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

[286] at the southwest corner of King and George streets, the headquarters of the commandant at the northwest corner of Meeting and George streets, and General Hatch, the district commander, was at No. 13 King Street. Applicants thronged the provost-marshal's office to take the oath of allegiance, and the recruiting of colored troops was going on rapidly.

Regimental orders, on the 8th, directed the line to be formed as below, with Company F on the right,— E G D A H B I K C F The brigade having been ordered to Savannah, on the 12th, Lieutenant-Colonel Hooper marched the right wing to the city and embarked on the steamer W. W. Coit, which in the afternoon ran down the harbor past the now silent batteries on either side, and arrived at Hilton Head about midnight. Proceeding in the morning, the steamer entered the Savannah River and tied up at the city front at noon. Disembarking, the wing moved out Bull Street and to the edge of the place, where on high ground it took possession of a fine camp of board shelters constructed by Sherman's men, near the One Hundred and Second United States Colored Troops, camped on our right. Major Pope, with the left wing, left Charleston March 13 on the steamer Chas. Houghton, arriving at Hilton Head about midnight. There the men disembarked on the pier, while the vessel went elsewhere to coal. At 3 P. M., on the 14th, this wing proceeded by way of Shell Creek and the inside channel, arriving at Savannah four hours later.

Upon the 14th also the Thirty-third United States Colored Troops arrived, and with the Fifty-fourth and One Hundred