The Black Phalanx African American soldiers in the War of Independence, the War of 1812, and the Civil War — Context and Discussion

Statistical Comparisons in the Siege of Morris Island

The excerpts include a lengthy report on the siege of Morris Island, July–September 1863, with precise figures on troop strength and illness. The average garrison was 10,678 men, with black troops varying from 1,127 to 1,947. Sickness rates are broken down by branch: artillery 6.2%, engineers 11.9%, black infantry 13.9%, and white infantry 20.1%. One white brigade averaged 30% sick due to prior service on unhealthy Seabrook Island. Wilson notes that black infantry and engineers were employed exclusively on fatigue duty, while white infantry served as trench guards and also worked. The report states that men could not work more than one-fourth of the time without increasing the sick list, and an eight-hours-on, twenty-four-off rotation was adopted.

The Author’s Dual Perspective as Soldier and Historian

Wilson’s introduction identifies him as a veteran wounded in action, the first African American member of the National Council of Administration of the Grand Army of the Republic, and a delegate to the National Encampment. He was chosen by his comrades to write this history, and the publishers note he overcame “almost insurmountable difficulties” gathering facts, especially for the early wars. The dedication is addressed to the officers who commanded the Black Phalanx, praising their “patriotic devotion to the cause of human freedom.” This framing positions the book as both a record and a tribute, written by someone who served in two of the most famous black regiments.

Glimpses of Combat: Boykin’s Mill and the 54th Massachusetts

A footnote describes the skirmish at Boykin’s Mill, South Carolina, as “one of the bloodiest” for the 54th Regiment. The approach was a narrow embankment 200 yards long, with bridge planks removed, forcing troops to cross on timbers under heavy fire. Wilson calls it a “fearful ‘way of death.’” He references the regiment’s prior actions at Wagner and Olustee, implying continuity of experience. This brief passage, embedded in a footnote, illustrates how Wilson supplements official reports with personal knowledge and regimental memory, though the excerpts do not reveal the outcome of the skirmish.

Readers should note that the excerpts are drawn from the Civil War section, leaving the earlier wars largely unrepresented in this sample. Wilson’s method combines official documents with his own service record, but the full scope of the book—covering three wars—is not evident here. The statistical detail and footnoted anecdotes suggest a work that balances quantitative evidence with personal testimony.

Holding Wilson’s Black Phalanx, I felt the weight of official records, yet his quiet pride in those men lingered. It reminded me of another voice, one observing the same war from the other side of the line. That civilian’s diary-like account, Four Years in Rebel Capitals An Inside View of Life in the Southern Confederacy from Birth to Death — Reading Companion, feels like the shadow to Wilson’s light—both searching for meaning in the same ruin.