This is an excerpt from Colonel Robert Gould Shaw's personal diary. The letter is to Annie Kneeland Haggerty Shaw, his wife. In the letter is a description of the recent fighting on James Island.

"James Island, South Carolina "July 15, 1863 "My Dearest Annie, ".....You don't know what a fortunate day this has been for me and for us all, excepting some poor fellows who were killed and wounded. We have at last fought alongside of white troops. Two hundred of my men on picket this morning were attacked by five regiments of infantry, some cavalry, and a bettery of artillery. The Tenth Connecticut (of Stevenson's Brigade) were on their left, and say they should have had a bad time, if the Fifty-fourth men had not stood so well. The whoel Division was under arms in fifteen minutes, and after coming up close in front of us, the enemy, finding us strong, fell back. The other regiments lost in all, some three men wounded. We lost seven killed, twenty-one wounded, six missing, supposedly killed, and nine unaccounted for. The last are probably killed or captured. All these belonged to the four companies which were on picket. The main body, excepting artillery, was not engaged at all. "General Terry sent me word he was highly gratified with the behavior of my men, and the officers and privates of other regiments praise us very much. All this is very gratifying to us personally, and a fine thing for the coloured troops. It is the first time they have been associated with white soldiers, this side of the Mississippi...

"Your most loving Husband"

(qtd. in Duncan 385)

Back to the Colonel Shaw page

Back to the outline