Editing 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment (section)

==Battle of Grimball's Landing==
The regiment's first engagement took place during the [[Battle of Grimball's Landing]] on [[James Island (South Carolina)|James Island]], just outside of Charleston, South Carolina, on July 16, 1863. The Union attack on James Island was intended to draw Confederate troops away from [[Fort Wagner]] in anticipation of an upcoming Union assault on the fort. During the Battle of Grimball's Landing, the 54th Massachusetts stopped a Confederate advance, taking 45 casualties in the process.{{sfnp|Emilio|1891|p=63}}

In an account of the engagement, which was later published, First Sergeant [[Robert John Simmons]] of the 54th Massachusetts (a [[British Army]] veteran from [[Bermuda]]) described a "desperate battle" in which about 250 [[picket (military)|pickets]] of the regiment were attacked by about 900 Confederates. He estimated that a reserve of 3,000 men supported the Confederates in their front. The 54th Massachusetts stopped the Confederate advance then, as he described, "had to fire and retreat toward our own encampment."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://54th-mass.org/tag/bcf/|title=BCF "Written in Glory|archive-date=2014-08-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140816193808/http://54th-mass.org/tag/bcf/|url-status=live}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=July 2023}}

After the engagement, their division commander, Brig. Gen. [[Alfred H. Terry]], complimented "steadiness and soldierly conduct" of 54th Massachusetts by courier to Col. Shaw and in his official report of the action. This recognition raised the morale of the regiment.{{sfnp|Emilio|1891|pp=62–63}}