Читать книгу Historical Moments: Military Contributions of African Americans - Роберт Харрис - Страница 15

The 29th Colored Infantry (Connecticut)

The 29th Infantry Regiment of Connecticut, commanded by Col. William B. Wooster, was an African American unit organized to fight in the Civil War. In February of 1863, the Republican governor John Andrew of Massachusetts called for the formation of an African American unit to fight in the war, and within weeks, the 54th Infantry Regiment was formed. The then Republican governor of Connecticut, William Buckingham, seeing the success of the 54th, decided to raise an African American regiment in Connecticut. So in November of 1863, a bill was passed by the special assembly for the formation of the 29th Infantry; however, there was a very racially charged debate, objecting to arming the African American. Democratic representative William Eaton of Hartford said, “I would rather let loose the wild Commanches than the ferocious negro. The negro is both ferocious and cowardly, and you will let loose upon every household south of the Mason-Dixon Line a band of ferocious men who will spread lust and rape all over the land.” However, an article that appeared in the Hartford Courant showed the African American in a much different light. It highlighted the courage and devotion to duty of the men of the 54th during the assault on Fort Wagner and showed that the African American could engage the enemy on the battlefield with the same commitment to duty as any troops in the field. This flag, which is on display at the state capital in Hartford, was presented to the 29th Infantry on March 19, 1864, in Fair Haven, Connecticut. The ex-slave, statesman, orator, and writer Frederick Douglass was there to send them off to war. The battle flag was so important to the soldiers that men would routinely risk their lives so that the banner would not be captured by the enemy.