Waging War for Freedom with the 54th Massachusetts

The Civil War Memoir of John W. M. Appleton
Late in 1862, amid the horrors of the U.S. Civil War, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, with President Lincoln’s approval, authorized the recruitment of Black soldiers for the Union cause. In January of 1863, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was born. On February 7, 1863, Massachusetts governor John Andrew commissioned Boston-bred John W. M. Appleton the first of the white officers in the most famous Civil War regiment of Black soldiers. Appleton immediately began recruiting enlisted soldiers for the company he would command, Company A.

Waging War for Freedom with the 54th Massachusetts is a fresh look at the service of this famed regiment as told through Appleton’s memoir-the most complete first-person account available about the service of the men in the 54th Massachusetts regiment. Appleton wrote candidly about his own experiences and the men who served with and under him, including troop punishments, combat, and combat injuries, including his own. He also described in detail the weather, climate, southern geography, and his interaction with civilians. Appleton served with the regiment from February 1863 through August 1864, when severe injuries forced him home a second time. Taking Appleton’s memoir as their foundation, the editors thoroughly contextualize the service of the 54th through its disbanding in 1865, providing a fresh perspective on the men and the regiment as they fought to abolish slavery in the United States.

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.