Final answer:
The first African-American army unit inducted into the US Army in the fall of 1862 was the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Led by a White abolitionist officer, Robert Gould Shaw, they played a prominent role in the Battle at Fort Wagner in July 1863.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first African-American army unit inducted into the US Army in the fall of 1862 was the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Led by a White abolitionist officer, Robert Gould Shaw, the 54th Massachusetts became one of the most recognized regiments in the entire Civil War. They played a prominent role in the Battle at Fort Wagner in July 1863, storming Confederate defensive works at the center of the fray.