54th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry

United States U.S. Military United States Colored Troops in the Civil War 54th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry

Brief History
Organized September 4, - December 25, 1863, as 2nd Arkansas Infantry (African Descent). March 11, 1864, Attached to 2nd Brigade, Frontier Division, 7th Corps, Dept. of Arkansas, to February, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 7th Corps, to August, 1865. Dept. of

Captain Robert Gould Shaw, was commissioned Col. of the 54th.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Company "B" Organized at Readville, Massachusetts Mustered in May 13, 1863 Left Boston on Steamer "De Molay" for Hilton Head, South Carolina. Discharged at Boston, Massachusetts, September 1, 1865.

Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Other Sources
National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.

Wikipedia 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/54th_Massachusetts_Volunteer_Infantry

Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry: http://battleofolustee.org/54th_mass_inf.html

FamilySearch Wiki: Massachusetts in the Civil War