INSCRIPTION WRITTEN IN 1877 FOR THE

MONUMENT ON BOSTON COMMON

TO THE MEN OF BOSTON
WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY
ON LAND AND SEA IN THE WAR
WHICH KEPT THE UNION WHOLE

DESTROYED SLAVERY

AND MAINTAINED THE CONSTITUTION

THE GRATEFUL CITY

HAS BUILT THIS MONUMENT

THAT THEIR EXAMPLE MAY SPEAK

TO COMING GENERATIONS

ON THE ROBERT GOULD SHAW MONUMENT,

ON BOSTON COMMON

TO THE FIFTY-FOURTH REGIMENT OF

MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY

THE WHITE OFFICERS

TAKING LIFE AND HONOR IN THEIR HANDS

CAST IN THEIR LOT WITH MEN OF A DESPISED RACE UNPROVED IN WAR AND RISKED DEATH AS INCITERS OF SERVILE INSURRECTION IF TAKEN PRISONERS

BESIDES ENCOUNTERING ALL THE COMMON PERILS

OF CAMP, MARCH, AND BATTLE

THE BLACK RANK AND FILE

VOLUNTEERED WHEN DISASTER CLOUDED THE UNION CAUSE

SERVED WITHOUT PAY FOR EIGHTEEN MONTHS TILL GIVEN THAT OF WHITE TROOPS FACED THREATENED ENSLAVEMENT IF CAPTURED

WERE BRAVE IN ACTION, PATIENT UNDER HEAVY AND DANGEROUS LABORS AND CHEERFUL AMID HARDSHIPS AND PRIVATIONS

TOGETHER

THEY GAVE TO THE NATION AND THE WORLD UNDYING PROOF

THAT AMERICANS OF AFRICAN DESCENT POSSESS

THE PRIDE, COURAGE, AND DEVOTION OF THE PATRIOT SOLDIER

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND SUCH AMERICANS

Enlisted under the flag in 1863-65