First published 1996
Young black men from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia gather at Readville, Massachusetts in May 1863. They come to form the 55th Massachusetts Volunteers, one of the Union Army's African American regiments. Through their personal letters written between 1861 and 1865, these soldiers reveal the daily realities of military service during America's bloodiest conflict. The correspondence captures their experiences from initial recruitment through four years of war. These men face the dual challenge of proving themselves as soldiers while fighting for a nation that has long denied them basic rights. Their words expose the tensions between their patriotic service and the discrimination they encounter even within Union ranks. The letters document not just battles and camp life, but the emotional weight of fighting for freedom while confronting racism from fellow soldiers and officers. These voices from the 55th Massachusetts tell the story of men who risked everything for the promise of equality and the hope that their service might transform America.
Genres: biography, american-civil-war, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, african-american, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, patriotic-service
Setting: Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Readville, Virginia
Period: 1861-1865
258 pages · Hardcover · Morningside Bookshop
Content warnings: racism