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

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, commanding the

54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry The 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment is 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 Infantr ...

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 an Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist family from the Boston Brahmin, Boston upper class, he ...

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 Brigadier general (Uni ...

in 1863.

Early life

Edward grew up in a well-to-do

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family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

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

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and

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. Edward's father was also a passionate

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...

. The

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

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 an organized network of secret routes and safe houses used by freedom seekers to escape to the abolitionist Northern United States and Eastern Canada. Enslaved Africans and African Americans escaped from slavery ...

. 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, ''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 Peninsula campaign (also known as the Peninsular campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March to July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The oper ...

, the Seven Days,

Antietam The Battle of Antietam ( ), also called the Battle of Sharpsburg, particularly in the Southern United States, took place during the American Civil War on September 17, 1862, between Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virgin ...

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 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 troo ...

, the Battle of Honey Hill and the Battle of Boykin's Mill. 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 historical Coastal defense and fortification#Sea forts, sea fort located near Charleston, South Carolina. Constructed on an artificial island at the entrance of Charleston Harbor in 1829, the fort was built in response to the W ...

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,

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Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. The 16th vice president, he assumed the presidency following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a South ...

nominated Hallowell for the award of the honorary grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers to rank from June 27, 1865 for "meritorious services" during the war. The

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

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, located in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, is the first rural or garden cemetery in the United States. It is the burial site of many prominent Boston Brahmins, and is a National Historic Landmark. Dedicated in ...

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

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