Nineteenth Century Freedom Fighters

This Civil War regimental history vividly chronicles the Union Army’s first black unit through the personal writings of its commanding officer.

The 1st South Carolina Volunteers, later the 33rd United States Colored Troops, were the first black unit of the Civil War. Beginning a year before the 54th Massachusetts—the unit immortalized in the film Glory—the 1st South Carolina was comprised of men who had escaped slavery to fight for the freedom of all. Known for their courage, discipline, and pride, they continued to serve the Union cause even while their regiment was temporarily disbanded.

The 1st South Carolina Volunteers fought for years with little or no pay, poor equipment, and constant pressure and abuse from both North and South. In this brief volume, historian Curtis M. Miller presents a vivid chronicle of these unsung heroes, largely culled from the letters and journals of their commanding officer, Lt. Col. Charles T. Trowbridge.