Edward "Ned" Needles Hallowell (November 3, 1836 – July 26, 1871) was an officer in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

in the duration of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, commanding the

54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry The 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that saw extensive service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was the second African-American regiment, following the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry ...

following the death of Colonel

Robert Gould Shaw Robert Gould Shaw (October 10, 1837 – July 18, 1863) was an American officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Born into a prominent Boston Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist family, he accepted command of the firs ...

at the

Second Battle of Fort Wagner The Second Battle of Fort Wagner, also known as the Second Assault on Morris Island or the Battle of Fort Wagner, Morris Island, was fought on July 18, 1863, during the American Civil War. Union Army troops commanded by Brig. Gen. Quincy Gillm ...

in 1863.

Early life

Edward grew up in a well-to-do

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

in Philadelphia. His father Morris was part owner and operator of Hallowell & Company of 33 South Third Street, Philadelphia. The firm predominantly imported and sold silk from

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

and

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

. Edward's father was also a passionate

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...

. The

Hallowell family The Hallowell family is an American family from Philadelphia and Boston, notable for their activism in the abolitionist movement and for their philanthropy to various universities and civil rights organizations. The Hallowell family is frequently as ...

was far more than passive meeting attenders. The family's summer home was employed as a stop on the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. T ...

. Edward and the other children of Morris and Hannah shared the abolitionist views of their parents. His brother Richard Price Hallowell was one of the members of the "Black Committee"Emilio, Luis F., ''A Brave Black Regiment'' that Governor Andrew of Massachusetts selected to inquire of the willingness of prospective candidates to serve in officer positions in the

. He had two children, Charlott and Emily Hallowell, with his wife, Charlotte Bartlett Wilhelmina Swett. Hallowell was a stockbroker before the war and became a wool commission merchant after the war.Hunt, Roger D. and Jack R. Brown, ''Brevet Brigadier Generals in Blue.'' Gaithersburg, MD: Olde Soldier Books, Inc., 1990. . p. 255Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 274

Civil War service

In early 1862 Edward joined his brother Norwood Penrose "Pen" Hallowell, who was already serving in the 20th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. He served as a lieutenant. While he was in the 20th, the regiment saw considerable action including the Peninsula Campaign, the Seven Days,

Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union ...

and Fredericksburg. Lt. Edward Hallowell then accepted an appointment in the 54th Massachusetts, which was to be led by

as colonel and his brother Norwood as lieutenant colonel. The regiment was to be made up of white and black abolitionists fighting together for black freedom. Edward recruited African-American soldiers in Philadelphia and was actually the first officer to occupy the barracks set aside for the 54th at Camp Meigs in Reedville. Recruiting for the regiment proved so successful that a second regiment, the 55th, was formed. Norwood Hallowell was designated as the 55th's colonel and Edward was promoted to major and was second-in-command to Shaw. By the time of the famous assault by the 54th on

Fort Wagner Fort Wagner or Battery Wagner was a beachhead fortification on Morris Island, South Carolina, that covered the southern approach to Charleston Harbor. It was the site of two American Civil War battles in the campaign known as Operations Agai ...

Hallowell was promoted to lieutenant colonel. In the assault on Fort Wagner he commanded the left wing with half the regiment's companies. Because of the narrow defile through which the 54th had to pass the left wing was deployed directly behind Shaw and the right wing. Hallowell suffered three wounds in the assault and went home to recuperate. Upon returning he commanded the 54th as a full colonel for the rest of the war, except when he was in temporary command of a brigade. The 54th and Hallowell continued to serve with distinction during the war. He fought at the

Battle of Olustee The Battle of Olustee or Battle of Ocean Pond was fought in Baker County, Florida on February 20, 1864, during the American Civil War. It was the largest battle fought in Florida during the war. Union General Truman Seymour had landed troops a ...

, the

Battle of Honey Hill The Battle of Honey Hill was the third battle of Sherman's March to the Sea, fought November 30, 1864, during the American Civil War. It did not involve Major General William T. Sherman's main force, marching from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia, ...

and the

Battle of Boykin's Mill Boykin's Mill was the site of the last Union (American Civil War), Union officer killed in action during the American Civil War. It was also the location of the final battle on South Carolina soil. History Brigadier General Edward E. Potter took ...

. At Boykin's Mill, Hallowell was in command of Major General Potter's 3rd Brigade. When the fortifications around Charleston fell along with the city it was the 54th under Hallowell that occupied various former Confederate posts including

Fort Sumter Fort Sumter is a sea fort built on an artificial island protecting Charleston, South Carolina from naval invasion. Its origin dates to the War of 1812 when the British invaded Washington by sea. It was still incomplete in 1861 when the Battl ...

and Fort Wagner. Additionally, the 54th guarded Confederate prisoners of war during this time, including some whom they had faced at Fort Wagner.

Post War years

Hallowell was mustered out of the Union Army volunteer service on August 20, 1865. Hallowell marched with the Massachusetts members of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment at a post-war victory review held in Boston in December 1865. On January 13, 1866,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a Dem ...

nominated Hallowell for the award of the honorary grade of

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

of volunteers to rank from June 27, 1865 for "meritorious services" during the war. The

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

confirmed the award on March 12, 1866. After the war Edward returned to Medford and became a wool commission merchant. His wounds from the war undoubtedly cut his life short and he died in 1871. He is buried with his wife Charlotte at

Mount Auburn Cemetery Mount Auburn Cemetery is the first rural cemetery, rural, or garden, cemetery in the United States, located on the line between Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, Watertown in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middl ...

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Legacy

The character of Major Cabot Forbes in the film '' Glory'' is based somewhat on Edward Hallowell and his brother. Little lasting recognition of either Edward or his brother Norwood exists. One exception is at the famous Union ClubThe Union Club of Boston – Club History
off of Boston Common which has meeting rooms dedicated to Edward and Norwood as well as Robert Gould Shaw.

Notes

External links

Edward Needles Hallowell
and the