The following letter was written by 21 year-old Pvt. Charles Newton, a barely literate Black soldier in Co. C, 55th Massachusetts Infantry. According to muster rolls, Charles was a 5′ 8″ tall farmer from Knox county, Indiana, when he enlisted at Readville, Massachusetts on 20 June 1863. He was sick at left at Newborn, North Carolina, when the regiment left on 30 July 1863. He was on duty at Portsmouth and Norfolk, Virginia, in the fall of 1863, but was sick at Folly Island near Charleston in mid-February 1864. He was discharged for physical disability on 5 October 1864 but being unable to move due to his chronic diarrhea condition, he died on Folly Island on 13 October 1864.

There is a statement in Charles’ service record that claims he was “free” before 19 April 1861. Indeed, Charles was enumerated in his parents’ household in Busseron township, Knox county, Indiana in 1850 and 1860. He was the son of Jesse and Priscilla (Brock) Newton, who married in Knox county in April 1829. Jesse was a native of Tennessee and Priscilla of Illinois. By 1870, Jesse and Priscilla had relocated to Ypsilanti, Washtenaw county, Michigan.

The 55th was the “sister regiment” of the renowned 54th Massachusetts. Both regiments were raised in the spring of 1863 and both regiments would play a key role in the fighting in South Carolina. Due to the Commonwealth’s relatively small black population, both the 54th Massachusetts and, subsequently, the 55th Massachusetts, were made up of free men of color recruited from other states, including Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania. The State of Ohio provided 222 recruits to the 55th Massachusetts, more than any other northern state.

In her 1995 article ‘History of 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry’, Civil War historian Katherine Dhalle stated: “The war that had taken so many lives had also seen fit to form many survivors into the leaders of a new, reunited country. Despite frustrations, disappointments, obstacles, and restrictions, the men of the 55th bore their military office well. Instead of retreating in the face of adversity, whether it be the enemy, their fellow officers, or their own government, they continued in their quest to promote freedom and preserve the Union at all costs. For this they deserve our unending respect and admiration. As well, the brave men of the regiment, both black and white, who fought side by side, and lived through the inequities of a discriminatory government, deserve to be remembered as the heroes they are. Nothing less would be acceptable.” [Wikipedia]

See also—1864: John Posey to Mathias Embry on Spared & Shared 13.

[Note: This letter is from the personal collection of Harrison Pearl and was transcribed and published on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

Transcription

July 14th 1863

Dear Friend,

I take my pen in hand to inform you I am well. I hope that [these] few lines may find you all well. I have been. I want you to answer my letter. This is the eighth letter.

John is very sick. I have been very sick [too] and so has Dock now. We is better. Dock had the measles and John has them now. I have not received no answer. This is 8th letter. — Charles Newton