Today MassMoments reminds us that on May 27, 1863 the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry – gathered on the Boston Common then paraded in review by the State House as they began their way South. This first black regiment from the North had orders to to proceed to Beaufort, South Carolina and were sent off by thousands of well-wishers including Governor John A. Andrew. The soldiers were remembered more recently in the movie “Glory” but immortalized in 1897 in the famous Augustus Saint-Gaundens’ Memorial to their commander Robert Gould Shaw and the men of 54th Massachusetts Regiment. This statue remains one of the great works of public art in the country. Read the full article on the formation of the 54th, the seige at Ft. Wagner and the controversial treatment on the issue of pay and equal treatment here at MassMoments.com – http://www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=157.