← All Pennsylvania markers

54th Mass. Infantry Regiment, US Colored Troops (The)

54th Mass. Infantry Regiment, US Colored Troops (The) is a Pennsylvania historical marker in Mercersburg, Franklin County, dedicated 2009.

Franklin County · dedicated 2009 · Zion Union Cemetery, Bennett Ave., Mercersburg

Get directions ↗Start a road trip Historical trails

In 1863, the 54th Massachusetts Regiment was among the first Civil War combat units open to African Americans. Troops from Pennsylvania made up more than 20 percent of the acclaimed unit. Mercersburg was second only to Philadelphia in mustering volunteers from the Commonwealth. The valor shown by the regiment improved regard for Black soldiers and helped spur recruiting. Of 38 USCT Civil War veterans buried here, 13 served in the 54th Mass.

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Example

under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s

what this marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years here

From one family's 77-marker roster

Upload your family tree and TreeAlive finds the markers near where your own ancestors lived.

See your family's markers

Start with a tree file, a FamilySearch sign in, or a WikiTree ID.

Report a problem with this page

The marker isn't at this spotOur pin may be off. If you know where it stands, tell us.I couldn't find the markerWe record what the source recorded. We have not been to look.The sign reads differentlyThat would be an error, and we can pass it to the program.The historical map looks wrongThe period map behind the pin, not the marker itself.Something else

We may pass what you report to the state's marker program. Please don't include personal details.

Marker data: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission via data.pa.gov

54th Mass. Infantry Regiment, US Colored Troops (The)

More markers nearby