FIRST MASSACHUSETTS COLORED REGIMENT.; Appearance of the Men List of Officers, &c.
The Fifty-fourth regiment of Massachusetts volunteers, composed of colored men of this and other Northern States, took its departure for the field of active service to-day. This is the pioneer colored regiment raised in the Northern States. At different times and in different places since the war commenced, there has been talk of raising bodies of colored troops for service in the field, but it remained for Gov. ANDREW to first carry out the idea, which he, in common with others, had so long entertained. The official order for raising this regiment, which is for three years' service, was issued about the 1st of February.
The first commission to a recruiting officer was made out on the 7th of February, to JOHN W.M. APPLETON, and within a day or two of that time he opened a recruiting-office in Cambridge-street. Soon after, another office was opened in New-Bedford, and within a few weeks at Providence, Philadelphia, and various places in New-York and the Western States. It was also proposed to obtain recruits from among the contrabands at Fortress Monroe, but this the Government would not allow.
Within a short time after the opening of the first recruiting-office, the volunteers were ordered into camp at Readville, and officers were commissioned as fast as the rules of the service would allow. The regiment was filled on the 14th of this month.
Since the men have been at Readville the encampment has been visited by thousands of our citizens, and the men have received words of approval and encouragement, and more substantial tokens of regard from our citizens. They have been well-behaved, have devoted themselves assiduously to learning their duties, and have improved to a degree that has cheered the hearts of their friends, and silenced the objections of those who doubted the expediency of placing muskets in the hands of colored men, under the impression that they would not fight. In all the showy qualities of the soldiers they are the equal, any one who has seen them will admit, of white men, but their endurance, and above all their bravery in battle, is yet to be tested. They have the advantage, however, of being well led.
There is among them a pride in their organization; they are strong, active men, having confidence in themselves and their officers, and there is no doubt, no fear, on the part of their friends, that they will disgrace the cause for which they fight.
The regiment is armed with Enfield rifles, and is in all respects equipped and clothed in the same manner as the white regiments. Like the white soldiers, they have received the advance pay and bounty of the Government, and the bounty of the State, and the families of those residing in this Commonwealth are entitled to State aid. In all respects, except that they have only white officers, the men of this regiment are placed on an equality with those of any other new regiment in the service. Their future position depends upon themselves.
The complete roster of this regiment is as follows
Colonel -- ROBERT C. SHAW.
Lieutenant-Colonel -- Norwood P. Hallowell.
Major -- Edward N. Hallowell.
Surgeon -- Lincoln R. Stone.
Assistant Surgeon -- C.B. Bridgham.
Captains -- Alfred S. Hartwell, David A. Partridge, Samuel Willard, John W.M. Appleton, Watson W. Bridge, George Pope, Wm.H. Simpkins, Cabot J. Russell, Edward L. Jones and Louis F. Emilio.
First Lieutenants -- John Ritchie, Garth W. James, Wm.H. Homans, Orin E. Smith, Erik Wulff, Walter H. Wild, Francis L. Higginson, James M. Walton, James M. Grace, R.K.I. Jewett.
Second Lieutenants -- Thomas L. Appleton, Benjamin F. Dexter, J. Albert Pratt, Charles F. Smith, Henry W. Littlefield, Wm. Nutt, David Reid, Chas. E. Tucker and Wm. Howard.
The regiment reached this city from Readville at 9 A.M., and marched to the Common which was thronged with people.
The regiment broke camp at an early hour in the morning, and took the cars for Boston. The train bearing them reached the depot, in this city, soon after 9 o'clock. At first it had been arranged to have the regiment march direct to the wharf, to embark, but so great was the desire to see them, not only of the people of Boston, but of all the neighboring towns, that it was decided to afford the opportunity.
Arrangements were accordingly made for a review on the Common by Gov. ANDREW. One hundred policemen were detailed to clear the streets on the route, and keep the lines at the parade ground on the Common, and this service they performed in a satisfactory manner, under the direction of Col. KURTZ.
A line was formed, and the command at once took up the march through the following streets: Pleasant, Boylston, Essex, Chauncy, Summer, High, Federal, Franklin, Washington, School, Tremont, Pemberton-square, Somerset and Beacon streets, to the State House. All along the route the sidewalks were crowded, and the windows and balconies were thronged. Men cheered and women waved their handkerchiefs, many of them more enthusiastically than ever they had done before. There was nowhere along the line a word of disapproval -- not a sneer was heard, nor an unkind word expressed. In several places flags were thrown out by the occupants of stores or dwellings. In Essex-street, a lady presented Col. SHAW with a handsome bouquet.