The Mistreatment Of African-Americans During The Civil War

Enrollment began in September of 1862 (Allen 225). Thousands of black men enlisted. They would be commanded, led, and trained by all white officers. There were not to be any black officers commissioned and all African American soldiers were to be regarded as laborers. They would receive less pay than a white soldier. Instead of $13 plus clothing expenses, they would only receive $10 without clothing expenses (The American Civil War: A Multicultural Encyclopedia 55).

The white soldiers thought that African Americans were less intelligent than them and would be better suited as cooks and cleaners for the war effort than fighting in complex battles ("Black Soldiers in the U.S Military During the Civil War"). This was not the only way that black soldiers faced discrimination. Black soldiers were not paid equal to the white. Black soldiers were paid $10 per month and from that $10, $3 was automatically taken out to pay for the soldier's clothing. White soldiers on the other hand were paid $13 per month and did not have to give any of that amount for clothes ("Black Soldiers in the U.S. Military During the Civil War). When the black soldiers found out about their discriminatory and unfair pay they were very upset. Many protested and fought for equal pay. Their fight was successful. Finally, in June 1864 Congress passed an equal pay to U.S Colored Troops. Black soldiers would now receive the same rations and supplies, as well as better medical care ("Black Soldiers in the U.S Military During the Civil

They said that though blacks should not be enslaved, they should not be equal to the white male. The army was extremely reluctant to commission black officers -- only one hundred gained commissions during the war. For example, Colonel Shaw was white. African American soldiers were also given less supplies and rations. In addition, they received inferior ammunition and weapons and absolutely no medical treatment on or off the battlefield. For example, the soldiers were not given shoes when they asked for them, until Colonel Shaw demanded them for his men. This greatly affected their ability to fight. With less to keep them warm or defend themselves, you are going to have more casualties. Black soldiers served in artillery and infantry and performed all noncombat support functions that sustain an army, digging trenches, hauling supplies, cooking food, tending to the wounded, and providing personal service.

It helped spark the Civil Rights Movement for freedom from discrimination and segregation from white societies. African Americans felt like they deserved more than physical freedom, but also deserved the right to equal treatment amongst white communities. Nevertheless, even when African American Soldiers gave more than their lives for the war against slavery, they were hardly given the respect and honor they deserved. African American soldiers proved themselves to the Union and its people numerous times and even earned the respect and recognition of the white Union army. Even to this day, African American soldiers are still underappreciated; they deserve to receive much more respect and honor to this day. We have numerous memorials of white soldiers, but there is hardly any memorials recognizing the valor of African

Slavery was a complicated issue for Northern whites. As pointed out by historian Kevin M. Schultz (2011), Northerners were generally in agreement that slavery was wrong, yet they were very uneasy with the idea of creating a large, free black population in the U.S. The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 was a step toward that idea. The Proclamation did not free all slaves, since the border states of Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware were exempted, as were Tennessee and areas of Virginia and Louisiana already under Union occupation (Schultz, 2011, p. 265). An important provision, however, was that black Americans would now be allowed to join the military. In the two years following the Emancipation Proclamation, 180,000 black men enlisted (Schultz, p. 265). They were poorly treated but eager to fight for a cause in which they had a high stake. Their numbers and their passion for the cause made African-American soldiers a powerful asset to the Union.

As freed black men escaped their captivity as being enslaved in the South, racial equality in society was not reciprocated by white Americans. Even though African Americans were away from the constraints of slavery, they held a lower social status and were racially inferior by their community. Racial hierarchies were not only imposed in society but also in the military during the Civil War. As the Civil War broke out between the Union and the Confederate, President Lincoln believed that an all-white army had the capability of fighting off the Confederate units and that this war would be swift. The war progressed and the Union soon realized that they needed more reinforcements which would come from the freed black men in the North. During the Civil War, black soldiers would challenge and reinforce the existing racial hierarchies because the dispute of manhood amongst races would be enforce by violence that deterred black men from challenging their social status.

Approximately 180,000 Negros served in the Union during the Civil War. The Negro Soldier was overall a good one. One example was at the Assault on Fort Wagner, South Carolina. The 54th Massachusetts Colored troops led the assault and scaled the fort’s parapet and were only driven back after brutal hand-to-hand fighting. The Negro faced some discrimination in the Union Army in areas such as pay. It wasn’t until June 15th, 1864 that the Congress granted equal pay to Negro troops. Several Negro soldiers earned the Medal of Honor. The North attitude towards Negro troops was mainly positive, while the South did not want Negros to serve in the Confederate Army. It wasn’t until the Confederates were running low on men did they allow Negros to serve. The Negros serving in the North felt it as their duty to serve and support the cause for their own freedom.

Contributions African-American soldiers made towards the Union cause was enrolling as cooks, stewards, and fireman, and some serving in the war. Risks and hardships African-American soldiers experienced were being captured and put to death as slaves in revolt, and forced into labor battalions. In the south slaves could enlist in the war for the fear of revolt.

With the various ways slavery was spread throughout the geography of the United States, these variations formed different cultures and conflicting laws on slavery. Due to inconsistent systems of slavery, it resulted in the Civil War, dividing the North and the South over the issues of slavery. In the end of the Civil War, many individuals with every sense of positive intentions gave opportunities and support to freed slaves developing into beneficial members for the nation. The United States came together as a nation to solve the issues of slavery, freedom, and the reorganization problems particular to African Americans. It is seen throughout our history all efforts to solve these issues but sadly African Americans still face many of the these problems today. These problems and issues of the 20th century needed to be solved by the leadership of African Americans, for their African American community. W.E.B Du Bois is a tremendous example of an African American leader for what was best for the United States at that time.

Perhaps as the war waged on Lincoln and the Union leaders saw emancipation as a stepping stone in order to win the war. By the time Congress passed the Second Confiscation and Militia Act in 1862 which freed slaves whose masters where in the Confederate Army. The Union had already suffered great loses of man power and needed an outlet source of new talent. By tapping into a new fresh source of labor and firepower the Union army allowed African American men to join the ranks. Gallagher comments that using emancipation was necessary by quoting Lincoln ““Abandon all the posts now possessed by black men, & we would be compelled to abandon the war in 3 weeks.”” Eric Foner seemingly agreed by quoting an Alabama planter in 1867, “The Yankees never could have whipped the South without the aid of the negroes.” We are told today freedom isn’t free maybe it was part due that had to be paid. Yet, true freedom and equality for African Americans would not come for

About 180,000 African American people comprised 163 units that served in the Union Army, during the time of the Civil War, and many more African American people had served in the Union Navy. Both the free African-Americans and the runaway slaves had joined the fight. On the date of July 17, in the year of 1862, the U. S. Congress had passed two very important acts that would allow the enlistment of many African Americans, but the official enrollment had occurred only after the September, 1862, issuance of the, Emancipation Proclamation. In general, most white soldiers and officers, had believed that most of the black men, who had served in the Civil War, lacked the courage, and the will to fight

The declaration of liberation in 1863 liberated African Americans in rebellious states, and after the civil war, “the thirteenth Amendment made all the U.S. The slaves were abandoned” where they were. When the war started, there were many free blacks in the north. These men were willing to fight for the army. First President Abraham Lincoln did not want to recruit black soldiers. He did not want to disturb people in the border states between South and North.

A lot of white people believed that slaves would not be brave enough to fight in battles but was proved wrong because the first black regiments fought fearlessly. Civil War soldiers chance of surviving were very slim, Almost 40,000 black soldiers died over the war and 30,000 died of being infected or from diseases. Slaves were normally taken away from their families and sold to different owners, never seeing their families again. Towards the end if the war roughly 179,000 African Americans served as soldiers in the U.S army and 19,000 served in the navy. Some of the soldiers were immigrants and very little were

African Americans fought for their beliefs throughout the war, usually for the Union cause. The slaves not only fought a battle for the North, they fought for the certain unalienable rights that are guaranteed to all Americans in the Constitution. During the Civil War era, Union commanders and their black troops faced additional hardships due to the plague of racism, which was declared in their fight for freedom. This decision was based on numerous reasons, all of which produced positive results. President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation opened many doors the African Americans to enlist in the Union Army in 1862.

     The African American saw only limited military service, the negative attitude toward enlisting black men came from master unwilling to give up their servants or from the fear of putting guns in the hands of people who were not free. South Carolina and Georgia, both heavily populated by African Americans, refused to legalize slave enlistments. When General Washington took command of the army, white colonists decided that not only should no black slaves or freemen be enlisted, but that those already serving in the Army should be dismissed.