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Paper Abstract: Participation in Army a key element in Union victory. Paper Introduction: The period before the outbreak of the Civil War was one of the most tense in American history. There was an intense struggle between the leaders of the North and South over who would control the destiny of the country. The southerners wished to extend slavery into the new territories and states while the Northerners wanted those same areas to be free of slaves. They wanted the new states to be part of the growing northern industrial empire. The growth of industry was not as well suited to slavery as the largely agricultural economy which the southerners wanted to expand. In addition to this economic cause of tension, there was a widespread humanitarian movement in the North which called for the abolition of slavery (as well as the guarantee of women's rights) on moral grounds. One particular event which gives a clear indication of the Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. . . The Emancipation Proclamation. Thingsbecame so desperate for the South that in 1865 the Confederate Senateauthorized the recruitment of 3 , blacks with the understanding thatthey would be given their freedom at war's end. New York: Collier Books, 1964.Wesley, Charles H., and Romero, Patricia W. She took it upon herself to go behindconfederate lines to organize slave revolts. To make sure thatthey wouldn't be confused with white troops, black soldiers were labelled"United States Colored Troops." Almost all the officers of black unitswere white, with a few black non-commissioned officers. She insists on having all her soldiers of whatever creed or color, to be treated according to the usages of war.* Now if the United States exacts uniformity of treatment of her soldiers from the insurgents, would it not be well and consistent to set the example by paying all her soldiers alike?[9]Protests were successful and by 1864 the army paid all soldiers at the samerate. The Confederacy, again understandably, had aserious problem with black desertion. White workers, who in the first place were fearful of thecompetition of blacks for almost non-existent jobs, were not increasinglyangry at being drafted to fight a war (especially when the rich could buytheir way out of having to serve) which would free more blacks to comenorth to compete for jobs. This is our native country. Romero, Negro Americans in theCivil War (New York: Publisher's Co., Inc., 1969), 143.----------------------- 1 We are fully armed and equipped, have done all the various duties pertaining to a soldier's life, have conducted ourselves to the complete satisfaction of General Officers, who were, if anything, prejudiced against us; but who now accord us all the encouragement and honors due us . New York: Publishers Co., Inc., 1969.----------------------- [1]John Hope Franklin, From Slavery to Freedom: A History of NegroAmericans (New York: Random House, 1969), 268-69. Butler mustered an entire regiment of free blacks in Louisianaand General Saxton created the Hunter's South Carolina Regiment. The growth of industry was not as well suited toslavery as the largely agricultural economy which the southerners wanted toexpand. The period before the outbreak of the Civil War was one of the mosttense in American history. The Negro in the Making of America. You caution the rebel chieftain, that the United States knows no distinctions in her soldiers. Black soldiers, aswell as their white officers, loudly protested this gross inequity. Black soldiers were organized into regiments of lightand heavy artillery, cavalry, infantry, and engineers. Theattempt to get blacks through voluntary contracts was understandably notvery successful so a program of forced impressment of both slaves and freeblack men was begun in 1862. At this time some officers of the Union army were holding to thepolicy of returning escaped slaves to their masters. As FrederickDouglass, a former Maryland slave and spokesman for the free blacks in theNorth, stated: Let the slaves and free colored people be called into service and formed into a LIBERATING ARMY, to march into the south and raise the banner of emancipation among the slaves . In the fall of 1862, Lincoln allowed the enlistment of blacks.General B. Second. There were many black womenwho served the union in utterly courageous fashion both as scouts andspies, and as support workers. They wanted the new states to be part of the growing northernindustrial empire. A Documentary History of the Negro People in the United States. Many slaves refused to submit towork or punishment and escaped behind the northern lines whenever the Unionarmy was near. [11]Benjamin Quarles, The Negro in the Civil War (Boston: Little,Brown, 1953), 229. The most famous of these women is HarrietTubman, who founded and ran the underground railway and whom John Brownreferred to as "The General." During the war she served as both a nurseand a valuable scout and spy. In addition, slaves gave information to the Union troopsand helped them take over and destroy their master's holdings. New York: W. Now your Excellency, we have done a soldier's duties, why can't we have a soldier's pay? [4]William Wells Brown, The Negro American: His Heroism and HisFidelity (New York: The Citadel Press, 1971), 55. No onefelt secure because there were rumors of other insurrections to come . Norton, 1966), 4. Despite the refusal of the Union armies, black people bided theirtime and did what they could to assist the Union forces. [7]Herbert Aptheker, ed., A Documentary History of the Negro People inthe United States (New York: The Citadel Press, 1951), 472-73. From the beginning of the war blacks servedin the navy. . W. From Slavery to Freedom. Another aspect of the Emancipation Proclamation was its effect inhelping to promote the Draft Riots which occurred throughout the north in1863. Why not declare slavery abolished . . Black people answered Lincoln's colonization plans withmany statements such as the following by black citizens at a meeting inQueens, New York in 1862: . [12]Ibid., 226. W. Whenthe Civil War began in 1861 with the capture of Fort Sumter in SouthCarolina by the rebel forces, Lincoln's primary goal was the preservationof the union, not the abolition of slavery. A "Colored Men's Meeting" was called inBoston and issued the following proclamation: Resolved that our feelings urge us to say to our countrymen that we are ready to stand by and defend the government as the equals of its white defenders; to do with our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor, for the sake of freedom and as good citizens; and we ask you to modify your laws, that we may enlist,--that full scope may be given to the particular feelings burning in the colored man's breast.[4]Unfortunately, the North was little interested in the black men's offer.Partially out of historical racism and partly out of the understanding thatthe purpose of the war was to cement the union, not free the slaves, theaverage white man was literally aghast at the idea that blacks should fightin the Union Army. [6]Franklin, 272. . It is perhaps one of the great ironies ofhistory that black people should win the war for the northernindustrialists who, after the brief period of black power duringReconstruction, became the most brutal and vicious exploiters of blackpeople (at least in an economic sense if not psycho/social as well) thatAmerica has ever seen. New York: Random House, 1967.Franklin, John Hope. In addition to this economic cause of tension, there was awidespread humanitarian movement in the North which called for theabolition of slavery (as well as the guarantee of women's rights) on moralgrounds. New York: The Citadel Press, 1971.Cornish, Dudley Taylor. Blacks in the southernarmies served as cooks, teamsters, ambulance drivers, hospital attendants,stretcher bearers, railroad workers, construction workers, naval and armyordnance workers, iron and mine laborers.[13] The South was suffering aheavy labor shortage so that every black who could fill one of the abovepositions, freed a white man to pick up a rifle or man a cannon. They also fought in Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and NorthCarolina. One particular event which gives a clear indication of the level ofconflict and tension that ran through the period is John Brown's raid atHarper's Ferry, Virginia in 1859. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman & Co., 1967.Franklin, John Hope. [1 ]Benjamin Quarles, The Negro in the Making of America (New York:McMillan, 1964), 121. Wesley and Patricia W. Even though conditions for blacks were fairlyreasonable in the navy, and even though it was comprised of more than one-fourth black men, it should be pointed out that they were still regardedwith the typical white chauvinist racism, as demonstrated by the followingmessage sent from Admiral Porter to Rear Admiral A. . The Negro's Civil War. . [5]Ibid., 54. In addition, blacks were used extensively asspies and scouts, making use of their knowledge of the south. Our answer is this: There is no country like our own. . New York: Collier Books, 1963.McPherson, James M. . In late 1862, however, it became clear that the deterioration of thenorthern military position demanded the inclusion of blacks in the Unionforces. . [8]Franklin, 279. Thiswas both because of the fear of arming the blacks and also because of theaversion of the southern white man for menial work. The President calls our attention particularly to this question--"Why should we leave this country?" We will answer this question by showing why we should remain in it. Over 38, black soldiers died in the Union army. In the dread twilight on that barren stretchof Carolina shore, the 54th had fixed forever the Negro's right to thetitle of citizen-soldier."[1 ] It should be mentioned that the Union navy was much quicker to takethe free black into its ranks. [2]James M. . Were it not forthe participation of blacks in the Union army and the additional supportgiven by blacks in the South who were sympathetic to the North, the unionmay well have been severed. In New York, theyformed a military club and drilled regularly. New York: The Citadel Press, 1969.Brown, William Wells. The Sable Arm. Lincoln, however, believing he would alienate the all-importantborder states, turned a deaf ear. They fought atMilliken's Bend in Louisiana, Olustee in Florida, Vicksburg in Mississippi,the siege of Savannah, and the Appomatox Court House battle at the war'sclose. As Benjamin Quarles writes of the 54th MassachusettsRegiment, "Although the 54th had been repulsed, its bravery under fire wonpraise throughout the North, for the storming of a formidable foe furnishedthe severest test of valor. The following is part ofa letter written to Lincoln by a black soldier, expressing his anger overthe situation: Now the main question is, are we Soldiers, or are we Laborers? To understand the full importance of this, letus quote John Franklin: "To the end of the war this hostility to the Negropersisted and out of it grew the discriminatory policies adapted by manyNorthern cities in the 2 th century."[8] Eventually, 186, blacks enlisted in the Union army (93, fromthe seceded states, 4 , from the border slave states, and 52, fromthe free states). When blacks were first allowed to enlist they were paid only sevendollars per month, compared to the $13 paid to whites. Some exceptionswere the entirely black regiments of General Butler's Corps d'Afrique,which had all black officers and a regiment from Kansas led by blackCaptain Ford Douglass. The Negro in the Civil War. New York: William & Morrow, 1971.Fishel, Leslie H., Jr., and Quarles, Benjamin. Within the Confederate army blacks were used for manual labor. . . The54th Massachusetts Regiment fought for a full year without pay rather thanaccept what they considered discriminatory wages. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1953. Brown, a long-time abolitionist, carriedout an attack on the government arsenal there with a band of 5 men; hisintention was to secure arms and ammunition with which to launch attacksagainst southern slaveholders. It can be honestly concluded that the role of blacks in the Civil Warwas perhaps the key element which determined the outcome. Rufus Saxton, the BrigadierGeneral of Volunteers said of her that she "made many a raid inside theenemy's lines, displaying remarkable courage, zeal, and fidelity."[12]Another important black woman was Susie King Taylor whose work in educatingblack soldiers was invaluable. . [3]Dudley Taylor Cornish, The Sable Arm: Negro Troops in the UnionArmy, 1861-1865 (New York: W. [9]Aptheker, 483-84.* Reference to the fact that the South refused to treat captured blacksoldiers as POWs but rather as escaped slaves. McPherson, The Negro's Civil War: How American NegroesFelt and Acted During the War for the Union (New York: Random House,1965), 3-4. Negro Americans in the Civil War. Part of the reason for this may have been theconfederate practice of murdering many black prisoners in order to set anexample for slaves and southern blacks fighting on the side of the south.Another possible explanation may be that, like today, blacks were used as"cannon fodder," being placed in the most dangerous positions in the frontlines. They do first rate though."[11] One last point about the role of blacks in the northern forces shouldbe made about the contribution of black women. . . Foote in 1863:"Don't be astonished at the list of niggers I send you . Norton, 1966.David, Jay, and Crane, Elaine. It is certainly true that theabolition of slavery was a great victory worth fighting for, but perhapsblacks were too trusting of the "benevolent" white men who led the North.Perhaps they laid down their arms too soon. The great value of the Proclamation, besidesbuilding support among blacks and abolitionists, was that it wreaked havocin the South, depriving the Confederacy of much of its valuable blacklaboring force. I could getno men (emphasis added). Black unitsfought in every important battle of the war after 1862. I will never fight by the side of a nigger," washeard in every quarter of the Union forces.[5] The opposition of whiteswas also certainly based on their fear that according to the black man theright to fight as a citizen would encourage him to compete for jobs withthe white man as well. Blacks in Philadelphiaoffered to go south to start slave revolts but that offer was alsorejected. As John Hope Franklin writes: "The effectof this raid on the south was electrifying. and favor our position.[7] By 1863 Lincoln, needing the support of blacks, was forced to issuethe "Emancipation Proclamation" which, despite the fact that it merelyfreed the slaves in the states of the Confederacy where the Union had nopower, leaving the institution of slavery untouched in the border statesstill loyal to the Union, satisfied the demands of blacks and abolitionistsat least for the moment. [13]Charles H. The Black American. Others, however, whenthey learned that blacks were being used by the Confederate army to erectdefenses, took the point of view that escaped slaves were "contraband ofwar" and should not be returned.[6] Needless to say, these policies ofLincoln angered the abolitionists who demanded the arming of blacksoldiers. Again, we believe, we have the right to have applied to ourselves those rights named in the Declaration of Independence . The southerners wished to extend slavery into the new territoriesand states while the Northerners wanted those same areas to be free ofslaves. Unfortunately, there was probably no alternativefor blacks during the Civil War period. New York: Random House, 1965.Quarles, Benjamin. . Its object withrespect to slavery is simply, nakedly, avowedly, its restriction to theexisting states."[2] However, despite the fact that Lincoln and the Republican Partyentered the war primarily to preserve the union for the sake of northernindustrial expansion, white abolitionists and blacks saw the war as anopportunity to put an end to slavery and as an important victory in thelong battle for freedom and justice for black men and women. The Black Soldier. The south having brought revolution and war upon the country and having elected and consented to play at their fearful game, she has no right to complain if some good as well as calamity shall result from her own act and deed.[3] With Douglass as their leading spokesman, northern blacks, believingthat much was to be won for their cause, expressed an immediate and strongdesire to fight in the Union Army. "This is a white man's war," said most of the publicjournals of the day. H. The black soldier's competence and heroism earned him respect fromthe white officers. There was an intense struggle between theleaders of the North and South over who would control the destiny of thecountry. . . AdjutantGeneral Lorenzo Thomas was sent to the Mississippi Valley to organize theenlistment of southern blacks. It made slaveholders thinkthat the abolitionists would stop at nothing to wipe out slavery. As Horace Greeley, animportant Republican spokesman of the time, wrote in the New York HeraldTribune, the newspaper of which he was the publisher, "Never on earth didthe Republican Party propose to abolish slavery . Although blacks were often consigned to hard labor tasks such asbuilding fortifications, rather than fighting in battle, they alsoperformed a wide variety of tasks for the Northern forces, includingforming raiding parties which were sent into Confederate territory to wreckfortifications and supplies. This is our country by birth, consequently we are better adapted to it than any other country. . Nor can we fail to feel a strong attachment to the whites with whom our blood has been commingling from the earliest days of this country. Lincoln, still equivocating on the issue ofslavery, refused to abolish it and presented a two-part plan which includedthe compensation of southern slaveholders for freeing their slaves (whichangered the abolitionists no end because of their idea that the slaveowners had no rights to ownership in the first place), and plans forcolonizing blacks outside the United States, either in Liberia, Haiti, orCentral America. This figurerepresents a 4 percent higher mortality rate for black soldiers ascompared to whites. This service was without the discriminatory pay differentialsand without the segregation into separate units for blacks only, that wascustomary in the army. The Negro in the American Rebellion. . .and the whole South was put on a semi-war footing, with troops drillingregularly as far south as Georgia."[1] When it became clear to the South that they would lose control of theFederal government with Lincoln's election, the slave states seceded andset up the Confederacy in opposition to the government in Washington. After this continued for awhile, they were stopped by the New York police. BibliographyAptheker, Herbert. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

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