"Storming Fort Wagner" (Chicago, 1890)
This print depicts the Fifty-Fourth during its failed, and hopeless, siege of Fort Wagner. It was felt that the capture of Fort Wagner was a key piece on the campaign to get to Charleston. Not many pictures or art exist about the event so it is safe to say that this is the "best extant depiction of that event in nineteen-century art" (Holzer, 252)
The Chicago firm of [Louis] Kurz & [Alexander] Allison was formed in 1885 to produce commemorative prints of scenes from American history. There is not a lot of information available about this print, but the New York Times felt that it was important enough that it "made Fort Wagner such a name to the colored race as Bunker Hill had been for ninety years to the White Yankees" (Holzer, 253). As will become a trend throughout the tour, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw is figured prominently as is the American flag.
[Analysis]
Other Links:
The Hero of Fort Wagner – Pheobe Cary.