Emilio, Luis F., History of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry , 1863-1865

[10] Colored ministers of the city were informed of his plans; and Lieutenant Grace visited their churches to interest the people in his work. He arranged for William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, Frederick Douglass, and other noted men to address meetings. Cornelius Howland, C. B. H. Fessenden, and James B. Congdon materially assisted and were good friends of the movement. While recruiting, Lieutenant Grace was often insulted by such remarks as, ‘There goes the captain of the Negro Company! He thinks the negroes will fight! They will turn and run at the first sight of the enemy!’ His little son was scoffed at in school because his father was raising a negro company to fight the white men. Previous to departure, the New Bedford recruits and their friends gathered for a farewell meeting. William Berry presided; prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Grimes; and remarks were made by Lieutenant-Colonel Hallowell, Lieutenant Grace, C. B. H. Fessenden, Ezra Wilson, Rev. Mr. Kelly, Wesley Furlong, and Dr. Bayne. A collation at A. Taylor and Company's followed. Temporarily the recruits took the name of ‘Morgan Guards,’ in recognition of kindnesses from S. Griffiths Morgan. At camp the New Bedford men,—some seventy-five in number,—with others from that place and elsewhere, became Company C, the representative Massachusetts company.

Only one other commissioned officer is known to the writer as having performed effective recruiting service. This is Watson W. Bridge, who had been first sergeant, Company D, Thirty-seventh Massachusetts Infantry. His headquarters were at Springfield, and he worked in Western Massachusettts and Connecticut. When ordered to camp, about April 1, he had recruited some seventy men.