Book Review: Thunder at the Gates: The Black Civil War Regiments That Redeemed America

"As they closed the two miles to the battlefield, they passed wounded men and stragglers, including men from the 8th United States Colored Troops, a green unit. They called to the Massachusetts men, “We’re badly whipped! You’ll all get killed!” The Confederates were well entrenched in a wooded area. The corps commander, Brig. Gen. Truman Seymour, arrived on horseback. “The day is lost,” he said to the 54th Massachusetts’ white commanding officer, Colonel Ned Hallowell. “You must go in and save the corps.” Hallowell led his regiment to the left while other Union units went to the right. They charged forward."