:51 AM Tue Jan 8 ■II -:- 52% I mrlinfo.org James Matthew Townsend (1841-1913) James M. Townsend was born August 18, 1841 in Gallipolis, Ohio, the son of William and Mary Ann Townsend. He attended the public schools in Oxford, Ohio, and at an early age began preaching in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1863, anxious to help emancipate his race, he enlisted in the 54th Massachusetts Volunteers -- the first black regiment to enter military service. Townsend remained on active duty until the end of the Civil War. Upon returning home he attended Oberlin Academy, a preparatory high school operated by Oberlin College, for two years. Then he moved to Evansville, Indiana, where he was a school principal and continued his religious studies. In 1871 he was ordained a deacon. During the next fifteen years he held pastorates in several Indiana cities, among them Terre Haute, Indianapolis, and Richmond. In 1876 Townsend was elected assistant secretary of the A.M.E. Church's national conference; two years later he was named missionary secretary of the church. In that capacity he traveled abroad several times. He was chosen in 1881 as a delegate to an ecumenical conference in London, England. He moved to Richmond, and in 1885 was elected a state legislator on the Republican ticket, only the second African-American to be elected. Townsend was a vigorous advocate of civil rights for blacks while in the General Assembly. He introduced a bill to abolish all distinctions of race in state laws -- including marriage and the militia. It failed, but Townsend's pleas for equal justice did produce a bill banning descrimination in public places. In 1889 President Benjamin Harrison, recognizing Townsend's efforts for the Republican party, named him recorder of the General Land Office in Washington, D.C. Townsend resigned the office in 1891 and returned to Richmond, where he served as pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church for two years. He died in Richmond on June 17, 1913. 1;55 AM Tue Jan 8 .... 51% CD 0. i james m townsend 54th massachusetts regiment + Civil War Veterans' Items I eBay james m townsend 54th massachusetts regimen ... • Pinterest c!J □ • 1vt_James Matthew Townsend_ Co. I - !14th M;:i ;:ir.hu P.tt VoluntP.P.r ___ •:3a AM Tue Jan 8 ... -:- 55% i [D civilwardata.com + Civil War Veterans' Items I eBay American Civil War Research Database -- - r-- . - - - - - --- --- -- --- ------- - - - -- Regiment Assignments Union & 54th MA Infantry Confederate ( 3-years) Organized: Camp Meigs, Rcadville, MA on 5/13/63 Mustered Out: 8/20/65 at Mount Pleasant, SC Home Officers Killed or Mo1taUy Wounded: 5 Officers Died of Disease, Accidents, etc.: 1 Regiment Ca9ualty Enlisted Men Killed or Mortally Wounded: l 04 An..ilysas Enlisted Men Died of Disease, Accidents, etc.: 160 (Source: Fox, Regimental Losses) Regmantal From To Brig1.1de Division Corps Army Comment Experiance Jun '63 Jul '63 US Forces, St Helena Is. Deprutment of the South Regrnant Personnel Jul '63 Jul '63 3 J 10 Deparhncnt of the South Jul '63 Aug '63 R.SJ1IT8lt 3 US Forces, Morris Jsland 10 Department of the South Phot-os Aug '63 Nov '63 4 US Forces, Morris Island 10 Department of the South Reglfllent Hralory Nov '63 Jan '64 3 US Forces, Morris Island 10 Department of the South Regment Jan '64 Feb'64 Montgomery's US Forces, Hilton Head 10 Department of the South Report LISI Feb'64 Feb '64 Montgomery's Dist of Florida Department of the South Fcb'64 Apr'64 3 1 Dist of Florida Department of the South Apr '64 Oct '64 Morris Island No1tbcrn Dist Department of the South Oct '64 Nov '64 1st Separate Dcparhnent of the South Nov '64 Dec '64 2 Coast Department of the South Fcb'65 Jun '65 1st Separate Department of the South Reaiment Casualtv Analvsis I Reaimental Exoerience 38 AM Tue Jan 8 ... -;, 56%q > m civilwardata.com + Civil War Veterans' Items I eBay American Civil War Research Database r - - -- r - - - ---.,------- -- - - - - ----- - --. Soldier History James M. Townsend Home Residence Oxford OH; a 20 year-old Farmer. Enlisted on 4/29/1863 as a Private. Personnel Directory On 5/13/1863 he mustered into "I" Co. MA 54th Infantry_ He was Mustered Out on 8/20/1865 at Mount Pleasant, SC Gener:tls Directory Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.: Soldier Report List - Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the Civil War (c) Historical Data Systems, Inc. @ www.civilwardata.com Home Page I Demo I E-mail HOS Historical Data Systems, Inc. PO Box 35 Duxbury, MA 02331 •:50 AM Tue Jan 8 ,ti ,;- 52% I < QJ ilili nga.gov + Civil War V teran ' It The 54th Massachusetts Regiment: T to Z Rank in: private Rank out: private Company: H Fate at Ft. Wagner: survived Mustered-out date: 16 Jun 1865 (disability) Townsend, James M. Age at enlistment: 20 Enlistment date: 29 Apr 1863 Residence at enlistment: Oxford, OH Profession at enlistment: teamster (alt.: farmer) Rank in: private Rank out: private Company: I Fate at Ft. Wagner: survived Mustered-out date: 20 Aug 1865 Townsend, Ralsey R. Age at enlistment: 35 Enlistment date: 3 Mar 1863 Residence at enlistment: Springfield, MA Profession at enlistment: teamster(?) Rank in: private Rank out: private Company: A Fate at Ft. Wagner: missing 18 Jul 1863 after Ft. Wagner Mustered-out date: unknown ■ NATIONAL ARCHIVES MICR.OFllM PUBUCATIONS Microfilm Publication Ml898 ''" ,, COMPILED MIUTARY SERVICE RECORDS OF VOLUNTEER UNION SOLDIERS WHO SERVED WITH THE UNITED STATES COLOR,ED TROOPS: 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regunent (Colored) Roll 12 Moore, William - Pernell, George NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION . ' ' ,. - ' • ..r. --- -.. -. - • -;,; OA.RI) 1 v -': / C • __i_ t" ,, _'{_;_ • __ _ ,{,(,,'t; l Y j :. __ • ' ' { : -i . '-- -·-- !_ C, l ( ----. ■ (,, 4 L · D .L_i - f _.!__f t. 7 (,• -·, i.;1 i.;1 n ,.(4 b ,. " '!- :17 .5,/t,_,.;, •· • ,.,.. II '1.. .JI .. 4' ., .. ., .. 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