Civil War: Role of African Americans By Kathleen McKenna

Freemen during the Civil War At the beginning of the War, white soldiers and generals believed that African Americans would not make good soldiers as a result of their cowardice, hence black soldiers were not used. African Americans needed to proved their capability to fight to the generals. Soon after allowed to fight, African Americans did show their fighting ability in numerous battles. "I never saw such fighting as was done by the Negro regiment....The question that negroes will fight is settled; besides they make better solders in every respect than any troops I have ever had under my command." - quote of General Blunt after his African American troops forced the Confederate troops to retreat

African Americans in the Union: Almost 200,000 African Americans serve in the Union Army and Navy Segregated into all-black units, such as the Massachusetts 54th Regiment Treated Badly by the white generals and other soldiers. Proved to be vital members of the Army, fighting in every major battle they could. President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation opened the door for blacks to become enlisted in the Union Army. Although they had wanted to participate in the war effort at earlier dates, they were prohibited by a federal law that dated back to 1792. Lincoln also feared that if their recruitment was authorized, the border states would secede from the Union.

TREATMENT OF AFRICAN AMERICANS: ~ Although African Americans proved their loyalty to the Union Army and proved their abilities in battle discrimination occurred still in pay and other areas. According to the Militia Act of 1862, soldiers of African descent were to receive $10.00 a month, plus a clothing deduction of $3.50. White soldiers in both the Union army and navy received $13.00 a month with no deduction for clothing. ~African American divisions struggled with the discriminations including equal pay until June 15, 1864, when equal pay for all black soldiers was granted by Congress. Many African Americans refused money until this issuing of equality.

Loss of African America Lives ~ African American soldiers comprised about 10% of the entire Union Army. Losses among African Americans were high, and from all reported casualties, approximately one-third of all African Americans enrolled in the military lost their lives during the Civil War. ~ One division of the African American army became known as the “army of freemen,” in which 37,000 African Americans died.

CONFEDERATE USE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS: ~General Patrick Cleburne and several other Confederate officers in the Army of the Tennessee in January, 1864 proposed using slaves as soldiers, since their services were being used in the Union Army. Cleburne suggested offering the slaves freedom if they survived the war. The president of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis refuses the proposal and forbad any further discussion ~This idea never died out and by the 1864 fall, as the south lost more ground, some believed that defeat could only be stopped by employing slaves in the confederate army. The confederate Congress passed the General Order 14 on March 13th, and President Davis signed the order to a law. The Order was formally issued on March 23rd, 1865 but to no surprised few African American companies were raided plus the end of the war came before the slaves could be made useful.

African Americans in the Confederacy It has been estimated that over 65, 000 Southern blacks, both slaves and freedmen, were enlisted in the Confederate Army  At least one Black Confederate was a non-commissioned officer. James Washington, Co. D 34th Texas Cavalry, “Terrell’s Texas Cavalry” became it’s 3rd Sergeant. In comparison, The highest ranking Black Union soldier during the war was a Sergeant Major.

Confederacy Treatment of African Americans Because the Confederate Army needed to make service in the army seem beneficial and worth it to the slaves and free African Americans their treatment was often much better than of their northern counterparts. Free black earned the same pay as white confederate privates. This was not the case in the Union army where blacks did not receive equal pay. At the Confederate Buffalo Forge in Rockbridge County, Virginia, skilled black workers "earned on average three times the wages of white Confederate soldiers and more than most Confederate army officers an amount of about $350-600 a year.

Slavery During the War: Slavery was on the edge during the Civil War. Many slaves escaped to the North to fight for the Union forces in what was known as “contraband camps.” Many slaves remained on the plantation for unknown reasons, and assisted their masters on the plantations and behind the confederate forces.

End of Slavery! The confiscation act was established in 1861 and made it legal to claim enemy property at times of war and many contraband, former slaves escaped to Union Camps The 2nd confiscation Act of July 1862 frees these slaves and allows the Union to use these former slaves in any capacity in the army

End of Slavery: 13th Amendment & Emancipation Proclamation Issued in 1865 the 13th Amendment freed 4 million people from slavery, and 500,000 from the border states. The freed slaves gained entire protection of the Constitution and were regarded as full citizens Although protection was guaranteed, African-Americans suffered economic hardship and political oppression for generations Emancipation Proclamation (1/1/1863) Lincoln had said that if states were still rebelling by new year’s 1863, he’d free the slaves in Southern States U.S. government recognizes those slaves as free Still slavery in the border states, only in areas outside of Lincoln’s control Commits U.S. to a policy of abolition in the South As Union army progresses, more slaves freed

PERSIA Questions Socially how were the African Americans treated within both the Confederate and Union Forces. After what document were the African Americans allowed to join the Union Army and what did they still need to prove to the generals and white soldiers. What were two major battles in which the African Americans demonstrated their courage and soldier abilities After the Civil War ended, did the African Americans still face economic and political hardships? Were they granted full citizenship What was the significance of the 2nd confiscation act?

PERSIA Answers In the Union forces the African Americans were discriminated against, not granted equal pay, which was usually about six dollars less than the white soldiers. Though of as cowards and not strong enough to fight. In the Confederate army, because their loyalty was harder achieved, skilled black workers were often paid double the salary of white generals and were treated more equally than their counterparts in the north. The Emancipation Proclamation, given by Lincoln was the speech that allowed for the enlistment and use of African Americans in the Union Army. Even while they were given legal authority, many white generals and soldiers still thought that the African Americans could not defend the women and children, so they needed to prove their soldier and fighting capabilities. One heroic battle for the African Americans was the attack on Fort Wagner, South Carolina, on July 18th, 1863. A second heroic battle for the African Americans regiments was the battle of New Market Heights.

Persia Answers! After the Civil war the economic and political hardships of the African Americans did not just stop. These groups of people were still discriminated against, denied jobs and land and faced much turmoil in the following generations. Yes the African Americans were granted full citizenship and protection of the Constitution, and while granted these, they often faced other political and economic obstacles. The 2nd Confiscation Act, established in July of 1862, freed all the slaves who had previously run away to the northern union forces. Also the Act allowed the union army to use the slaves in any spot in the army they wanted to.

Works Cited African Americans/Slavery. http://www.civilwar.com/content/view/2038/47/ Freedmen and Southern Society Project http://www.history.umd.edu/Freedmen/ Freedmen, The Freed Slaves of the Civil War http://www.civilwarhome.com/freedmen.htm Confiscation Act of 1862 http://www.civilwarhome.com/confiscationact1862.htm