides an in-depth look at the 54th/55th Regiments and the 5th Calvary. If you want to learn of these first black soldiers in the Civil War, this is the book for you.

[Not Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

audiobook.

covers mainly the infamous 54th reg, but also touches on other reg's like the first black cavalry regiment. Great listen to those interested in American military history or one of the many early struggles of black Americans integration in society.

[Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written account of Black Civil War Regiments in the Civil War, focusing on the 54th &55th Massachusetts Infantry and 5th Mass. Cavalry.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the better units I have read in a long time.

[Graham Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book I read for Juneteenth 2023, “Thunder at the Gates” chronicles the formation and campaigns of United States Colored Troops (USCT) regiments, like the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, during the American Civil War. I already knew of the 54th Massachusetts due to the excellent movie “Glory”, but Thunder at the Gates covers the stories of some of the other units concurrent to and past the events of Fort Wagner.

Overall I thought Thunder at the Gates was a pretty decent examination of the USCT units. I’d say my favorite parts of the book was the introductory chapter that explored the real life stories of several of the USCT soldiers before training. I also really liked the chapter about the assault on Fort Wagner as it was educational, getting a full historical perspective of the assault without the Hollywood changes in “Glory”. Overall I did appreciate the tone of the book’s recounting of the trials and tribulations of African Americans in these units. What they had to undergo certainly was not glamorous (they had some of the highest casualty rates of the Union Army), and while “Glory” didn’t shy away from showing what USCT had to endure from enemies and white allies alike, Thunder At the Gates really underscored how discriminated they were within in the Union Army, including how easy it was for these men to be court-martialed and executed.
So Thunder at the Gates was very informative, yet it didn’t quite blow me away like I wanted it to. I admittedly got bored every now and then reading this and I do think the book limited itself by only focusing on 3 USCT regiments. There might have been other engaging stories to be told of the other units (i.e., the unit sent in during the infamous Battle of the Crater only gets a passing mention). Yet maybe the extension of the book to cover more units may have included some of the same dullness I found in the current book.

“Thunder at the Gates” wasn’t the homerun I wanted it to be, but it was still an informative read about the African American men (and their white compatriots who fought alongside them) who fought to secure their and their loved ones freedom and paved the way for subsequent POC soldiers in the United States military.

3.5-4.0

[Mark Blanchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Combining a relentless investigation of primary sources with an intense commitment to powerful narrative story-telling, Egerton recounts the history of three of the Civil War’s most famous, and most important, units — the 54th and 55th Massachusetts regiments and the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry.

While the movie “Glory” proves inspirational in its depiction of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and the fictionalized soldiers in the 54th, Egerton goes beyond to humanize the men comprising this unit as well as its sister regiments. Drawing heavily upon personal letters and newspaper accounts, we learn more than just names but rather the stories that defined the individuals who joined to fight for a country that did not recognize them as equals. In doing so, Egerton turns Shaw from mythic hero to a more relatable flawed man, and help us better understand the motives and evolution of the white officers leading these regiments. But more importantly, Egerton gives definition to the faceless and nameless in the ranks, men who fought and bled and died and as a consequence deserve to be named, something the producers of “Glory” overlooked.

While each chapter proves powerful in the telling of the story in its pages, the sections about the pay disputes as well as occupation proved especially compelling to this reader. The spirit of conviction born by these men can arguably be described as the most passionate of any Civil War combatant.

This is an important book for all who seek to better understand not only the Civil War specifically, or any history in general, but how humans interact within the world. It is a study on community, and how man interacts with man. Because of this Egerton has stepped outside of a limited genre and delivered a work that can and should be read by a wide audience.

[John Ulrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good exploration of the first all black regiments in the Civil War the 54th and 55th. There's simply too many things about this to mention here but if you've ever seen the movie Glory and want more of the backstory of how the 54th was assembled and the surrounding pushback at the time this is great. It also highlights the first black medal of honor winner William H Carney who famously got shot twice and never dropped the flag during a charge. He ended up permanently disabled and struggling for he rest of his life. Too many of those soldiers didn't get their proper congratulations when they helped win. The southerners and even many Abolitionists thought the slaves couldn't handle taking orders or follow commands or be brave and fight. Of course they were wildly wrong.

Lincoln's assassination defeated any chance of a real Reconstruction effort. In many ways it changed the outcome of the war even though the north won and allowed the lessons to be quickly lost and set the stage for Jim Crow. We should talk about these soldiers more often because they were essentially hand chosen. The commanders didn't want anyone to be able to deny their character in any way or use something to quickly dismiss them. Many applied but only the very best made that first roster.

If the length of this book scares you at least listen to it on audiobook.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterful history of the USCT regiments that served the Union Army during the Civil War. Never fully accepted by the racist officers and politicians with ultimate control over military affairs, with the leadership of dedicated white officers committed to proving the potential contribution of black soldiers, and the determination of the men themselves to prove that they were worth of inclusion in the civic polity, with the hope of eventually having that confirmed by citizenship and the right to vote, they made invaluable contributions in some of the most brutal fights in which Union troops engaged during the long battle to defeat the Slavocracy. As Egerton fully documents, service in the USCT units produced many men, among those who survived the units' appalling mortality rates, had post-war careers in which, despite continued disability from their wartime injuries, in which they made significant contributions, both official and voluntary, to communities across both North and South. Prejudice being deeply ingrained at the time, only a few received the national recognition and thanks that all deserved, but with time perhaps all will eventually get their due as biases of former centuries and cultures give way to acceptance of all descendants of a common ancestry as equals. If this statement surprises you, see https://humanorigins.si.edu.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pro: Egerton writes several women back into the history records, including Black philanthropist Charlotte Forten Grimké and white doctor, Dr. Esther Jane (Hill) Hawks.

Con: Deep anti-Black issues; Egerton's default whiteness makes a mess. It took 238 pages before a positive story about the soldiers of the 55th Massachusetts - while in service - was finally shared. Literally page one portrays the soldiers as thieves, drunks and arsonists. The next major story is about rapists. I'm white and more likely to miss anti-Black and white lens issues, and they were *glaring* to me, to the point where I wondered if any Black academics had read early drafts of this book. If the Acknowledgments are any indication - filled with white academics who study Black history - I'm sorry to say the answer may be no. White academics studying Black history need to do better.

Pro: Gifted narrative non-fiction writer.

Con: For a book purported to focus on Black regiments, this book is mostly about white commissioned officers and behind-the-scenes white philanthropists. Almost no original research was done on Black soldiers, instead using existing academic wealth on prominent figures like Frederick Douglass and his sons.

[Eric Burroughs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good history of not only the famous 54th Massachusetts but its sister regiment the 55th and the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry. Their history continues long after their immortal charge on Battery Wagner. Most of both regiments were from states other than Massachusetts, especially the 55th. While Robert Shaw is the most famous leader, Ned Hallowell and his brother Pen Hallowell were commanders much longer and deserve more recognition. The pay controversy in the movie Glory was also lengthier and more telling than the movie shows. They were offered a buyout from the state of Massachusetts but refused on principle. They wanted to be treated the same as white soldiers. It was never about the money.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of the USCT's contributions to the Civil War. Egerton keeps the chapters crisp and concise with a minimum of prose in the writing. This book is a good starting point for anyone interested in black troops during the war. A book worthy of its length, I managed to read through it in three days.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the style in which Mr. Egerton wrote this. The amount of references to Syracuse area surprised me. Although no direct references to the individuals I'm researching, this was a really an eye opener to what the Black Civil War regiments endured. Definitely worth a read if you have any interest in these regiments.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, absolutely an authoritative history. Extremely exhaustive and thoroughly researched. But I really don’t need to know the height, weight, home address, sisters’ names and dates of birth of all the people mentioned in this book. It was honestly too detailed, and then here I am again complaining that the latest non-fiction book I read is too long. 😬 maybe it’s me.

[Pamela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seemed to lose steam halfway through.. top heavy with backstory and detail on the 54th Mass, not so much on the 55th & 5th Cav.. (unsure if because less info available or author was just exhausted..)

[Tara Dene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read and I would recommend it to any history buff out there I can’t stress the importance of understanding how the entire country felt about both slavery in the US as a whole and the south alone through out the decades. BUT this book is primarily written based on the writings and opinions of white American men. There are some stories told here and there by a former enslaved black person (as well as their spouses and children) but in my opinion, not nearly enough. Id have a hard time believing were someone to tell me that the documents and historical accounts don’t exist on a larger scale.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Monical · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read, pretty dense, though not as thorough as I expected. I enjoyed reading a more extensive history of the 54th Massachusetts (the regiment in "Glory") beyond the fight at Fort Wagner, which is the end of the movie but not the end of the story of the brigade or other, later Massachusetts black regiments, including cavalry. His focus was mainly on the 54th, and apparently only Massachusetts black regiments, although he wanders off in several sections. The subtitle of the book suggests inclusion of a wider view of all black regiments in the Civil War, which was not true; he would probably have been better served by keeping his original focus. I thought the tragedy at Fort Pillow got remarkably short shrift. The author follows many of the participants, both white and black, into their post Civil War lives.