St. Augustine, Florida, like many other Southern coastal communities, is under the control of the United States Army. Into these Union-controlled coastal areas flow increasing numbers of freed or escaped slaves. The U.S. military, in response, struggles to establish structures to house and educate freedmen under their protection. This month the Rev. Issac. W. Brinckerhoff,…
This month’s edition of The Baptist Missionary Magazine reports on the work of Northern Baptist missionaries throughout the world. Despite the war, Baptist missionary work continues in earnest in nations large and small, among people groups well-known and relatively obscure. Within the periodical is a copy of a recent letter from an unnamed Baptist missionary…
Today, Edwin Stanton, the U.S. Secretary of War, gives Massachusetts governor John A. Andrew permission to begin recruiting black troops for the first U.S. colored regiment. Andrew sets about assembling officers for the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, all of whom are to be white, as mandated by the government. Among the officers selected is Colonel Robert…