Charleston marker to honor Union soldiers from 55th Massachusetts

CHARLESTON -- They emerged in 1987 for the first time in 124 years as bare bones in an archaeological dig.

The faces of two 55th Massachusetts Regiment Union troops whose remains were recovered at a Civil War grave site on Folly Island can now be seen.

Two life-size busts depicting the reconstructed heads of the soldiers - wearing their Union Army caps - will be on display Friday when an historic marker is dedicated at Folly River Park.

The Massachusetts 55th was the second all-African-American unit. They camped at Folly in 1863 during the Siege of Charleston. The better-known first African-American unit, the Massachusetts 54th, made an assault on Confederates at Morris Island's Battery Wagoner and was immortalized in the feature film "Glory."

Civil War re-enactors will be on hand for the marker dedication, to begin at 6 p.m. and to include a brigade gun salute, cannon fire and a performance by the Charleston Police Pipes and Drums corps. Robert E. Bohrn, a former Charlestonian who contacted authorities after discovering the remains while relic collecting, will make a presentation.

Also there will be retired anthropologist Ted Rathbun, who helped excavate the site and study the bones, and retired State Law Enforcement Division forensic artist Roy Paschal.

Paschal works with Rathbun, who reportedly suggested the facial reconstructions be attempted. Bohrn funded the making of the polymer busts and also the making of the historic marker, and will keep the busts as a personal memento after they are shown Friday.

Paschal said the busts are products of scientific methods for determining missing facial features and are based on careful measurements of skull features and known dimensions of muscle and other tissues. The two likeness are unique enough, Paschal said, that if anyone was alive who knew these soldiers they'd recognize the busts.

"With a high degree of surety, I believe these busts bear the likenesses of these two gentlemen," Paschal said.

Studies authored by Rathbun state the remains found in 1987 were troops from African-American units. "The cemetery contained the remains of at least 19 black soldiers, most likely from the 55th Massachusetts, 1st North Carolina Colored Infantry and the Second U.S, Colored Infantry," Rathbun's report states.

Bones ranged from fragments to full-length, well-preserved skeletons. The absence of any evidence of body wounds indicate the troops had died from diseases that were prevalent at the time in military encampments, the report said.

The bones were reburied in 1989 with full military honors at the National Cemetery in Beaufort.