African-American soldiers during the Civil War Black Men in Blue African-American soldiers during the Civil War

Blacks had fought as soldiers in every U. S Blacks had fought as soldiers in every U.S. war prior to the Civil War, from the Revolutionary War to the War of 1812. However, the black regiments were then dismantled and not kept as part of the regular peace-time army. In 1792 a federal law banned black men from serving in state militias. Until 1863 blacks were not part of the U.S. Army. The Navy however had been accepting free blacks in Northern port cities and contraband slaves from the South during the entirety of the war. A total of around 10,000 black soldiers played a vital part in the war at sea.

The success of black sailors and the lack of Northern white volunteers led many in the Union to begin to support the idea of blacks as soldiers. Some abolitionists believed that with the creation of a black fighting force, the American people would have no other option than to give blacks citizenship. As the black abolitionist Frederick Douglass had put it: “Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letters, U.S.; let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pocket, and there is not power on earth which can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship.”

However, discriminatory practices were prevalent: Only whites were allowed to be officers in black regiments. No blacks were ever given a rank higher than captain during the Civil War. Many racist white soldiers, seeing an opportunity to become an officer, signed up to become officers in charge of black regiments. Until 1864 blacks were paid less than whites (black privates were paid $10 / month while white privates were paid $13 / month + a $3.50 clothing allowance. Many black regiments were used as labor battalions (digging trenches, loading and unloading supplies, fatigue duty, etc.). Even Lincoln originally planned to use black regiments for rear-guard work to free up white regiments to go to the front lines. Even when given combat duty, most black regiments were outfitted poorly when compared to white regiments.

Some of Lincoln’s hesitation to allow black regiments on the front lines was due to the Confederate threat that captured officers and men of black regiments would be executed or sent into slavery further south. On July 30th, 1863 Lincoln issued an executive order stating that for every Union prisoner executed a Revel captive would also be executed and for every black soldier sent into slavery, a Rebel soldier would be placed at hard labor. The Fort Pillow Massacre in April of 1864 is an example of the brutality and anger of the Confederate forces when coming face-to-face with black soldiers. It is estimated that over 400 black soldiers and a handful of white officers were killed after surrendering. Confederate cavalry general Nathan Bedford Forrest was the commander in charge of the Rebel forces.

The actions of black regiments quickly dispelled any belief that blacks would be inferior to white soldiers. The Massachusetts 54th Infantry Regiment was quite possibly the most famous of the black regiments because of the bravery of its men. During the Assault of Fort Wagner, a key Confederate fort covering the entrance to Charleston Harbor in South Carolina, nearly 50% of the Mass. 54th was killed. Due to his bravery during the assault, a sergeant by the name of William Carney was given the Congressional Medal of Honor. He was the first black man to be awarded this honor. Assault of Fort Wagner video.