1. African Americans and the War
Chapter 11- The Civil War
African Americans and the War

2. The Push towards Emancipation
Lincoln feels pressure to address slavery issue
Slavery unpopular in Europe
Main reason why GB won’t support Confederacy

3. Enslaved African Americans seek refuge
Union army encounters runaway slaves
Gen Butler puts them to work in manual labor camps
Declared as contraband

4. Lincoln’s Plan Begins initial work on emancipation plan in secret
For African Americans in the South
Wait for a Union victory to announce it

5. Antietam Sept. 1862- Lee leads troops to MD
Victory in the North might gain European support
Gain supplies for hungry army

6. Antietam Sharpsburg, MD
McClellan’s troops spread out near Antietam Creek
Sept. 17- Union attacks Confederates in 3 phases

7. Antietam 23,000 soldiers (both sides) dead or wounded
Single bloodiest day of the Civil War
Union lost more, but Lincoln moves forward with emancipation

9. Casualties at Antietam
Union
Confederate
Phase of Battle
Troops Involved
Casualties
Morning
22,400
6,550
20,800
6,050
Midday
9,700
2,900
6,500
2,600
Afternoon
13,820
2,350
6,000
1,120

10. Emancipation At Last Sept. 22, 1862- Emancipation Proclamation
Freed all enslaved people in South after Jan. 1, 1863
Does not apply to Union controlled and border states

11. Reaction to Proclamation
Some Northerners were excited
Other felt it did not go far enough
Rep.-Used in areas that US did not control
Dem.- too drastic a step to take

12. Reaction to Proclamation
Did not free a single slave
The war is now about slavery
Any desire to end the war dies for white southerners

13. African Americans Join the Fight
Eager to join the Army
Need for soldiers even before E.P.
Lincoln repeals ban on AA soldiers
Militia Act- black soldiers allowed in military

14. African Americans Join the Fight
AA’s now actively recruited to join Army
54 Mass. Regiment- all black soldiers, white commanding officers
Confederacy considered drafting blacks, did not go through with it

16. African Americans Join the Fight
Usually assigned non-combat tasks
Cooking, cleaning, digging latrines
3 year battle to win equal pay
Would be killed if captured

17. Enslaved People Help the Union
Slaves left in charge of plantations would produce food for Union Army
Served as spies of scouts
Demanded wages for work in some places
Fled to the North/West Union camps

18. Homework Read Section 3- “Life During the War” on pages 373-378
Answer questions 1,4,5, and 6 on page 378

19. Exit Slip
Do you think that Lincoln’s decision to free the slaves and use them in the war was just another way to exploit them? Why or why not?