PRIVATE ISAAC SAWYER

Very little in know about Isaac Sawyer’s early life. It is believed that he was born into slavery in Virginia in 1844 and eventually escaped to Brattleboro, Vermont. Before joining the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry, he worked in a stable grooming horses.

Isaac enlisted in Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry on April 3, 1863 as a Private in Company E under Capt. Louis Emilio and was sent to Camp Meigs at Readville, outside of Boston. In just 45 days he was on a ship headed for Hilton Head, where the Union had established a base of operations. Once in Hilton Head, Sawyer was sent to fight on Morris Island where he would live for the next 20 months.

He and others labored to build siege works against Fort Sumter, Wagner and the city of Charleston. The conditions on the barren island were extremely harsh and death was a frequent visitor to their camps. Isaac was on detached duty on Folly Island when his unit was engaged at the battle of Honey Hill in December of 1864. With the Confederates withdrawing from South Carolina before Sherman’s legions, the 54th marched up the coast from Gardens Corner to Charleston. They arrived at the Ashley River on February 23 were ferried to the City on the February 27th. As the 54th marched up King and Meeting streets to their camp among the graves at Magnolia Cemetery, Capt Emilio said they could not help but to exalt at having obtained the City that they had fought for for so many months.

Isaac rejoined his company in March and took part in Potters Raid into the interior of the state. The 54th’s last engagement of the war was at Boykins Mill near Camden on April 18, 1865. They returned to Charleston and on the 8th of June the regiment took up quarters in the Old Citadel on Marion Square.

After the war, we are not certain that Isaac returned to Boston with his unit. What we do know is that in 1867, Isaac applied to the Freedmen’s Bureau for his enlistment bounty from Charleston. Since the men who returned to Boston had been paid their bounties, this is evidence that he remained behind as did a number of men. Census Records, Pension Data and City Directories give more information about Isaac’s family and where he lived in the City.

Isaac first appears in the City directories as having a residence at 53 Calhoun Street. From his marriage license we know that on December 16, 1869 he married miss Rachael Morant in the Centenary Methodist Church on Wentworth Street. Although he moved a number of times as his family grew, he remained close to the midtown area and his church. A trim man of average height he liked to be called Ike. He became a barber and had shops on Meeting Street near the market and on King Street near Hassel. He and Rachael had ten children, six boys and four girls.

During the 1880’s a number of tragedies befell the Sawyer family. In 1883, 11 year old Isaac junior died of a seizure and was buried at the Centenary Cemetery. Then the devastating earthquake of 1886 destroyed everything they had, even the family bible. One of their daughters was killed in the earthquake. To compound problems, Isaac was beginning to have severe health problems. The doctors who examined him felt that his exposure to the harsh conditions on Morris Island during the war contributed to debilitating arthritis of the spine and a constant roaring in his ears. No longer able to barber, He applied for and was granted a disability pension. Soon after at age 49 and ironically 30 years and a day from the 54th’s Gallant Rush into history, Isaac died in his home on Line Street leaving a pregnant wife and 4 young children with no means of support. He was buried the next day without recognition at Monrovia Union Cemetery.

Isaac’s oldest son Richard stepped in and helped support the family. Isaac’s descendants continued to live and work in Charleston until about 1930 when we lose track of them. With such a large family, we are certain that Isaac has living descendants today and we sincerely hope that they are proud of Isaac’s service.