From the beginning of the war Frederick Douglass and other abolitionists had advocated the raising of black troops to fight for the Union. Despite opposition from the border states and northern Democrats, Congress authorized the president in July 1862 to enroll blacks as soldiers, and by the end of the year five black regiments had been formed at the initiative of Union commanders in South Carolina, Louisiana, and Kansas. After resisting calls for enlistment of blacks, President Lincoln declared in the Emancipation Proclamation that they would be “received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places.” Encouraged by the proclamation, John A. Andrew, the Republican governor of Massachusetts, sought and received authorization from Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton to recruit a black regiment from among the freemen of the northern states. Andrew solicited the assistance of Francis Shaw, an abolitionist and social reformer from a wealthy and socially prominent Massachusetts family.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Executive Department.
Boston, Jan. 30th 1863
Francis G. Shaw, Esq. Staten Island. N.Y.
Dear Sir:
As you may have seen by the newspapers, I am about to raise a Colored Regiment in Massachusetts. This I cannot but regard as perhaps the most important corps to be organized during the whole war, in view of what must be the composition of our new levies; and therefore I am very anxious to organize it judiciously in order that it may be a model for all future Colored Regiments. I am desirous to have for its officers—particularly for its field officers—young men of military experience, of firm Anti Slavery principles, ambitious, superior to a vulgar contempt for color, and having faith in the capacity of Colored men for military service. Such officers must be necessarily gentlemen of the highest tone and honor; and I shall look for them in those circles of Educated Anti Slavery Society, which next to the colored race itself has the greatest interest in the success of this experiment.
Reviewing the young men of the character I have described, now in the Massachusetts service it occurs to me to offer the Colonelcy of such a Regiment to your son, Capt Shaw of the 2nd Mass. Infantry, and the Lt. Colonelcy to Capt. Hallowell of the 20th Mass. Infantry, the son of Mr. Morris L. Hallowell of Philadelphia. With my deep conviction of the importance of this undertaking in view of the fact that it will be the first Colored Regiment to be raised in the Free States, and that its success or its failure will go far to elevate or to depress the estimation in which the character of the Colored Americans will be held throughout the World, the command of such a Regiment seems to me to be a high object of ambition for any officer. How much your son may have reflected upon such a subject I do not know, nor have I any information of his disposition for such a task except what I have derived from his general character and reputation, nor should I wish him to undertake it unless he could enter upon it with a full sense of its importance, with an earnest determination for its success; and with the assent and sympathy and support of the opinion of his immediate family. I therefore beg to enclose to you the letter in which I make him the offer of this commission, and I will be obliged to you, if you will forward it to him accompanying it with any expression to him of your own views, and if you will also write to me upon the subject.
My mind is drawn towards Capt. Shaw by many considerations. I am sure that he would attract the support, sympathy and active co-operation of many besides his immediate family and relatives. The more ardent, faithful, true Republicans and friends of Liberty would recognize in him, a scion of a tree whose fruit and leaves have alike contributed to the strength and healing of our generation. So also it is with Capt. Hallowell. His father is a quaker gentleman of Philadelphia, two of whose sons are officers in our regiments and another is a Merchant in Boston. Their house in Philadelphia is a hospital almost for Mass. officers, and the family are full of good works; Mr. H. being my constant adviser in the interest of our soldiers, when sick or in distress in that city. I need not add that young Capt. H. is a gallant and fine fellow, true as steel to the cause of Human Nature, as well as to the flag of the Country.
I wish to engage the field officers and then get their aid in selecting those of the line. I have offers from “Oliver T. Beard of Brooklyn, N.Y. late Lt. Col. 48th N. Y. V.” who says he can already furnish 600 men, and from others wishing to furnish men from New York, and from Conn., but I do not wish to start the regiment under a stranger to Massachusetts. Still I have written to Col. H. E. Howe to learn about Col. Beard, since he may be useful in some contingency hereafter. If in any way, by suggestion or otherwise, you can aid the purpose which is the burden of this letter, I shall receive your cooperation with the heartiest gratitude.—
I dont want the office to go begging; & if this offer is refused I wd. prefer its being kept reasonably private. Hoping to hear from you immediately on yr receiving this note, I am, with high regard, Your obt. servant & friend,
John A. Andrew.