[Vision2020] Veterans group seeks Medal of Honor for Civil War colonel

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of the Army Times.

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Veterans group seeks MOH for Civil War colonel

A veterans group will present a petition the week of April 21 to the New York congressional delega­tion asking that the Medal of Hon­or be awarded to Civil War Col. Robert Gould Shaw, who com­manded the first unit of free Afri­can-Americans recruited into the Union army.

Shaw was killed while leading the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment in an attack on Fort Wagner, S.C., on July 18, 1863. Half of the regiment was killed, wounded or missing following the failed attempt to take the fort, but the 54th’s bravery proved that black troops were coura­geouswarriors, paving the way for other black units to be raised in the North, accord­ing to the Mas­sachusetts Historical Soci­ety.

Actor Matthew Broderick played Shaw in the 1989 movie “Glory,” which ends with Shaw being bur­ied in a mass grave along with his men.

Because the Medal of Honor was not issued posthumously during the Civil War, Shaw was ineligible for the award at the time, Tom Le­vis told Military Times.

Levis serves on the board of management of a group made up of veterans from the 7th Regiment of New York, in which Shaw served as a private in the opening days of the Civil War before being commissioned as an officer. Levis’ group is asking Congress to petition President Obama to award Shaw the Medal of Honor now.

“In addition to Col. Shaw earning it in the heat of battle, we think he began to earn it when he accepted command of the 54th Massachu­­setts, because when he accepted that command, he accepted the mission to prove the battle-worthi­ness of the African-American sol­diers — that was a prime consideration of the governor of Massachusetts and the Secretary of War [Edwin] Stanton,” Levis said.

Shaw came from a wealthy but socially conscious family, Levis said. Massachusetts Gov. John An­drew approached Shaw’s parents, who were both abolitionists, about asking Shaw to accept command of the 54th.

At first, Shaw declined the offer.

“Upon reflection, he accepted it, but I’m sure his hesitancy was he knew what the mission involved — and frankly, in many ways, it was a suicide mission,” Levis said. “He had to get that regiment into one of the worst battle situations in order to prove conclusively the battle­worthiness of his men —and he did that; and they did that. It was quite an accomplishment.” 

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Colonel Robert Gould Shaw



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Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"There's room at the top they are telling you still.
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill,
If you want to be like the folks on the hill."

- John Lennon
  
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