Juneteenth: 5 Civil War battles that black Union soldiers played a key role

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Grimball’s Landing – July 16, 1863

Robert Gould Shaw (1837-1863), the commander of the 54th Massachusetts, a black Union regiment that gained notoriety for their attack on Fort Wagner during the American Civil War. | Public Domain

The first official black regiment organized in the North by the Union Army was the 54th Massachusetts, and their first battle was at James Island, South Carolina, at a place called Grimball’s Landing.

Part of the broader effort to take Fort Wagner, Grimball’s Landing involved about 250 men of the 54th Massachusetts holding a position against approximately 900 Confederates.

“Although outnumbered, the men of the 54th held their ground and repelled the assault before Union forces retreated from James Island,” explained the National Museum of the United States Army.

“In his official report on the action, Union Brig. Gen. Alfred H. Terry commended the 54th for their strong performance in battle, noting their ‘steadiness and soldierly conduct.’”