The civil war s most persistent myth civil war america. Seventeen were awarded the congressional medal of honor, the nations highest award for valor. Buy a cheap copy of black union soldiers in the civil war book by hondon b. Mary livermore wrote my story of the war covering four years as a nurse in the union army and in other relief work in homes, camps, hospitals and at the front. The forgotten black soldiers in white regiments during the. Dismantling the myth of the black confederate a new book explores the falseyet oddly ubiquitousbelief that black men fought for the south during the civil war. How american blacks felt and acted during the war for the union james m. This book refutes the historical slander that blacks did not fight for their emancipation from slavery. This book refutes the historical slander that blacks. The united states colored troops usct were regiments in the united states army composed primarily of africanamerican colored soldiers, although members of other minority groups also served with the units. On may 23, 1863 the war department issued general order 143 to establish a bureau of colored troops and set standards for black recruitment.
One notorious example was the alteration of a photo of black union soldiers. Confederate and union soldiers talk about the civil war from the worlds largest community of readers. The civil war s most persistent myth civil war america levin, kevin m. Using old regimental records from the civil war, as well as diaries and letters, the author has unearthed a wealth of new material about this longneglected topic. Historians commonly claim that 80 percent of union soldiers voted for abraham lincoln in the 1864 election, but jonathan w.
Black soldiers in blue university of north carolina press. Bronson 1838 march 16, 1884 was a union army soldier during the american civil war and a recipient of americas highest military decoration, the medal of honor. Oct 10, 2019 black codes were restrictive laws designed to limit the freedom of african americans and ensure their availability as a cheap labor force after slavery was abolished during the civil war. In this activity students will analyze a twopage poster that the government used to recruit recently freed slaves to fight for the union army during the civil war. They were first recruited during the american civil war, and by the end of that war in april 1865, the 175 usct regiments constituted. The poster refers to the emancipation proclamation and to president lincolns general order 233 to provide equal pay for black soldiers and equal protection if they were captured by. Aug 27, 20 while it is unknown how many black troops may have been executed after they surrendered, according to a congressional committee report which undoubtedly underestimates the number of captured black soldiers, 79 black union soldiers died in confederate prisons, 77 escaped, 384 were recaptured by union forces, 236 were paroled at the end of the. The 5th united states colored cavalry was a regiment of the united states army organized as one of the units of the united states colored troops during the american civil war. The forgotten black soldiers in white regiments during the civil war. National park service, the federation of genealogical societies fgs, and the genealogical society of utah gsu. This is a list of all the photographs found in the prints and photographs divisions civil war negatives and related prints and feinbergwhitman collections that depict named civil war soldiers with the rank of private, corporal, or sergeant. Black civil war soldiersthe service of black soldiers in the union army during the american civil war 18611865 represents one of the most dramatic episodes in africanamerican history. From sketches drawn by forbes, waud, taylor, hillen, becker, lovie, schell, crane and numerous other eyewitnesses to the strife and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
What union soldiers thought about the civil war the new. In 1863 and 1864, the bitterest two years of the war, the union army suffered over 200 desertions every day, for a total of 150,000 desertions during those two years. His poem, the colored soldiers can be found at the site. His father, joshua dunbar, served in the 55th massachusetts infantry regiment and the 5th massachusetts colored cavalry regiment. Reference books on the civil war national archives. At first harshly rejected in their attempts to enlist in the union army, blacks were eventually accepted into the serviceoften through the efforts of individual generals who, frustrated with bureaucratic inaction in the face of dwindling forces, overrode orders from the secretary of war. They fought not only for country but also for their comrades in chains in the south and for. Search the librarys online public access catalog to find holdings of general books on the civil war era, including military histories, bibliographies, and guides to other state and. The union soldier images of the civil war is a book showing over 170 unique photographs in the authors three decade collection.
This was about 10 percent of the total union fighting force. The civil war s most persistent myth, argues that slavery was central to the souths war effort. Some coveted commissions in the usct exclusively for the increase in pay and rank. In louisiana, efforts to organize an effective force of black soldiers continued under general banks, who was prorecruitment of black soldiers but opposed to the use of black officers. Use this activity while teaching about the evolving federal position on emancipation and black recruitment during the civil war. Currently she volunteers at monocacy national battlefield and is an active member of the society of women and the civil war. Paul wrote a poem about the colored soldiers roll in the civil war. Jan 06, 2011 in union county, new jersey, many soldiers and sailors of african ancestry answered president lincolns call for troops during the civil war and enlisted in regiments organized in union county, the united states colored troops usct, out ofstateregiments and the united states navy and marine corps.
Information and articles about union northern soldiers of the american civil war. At first africanamerican men were not permitted to join the army. They were anxious to join the fight against slavery and they believed that military service would allow them to be seen as equals and prove their right to equality. Black soldiers rapidly discovered that donning the union uniform was an uplifting experience, but the sensation was transitory. Approximately 200,000 african americans fought for the union during the civil war. It is generally known in the south as the war between the states and is also called the war of the rebellion the official union designation, the war of secession, and the war for southern independence. The conditions for prisoners of war were horrid and, at times, were nearly as bad for those wounded in battle.
Black soldiers served in artillery and infantry and performed all noncombat support functions. Search the librarys online public access catalog to find holdings of general books on the civil war. By the end of the civil war, roughly 179,000 black men 10% of the union army served as soldiers in the u. Black union soldiers in the civil war mcfarland books. Description of civil war soldiers from both union and confederate side, timeline of events and key dates, gallery of pictures, and other resources. His fellow veterans recruited him to write a complete and accurate record of the great. Compiled service records for both confederate and union soldiers labeled with each soldiers name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier. Black confederate myth debunked in new history book. The civil wars black soldiers contributions to union victory charleston, the hotbed of secession, fell into union hands in early 1865. Oct 17, 2014 several years ago, a thick sheaf of civil war letters was discovered in an old barn in upstate new york. More than anyone else, confederate soldiers blamed the war on black republicans and abolitionists. This was more than one out of every four union soldiers killed or wounded.
A list of notable books about the american civil war. Advertisement did black confederates lead to black union soldiers. She is a recently retired professor of history at stevenson university. Inspired and informed by the latest research in african american, military, and social history, the fourteen original essays in this book tell the stories of the african american soldiers who fought for the union. Jul 11, 2018 interestingly enough the union army was not the first army to deploy black soldiers on american soil. In total, 620,000 soldiers died during the civil war, or about two percent of the american population. By the end of the war, black soldiers had numbered over 187,000 and served in 167 regiments.
Sarah emma edmonds december 1841 september 5, 1898, was a canadianborn woman who is known for serving as a man with the union army during the american civil war. The author covers in detail the history of the four regular army regiments that fought in the civil war s western theater. One of the most famous abolitionist during the civil war was frederick douglass. Using these numbers, 15% of union soldiers deserted during the war. How american blacks felt and acted during the war for the union. These regiments were unique because they also had a black officer corps, which was against union policy. Ohio in the war the organization and administration of the union army, 18611865. While black soldiers fought successfully in the american revolution and the war of 1812, they were forbidden by law to enlist in the army when the civil war began in 1861.
They were eventually replaced with white leaders by attrition but all of the louisiana native guard fighting days were for union cause and like all black regiments they were credible fighters. They had no real interest in leading black soldiers in battle. His fellow veterans recruited him to write a complete and accurate record of the great struggles for liberty and union borne by african americans. How civil war black soldiers helped the union win civil war. Jul 01, 2014 claudia floyd is the author of maryland women in the civil war. The first black regiments of the war were formed in new orleans as the louisiana native guards for the confederacy. Now that the sesquicentennial of the civil war is almost over, it is time to admit that there were also a few black confederates.
Sep 01, 2017 by the end of the civil war, roughly 179,000 black men 10% of the union army served as soldiers in the u. Civil war black soldiers were eager to enlist in the union army. The civil wars black soldiers confederate efforts at black enlistment throughout the first three years of the war, several southerners had suggested that the confederacy enlist black men. Some nurses did more than help the wounded and the sick. Even as they fought to end slavery in the confederacy, africanamerican union soldiers were fighting against another injustice as well. Many of its officers, after fighting a couple of years in white units, entered the usct because they felt this was the best way they could contribute to the union war effort. Introduction black civil war soldiers black soldiers played a very important role in helping the north win the american civil war. White, a professor of american studies at virginias christopher newport university, has delved into archives of soldiers.
According to official reports, 196,363 hoosier men served in the navy and army during the civil war. At first harshly rejected in their attempts to enlist in the. This is now a huge subfield, but glaatthaars book is still foundational as a. The civil war alliance of black soldiers and white officers 1990.
Black soldiers were the real heroes at san juan hill. Colored troops usct from emancipation to the end of the civil war. Many of the images have never been published before and many of the remaining images were only rarely published. Most were sent by a union soldier, charles freeman biddlecom, to his wife, the former esther lapham. Of this number, 1,078 served in the navy, 1,537 were africanamericans serving in black. By the time the war ended in 1865, about 180,000 black men had served as soldiers in the u.
Contemporaries recognized their service, and on the occasion of the upcoming 150th anniversary of the start of the war april 12 and the close of black. Black union soldiers in the civil war book by hondon b. The fall of fort sumter caught the union army unaware. Black soldiers needed proof positive that the federal government would treat them the same as white soldiers. In the minds of most confederate soldiers, these northerners were the archvillains, the group that provoked this wholly unnecessary crisis and shattered the greatest government in the world through its antislavery activities.
Bibliography of american civil war confederate military unit histories bibliography of american. The forgotten black soldiers in white regiments during the civil war, revised edition moss, juanita on. Wilson was not only a historian of the fighting black spirit in the civil war, but was one of its soldiers. The monitor managed to win the duel hitting the confederate ship 90 times.
As the war progressed, it soon became obvious that the issue of slavery and the role of blacksboth free and enslavedin the war effort would need to be addressed. Photograph of medal of honor recipient james harris james h. Armies and soldiers genealogy general government documents guides to records in the national archives laws maps military operations personal papers and other archival collections the list below is highly selective. Hondon b hargrove is the author of books such as black union soldiers in the civil war. Though the majority of the union soldiers were volunteers, estimates are that 5 to 6 percent were conscripts. Government tried to appeal to black soldiers and consider the importance of enlisting black soldiers to the union s victory. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. Nearly 40,000 black soldiers died over the course of the war30,000 of infection or disease. Interestingly enough the union army was not the first army to deploy black soldiers on american soil. One notorious example was the alteration of a photo of black union soldiers into a.
This puts the total number of desertions from the union army during the four years of the war at nearly 350,000. The unions navy would be a huge force for the duration of the war. Portraits of named civil war enlisted men prints and. African american soldiers in the war of independence, the war of 1812, and the civil war. From the field and slave cabin to the confederate white house, black women took an active role in assisting the union military in winning the civil war. The british army actually used freed slaves and or gave them. Union military policy toward southern civilians 18611865, 1996. The union army used 4 main strategies during the civil war, and these strategies had varying results. Theirs was a remarkable achievement whose full story is here told for the first time.
Contraband was a term commonly used in the united states military during the american civil war to describe a new status for certain escaped slaves or those who affiliated with union forces. When the union claimed new orleans only these state militia units did not flee to the countryside. Civil war from all sides 1862 battle of fredericksburg unaired tv special duration. List of africanamerican medal of honor recipients wikipedia.
An introductory essay surveys the history of the u. Union soldier of the american civil war denis hambucken, chris benedetto on. It was a small army whose officers, even the west pointers, were ill prepared to mold a huge fighting force from a volunteer civilian population. The united states colored troops usct were regiments in the united states army composed primarily of africanamerican soldiers, although members of other minority groups also served with the units. The union soldier images of the civil war by bruce bonfield. In august 1861, the union army and the united states congress determined that the us would no longer return escaped slaves who went to union lines and classified them as contraband of war.
Civil war soldier service records what is this collection. By the battle of chaffins farm on september 29, 1864, he had risen to the rank of first sergeant. Sailor with cigar in hand holding a double case image of confederate soldiers 1 photograph. The best civil war books of all time analysis civil. United states colored troops in the civil war genealogy. Inspired and informed by the latest research in african american, military, and social history, the fourteen original essays in this book tell the stories of the african american soldiers who fought for the union cause. At first harshly rejected in their attempts to enlist in the union. The number of union soldiers is estimated to be between 1. Twentyfive african americans earned the medal of honor during the american civil war, including seven sailors of the union navy, fifteen soldiers of the united states colored troops, and three soldiers. Books on the black soldiers civil war history discussion. Union countys black soldiers and sailors of the civil war by. Sep 19, 2003 this book refutes the historical slander that blacks did not fight for their emancipation from slavery.