Col. T. W. Higginson, Commander Of The 1st Sc Volunteers (The First African American Regiment) (U.S. Civil War) Black Coffee Mug

Col. T. W. Higginson and the 1st South Carolina Volunteer Infantry (U.S. Civil War) Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson was a prominent abolitionist and Unitarian minister who served as the commander of the 1st South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, also known as the First African American Regiment, during the U.S. Civil War. The regiment was composed largely of freed slaves from the Sea Islands and the Ricefields of South Carolina. Higginson's leadership played a significant role in the history of the Union Army, as his troops actively participated in battles such as James Island and Port Royal. His experiences leading this regiment were later recorded in his book "Army Life in a Black Regiment." Despite controversy surrounding the effectiveness and reliability of black soldiers during the Civil War, Higginson's leadership and the accomplishments of the 1st South Carolina Volunteer Infantry proved instrumental in breaking racial barriers within the Union military.