Download or read book Nineteenth Century Freedom Fighters: written by Bennie J. McRae Jr. and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2012-09-18 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 1st South Carolina Volunteers, later the 33rd United States Colored Troops, were the first black unit of the Civil War. Preceding the famous 54th Massachusetts--seen in the film Glory--by one year, these South Carolina slaves turned soldiers were noted for their courage, discipline, and pride, continuing to serve the Union cause even while temporarily disbanded. They fought for years with little or no pay, poor equipment, and constant pressure and abuse from both North and South. This brief history is told mostly through the letters and journals of their commanding officer Lt. Col. Charles T. Trowbridge.