Music & Lyrics by Lonnie Glass
copyright, 2010 SOCAN
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Coloured regiments began around 1862, however, the most notable was The 54th who gained prominence by being the 1st line assault of Fort Wagner, S.C. Robert Gould Shaw was their commander and was killed there and buried, as one Confederate soldier put it, "along with his niggers"....
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freedmen came from miles around
just to lend a helping hand
but they was given half the money
thouh it may seem funny
they had to follow a white command
forged by the black committee
to regain a sense of pride
Fredrick Douglas gave them his mighty blessing
and watched as Southward they'd ride
abused by Colonel Montgomery
to burn down the Darian Streets
no enemy was ever sighted
no victory, no defeat
after years have passed us by
after cannons have turned to rust
the 54th will be remembered
long after bleached bones have turned to dust
but they were used like mules to pull lumber
not one of their muskets made a sound
but when the chance came at last
the load 'em and blast
they stopped the grays on James Island ground
Wagner was a high fortress
along the Charleston Beach
walls so thick & daunting
ramparts no army could breach
54th came marchin'
with Gould Shaw in command
now he's was buried "along with his niggers"
in a trench down along the sand
after years have passed us by
after cannons have turned to rust
the 54th will be remembered
long after bleached bones have turned to dust
William Harvey's got his medal of valour
that honour will long resound
he grabbed the flag from the fallen and shouted
"the stars and stripes will never touch the ground"
after years have passed us by
after cannons have turned to rust
the 54th will be remembered
long after bleached bones have turned to dust
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