Download battle of fort wagner (july 18, 1863)

GLORY
- ABRAHAM LINCOLN FEELINGS ON SLAVERY IN THE BEGINNING
1.) OPPOSED SLAVERY AND SAID IT WAS EVIL
2.) OPPOSED THE EXPANSION OF SLAVERY
HOWEVER
-LINCOLN STATES:
1. HE REALIZES IT WAS A NECESSITY FOR THE SOUTHERN
ECONOMY
2.) HAD NO INTENTION OF DISTURBING SLAVERY IN THE SLAVE
STATES
3.) HE BELIEVED WHITES WERE SUOERIOR TO BLACKS
A.) WAS NOT IN FAVOR OF POLITICAL OR SOCIAL
EQUALITY OF WHITES AND BLACKS
B.) WAS NOT IN FAVOR OF BLACKS VOTING, BEING
JURORS, LETTING THEM HOLD OFFICE OR
INTERMARRY
LINCOLN CHANGES VIEW ON SLAVERY
- AFTER ELECTED IN 1860 LINCOLN BEGINS TO REALIZE
1.) THAT U.S. COULD NEVER SURVIVE HALF SLAVE AND
HALF FREE
A.) SOUTHERN BELIEFS SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED TO
JEAPORIZE NATION AND EQUALITY OF MEN
2.) HOUSE DIVIDED SPEECH
WAR BEGINS
-SOUTH CAROLINA SECEDES FIRST AFTER LINCOLN’S ELECTION
DEC 20 1860
1.) BY FEB 6 DEEP SOUTHERN STATES SECEDE
A.) MISS, FL , ALA, GEORGIA, LOUISANA ANF TEXAS
THEY CREATE
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA
1.) ELECT JEFFERSON DAVIS PRESIDENT
FIRST SHOTS
FORT SUMTER SOUTH CAROLINA
1. NORTH WOULD EVENTUALLY SURRENDER THE FORT
IN THE BEGINNING OF WAR
-LINCOLN DIDN’T WANT BLACKS TO SERVE B/C HE THOUGHT IT
WOULD SEND THE BORDER STATES TO THE SOUTH
1.) SLAVERY WAS NOT A DIRECT CONCERN FOR LINCOLN
HE JUST WANTED TO SAVE THE UNION
2.) HORACE GREELY LETTER
FIRST 2 YRS OF WAR
- UNION WAS STRUGGLING LOSING BATTLE AFTER BATTLE
UNTIL
ANTIETAM VICTORY IN SEPT 1862
1.) LINCOLN WAS WAITING FOR SOME SUCCESS TO ISSUE HIS:
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION- FREES ALL SLAVES
1.) INTRODUCED IN SEPT 1862 AND GAVE SOUTHERN STATES
UNTIL JAN 1 1863 TO REJOIN THE UNION
SO
-ON JAN 1 1863 ALL SLAVE STATES WERE DECLARED FREE AND
THESE BLACK MEN COULD SERVE IN THE MILITARY
1.) THIS PROCLAMATION WOULD OFFICIALLY TIE SLAVERY TO
THE WAR
2.) 200,000 BLACK MEN WOULD SERVE IN MILITARY, UNION
DESPERATELY NEEDED SOLDIERS
A,) THEY WOULD FORM ALL BLACK REGIMENTS B/C
NORTHERN WHITES DIDN’T WANT TO SERVE WITH THEM
TH
54 MASSACHUSETTS
- CREATED IN FEB 1863
WAS LED BY
-ROBERT GOIULD SHAW
1.) CAME FROM AN ELITE FAMILY
2.) SHAW SERVED NEARLY 2 YRS BEFORE TAKING OVER THE
54TH
A.) WAS WOUNDED AT THE BATTLE OF ANTIETNAM
(THIS IS BEGINNING OF THE MOVIE)
-MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR JOHN ANDREW SENDS WORD TO
SHAW’S FATHER ASKING HIM TO TAKE COMMAND OF THE 54TH
1.) ANDREW AND FREDRICK DOUGLAS WOULD HELP
CREATE THE 54TH
2.) DOUGLAS HAD 2 SONS THAT WOULD SERVE IN THE
54TH
3.) SHAW WOULD AT FIRST DECLINE OFFER AT FIRST
A.) WOULD EVENTUALLY ACCEPT B/C OF DUTY
TOWARDS THE U.S.
SO
-SHAW BEGINS TRAINING OF HIS MEN OF 1000
1.) MOST OF 54TH CONSISTED OF FREE BORN BLACKMEN
2.) 54TH WAS SEGREGATED FROM WHITE REGIMENTS
DISCRIMINATION
1.) THEY WERE OUTFITTED WITH THE POOREST EQUIPMENT AND
AS LITTLE SUPPLIES AS NECESSARY
2.) BLACK REGIMENTS WERE ASSIGNED TO LABOR TASKS AND NOT
USUALLY TO BATTLE
A.) WHEN PLACED IN BATTLE THEY WERE PUT IN THE
MOST DANGEROUS POSITIONS SO WHITES WEREN’T
PUT AT RISK
3.) BLACK SOLDIERS ONLY RECEIVED $7 A MONTH COMPARED T0
WHITES $13 A MONTH
A.) SHAW WINS RESPECT OF HIS MEN BY REFUSING PAY
ALSO WHEN THE BLACK SOLDIERS GET ANGRY
4.) BLACK REGIMENTS WERE GIVEN DARK BLUE UNIFORMS
INSTEAD OF LIGHT BLUE UNIFORMS THAT WHITE SOLDIERS
WEAR
A.) DARK UNIFORMS WERE RESERVED FOR BLACKS DOING
LABOR SUPPORT FOR ARMY
B.) SHAW DEMANDED FROM COMMAND THAT THE 54TH
BE GIVEN THE LIGHT BLUE UNIFORMS LIKE WHITE
SOLDIERS
WHAT AT RISK
- IF CAPTURED:
1.) BLACKS WOULD BE RETURNED TO SLAVERY OR
EXECUTED ON SITE
2.) WHITE OFFICERS- ALL WOULD BE EXECUTED
BEST EXAMPLE OF THIS
FORT PILLOW MASSACRE – APR 12 1864- TENNESSEE ALONG MISS.
RIVER
1.) FORT WAS DEFENDED BY 600 MEN AND ½ OF THEM WERE
BLACK SOLDIERS
2.) SOUTH WAS LED BY GENERAL NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST
SOUTH ATTACKS
-FORT WOULD SURRENDER
1.) SOLDIERS WOULD SURRENDER AND THROW DOWN THEIR
WEAPONS
A.) CONFEDERATES SHOT AND BAYONETED UNION
SOLDIERS
1.) YELLING NO QUARTER
2.) BLACK SOLDIERS DROPPED TO KNEES BEGGING FOR MERCYTHEY WERE STOOD UP AND SHOT
A.) OUT OF 400 BLACK SOLDIERS ONLY 20 SURVIVED
B.) 300 WERE EXECUTED
-THE 54TH’S TRAINING BRGAN AT CAMP MEIGS ON MAY 13,1863 IN
MASSACHUSETTS
THEN
TH
THE 54 WAS ORDERED TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND SOUTH
CAROLINA ON MAY 18, 1863
1.) PREPARING FOR ATTACK ON CHARLESTON
- 54TH GOES ON PATROL WITH JAMES MONTGOMERY’S
REGIMENT WHICH WAS ANOTHER BLACK REGIMENT.
A.0 SHAW BY ORDER WAS FORCED TO LOOT AND BURN
DOWN THE TOWN OF DARIEN GEORGIA
1.) SHAW DID IT UNDER PROTEST
A.) WAS AFRAID HE WOULD LOSE HIS REGIMENT TO
MONTGOMERY IF HE DISOBEYED
AFTER
- SHAW DEMANDED TO HIS COMMANDER TO PUT THE 54TH INTO
ACTION WHICH THEY DID
SO
- 54TH WILL SEE THEIR FIRST BATTLE ACTION AT JAMES ISLAND
SOUTH CAROLINA JULY 1863
1.) COMPANY WAS CITED FOR BRAVERY
THEN
TH
- THE 54 WAS ENT TO MORRIS ISLAND AND PREPARE FOR THE
ASSAULT ON FORT WAGNER
1.) FORT WAS CRITICAL IN PROTCTING CHARLESTON
BATTLE OF FORT WAGNER (JULY 18, 1863)
PLAN OF ATTACK:
1.) DIRECT ASSAULT OF FORT WAGNER WITH 3 WAVES OF
SOLDIERS UP THE NARROW STRIP OF BEACH- OCEAN ON 1 SIDE
AND MARSH ON THE OTHER
- GENERAL GEORGE STRONG WAS COMMANDER OF UNION
TROOPS AT FORT WAGNER
1.) THE 54TH WAS OFFERED TO LEAD THE 1ST WAVE OF
ATTACK
A.) SHAW ACCEPTED THE OFFER
B.) QUESTION WAS, WERE THEY PUT THERE B/C
THEY WERE EXPENDABLE
BEFORE ATTACK
- GEORGE STRONG ADDRESSES 54TH AND ASKED IF THE FLAG
BEARER FALLS WHO WILL PICK IT UP
1.) SHAW STATES HE WILL
ATTACK BEGINS
3:00PM- TOOK HEAVY CASUALITIES B/C HOW NARROW BEACH WAS
1.) FALL INTO THE SAND DUNES FOR COVER
7:45PM DUSK- 54TH MAKES FINAL PUSH ON FORT
1.) SHAW AND 54TH WOULD REACH TOP OF FORT
HOWEVER
WITH SHAW CARRY FLAG (UNIT COLORS) WOULD BE SHOY AND
KILLED IN THIS FINALLY ATTACK
A.) 54TH WOULD BE STOPPED AND FORCED BACK
- PRIVATE WILLIAM CARNEY WOULD PICK UP COLORS AFTER
SHAWS DEATH AND RETURN THEM OFF THE BATTLEFIELD
1.) WAS SHOT TWICE
2.) WOULD WIN THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR
- OTHER WAVES AFTER 54TH CHARGE WOULD FAIL
- AFTER BATTLE THE BODIES OF 54TH WAS PUT IN MASS GRAVES
ALONG WITH SHAWS BODY
1.) SOUTH WOULDN’T RETURN SHAW’S BODY WHICH WAS
CUSTOM FOR OFFICERS
-CASUALITIESUNION- 1500
CONFEDERATES- 174
-54TH- 250 MEN KILLED OUT OF 600
PROBLEMS WITH MOVIE
1.) SHAW OFFERED COMMAND OF 54TH THRU HIS FATHER NOT IN
PERSON
2.) SHAW DECLINED JOB AT FIRST
3.) MOVIE GAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE 54TH MEN WERE ALL
EX SLAVES- NOT TRUE- 80% WERE FREE MEN
4.) SHAW DOESN’T MAKE SPEECH ON BEEACH BEFORE THE
ATTACK, IT WAS GEN DTRONG
5.) SHAW DIDN’T BELIEVE IN PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT, HE
WOULDN’T WHIP THEM
6.) 54TH DID REFUSE PAYMENT, BUT DIDN’T RIP UP CHECKS LIKE IN
MOVIE
7.) ATTACK ON FORT WAGNER HAPPENED IN THE OPPOSITE
DIRECTION