Charles H. Johnson

Charles was born in 1843 to James and Jane S. Johnson in Winsted, CT. He had at least one sibling, a younger brother named James Jr. James the younger died around age 10 in 1854. Jane's parents were named Prince and Rebecca Morris. James' parents were Robert and Phila Johnson. Both were born in Warren, MA, and were likely members of the free black community. They were married in 1842. James Sr. died in 1852 when Charles was around 11, and he lived with family members after his mother found work in Milford, MA.

In 1860 Charles was working as a shoemaker and barber. He married Elizabeth "Lizzie" Williams from either Philadelphia, PA or New Bern, NC (most likely North Carolina by way of Philadelphia) on May 11, 1863. The Rev. James A. Jones of Springfield, MA officiated. They were only married a short time and had no children.

Beginning in early 1863 he opened a recruiting office in Springfield, MA for "Gov. Sprague's colored regiment," which would become the 54th Massachusetts. The "office" was a tent in Court Square at the corner of Main Street and Commercial Row, and was successful in recruiting dozens of local men for the regiment. Initially they were to be paid the Rhode Island bounty, but eventually Massachusetts chose to give a $100 bounty (at the expiration of the service) and $13 per month. The state also gave aid to the families of soldiers.

Charles himself chose to enlist, and was given the rank of Corporal for his recruiting efforts. He served in Co. F. His enlistment papers describe him as being 6 feet 2 inches tall with black hair, black eyes, and a brown complexion.

During the assault on Fort Wagner on July 18, 1863 Corporal Johnson was wounded in the leg. He survived his initial injury, but died of periostitis at Beaufort Hospital two months later on September 18.

Corporal Johnson's name is engraved on the family gravestone in Hopedale Village Cemetery in Hopedale, MA. His mother Jane had been living there since at least 1860 to work as a domestic servant for George Draper and his family. She died of paralyasis in Warren, MA in 1874, likely at the home of a family member. I'm not certain that any of the Johnsons are buried in Hopedale, so this may be a family cenotaph.