James Henry Gooding: Slave, Scholar, Soldier in the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry

James Henry Gooding was born a slave in N.C. in 1838. He was taken by his white father to NYC and left in the Colored Orphan Asylum. In his late teens, he became a seaman on whaling ships before enlisting in the 54th Massachusetts. While fighting with the 54th he wrote weekly letters to the New Bedford newspaper as a correspondent. Wounded at Olustee Florida, he was captured and sent to Andersonville prison. He died in Andersonville in July 1864.