Black Soldiers in the Civil War
Black Soldiers in the Civil WarDuring the Seventeenth, Eighteenth and part of the
Nineteenth Century the White people of North America used the
Black people of Africa as slaves to benefit their interests. White
people created a climate of superiority of their race over the Black
African race that in some places, still lingers on today. The
American Civil War however, was a key turning point for the
Black African race. Through their actions and the political actions
of President Lincoln and his administration, Black Africans set a
presedent for their freedom, equality and liberation.
A very important aspect of Blacks proving themselves was
that of the Black Man acting as a soldier in the Civil War. During
the Civil War the official decision to use Blacks as soldiers in the
Union Army was a slow gradual process and a series of strategic
political decisions. The actual use of Blacks as soldiers in the
Union Army was completed by a series of actions the Black Man
performed that won him the respect of becoming a soldier. The
two differ in that it was to President Lincoln's benefit to enlist
Blacks as soldiers when he did. Whereas the later was the Black
Man's will to fight for his freedom and prove himself as an equal
human being. However, because the Black population was barred
from entering the army under a 1792 law(4) the Black Man
becoming a soldier was not officially recognized until late 1862.
"There was strong anti-Black prejudice among most people
in the free states, and in the loyal slave states the idea of arming
the Black man was anthema"(1). This statement directly reflects the
generally held fear White people had about putting Blacks on the
fighting line of the armies in the Civil War. Whites felt that the
Civil War was a war started upon the White Man's issues and what
possible reason would the Black Man have for wanting to fight in
this war. On the contrary The Black Man saw The Civil War as an
opportunity to win freedom and gain respect(2). Blacks in the
North who were free from slavery willingly pledged their service
to fight in the Union Army however, their allegiance was denied
by President Lincoln on political grounds. Lincoln realized that
the issue of Black soldiers would be intolerable by the public and
would not be accepted. Initially, the Union Army utilized
Northern Blacks from the free states to relieve Whites from daily
tasks that were essential to maintain the armies, thus freeing up
White soldiers for battle. As the Union Armies began to move
further into Confederate territory however, they encountered many
runaway slave Blacks. These Blacks were the ones that contributed
most to the Union effort. This was true for two reasons.
First, there were many more Blacks in the South compared to the
North, roughly four million compared to two hundred thousand.
Secondly, the Black people in the South had more at stake, once
they left the Confederate...
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