Transcript Civil War: Role of African Americans

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:
•
•
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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/confiscationact18
62.htm