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Black Soldiers In The Civil War Essay

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Black soldiers were very important in the Civil War (54th Massachusetts Regiment.)
According to the article “The Importance of African-American Soldiers in Civil War History,”” it states that Civil War history is often presented in terms of white Northern actors fighting against white Southerners, with African Americans waiting on the sides as their fate was decided. But this was far from the truth. The Union and the Confederates brought African American troops to the battlefield. Before the Civil War broke out in 1861, there were an estimated almost four million slaves in the United States, and just under 500,000 free African Americans. Combined they comprised about 14 percent of the country’s population. Of these 4.5 million, some 180,000 African Americans served in 163 units for the Union army as well as surely thousands more in the Navy. However, while only one percent of all African Americans in the United States resided in the North, slaves and freedmen only began serving the Confederate Army in 1865, and did so to a far lesser degree than in the North. It took a clear and direct urging from the beloved General Robert E. Lee to convince the Confederate Congress to begin enlisting black soldiers. The …show more content…

Army and another 19,000 served in the Navy. Nearly 40,000 black soldiers died over the course of the war—30,000 of infection or disease. Black soldiers served in artillery and infantry and performed all noncombat support functions that sustain an army, as well. Black carpenters, chaplains, cooks, guards, laborers, nurses, scouts, spies, steamboat pilots, surgeons, and teamsters also contributed to the war cause. There were nearly 80 black commissioned officers. Black women, who could not formally join the Army, nonetheless served as nurses, spies, and scouts, the most famous being Harriet Tubman, who scouted for the South Carolina

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Civil War soldiers fought for something more than just manhood, duty, government, and their country. They fought for and against slavery, which for most soldiers was their primary motivation beyond defending their home. Slavery for many was more than just an institution, it was the fabric of their economic society that provided the wealth and opportunity to the South. Without slavery the South could not operate and prosper which made it impossible for the notion of emancipation. However, those in the North did not immediately rely on the institution of slavery in such dire manner.

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Becoming a Confederate victory, the others are forced to retreat. All the dead bodies are put into mass graves, including Robert Shaw 's. Despite this, by the end of the American Civil War, more than 180,000 African Americans were in uniform, and ready to fight in the war together hand in hand. This movie was a really powerful movie showing that there is no difference among blacks and whites, and that everyone is the same with a heart that functions, and the power to go to war and fight for their

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The key aspect discussed here is the difference and similarities between African American soldiers and white soldiers, in the Civil War. In the past African Americans were slaves in the south part of the United States. However, when Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans were freed in the Confederate states. According to the American Nation book, when the war began, thousands of free African Americans volunteered to fight for the Union. In addition, the army assigned African Americans to all-black units commanded by white officers.

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After the Civil War, the regiment helped African Americans create a more positive reputation for themselves as a whole. This also helped African Americans gain more rights and freedom. Some credit can be given to this group for the law being passed allowing African American males the right to vote. A few years later, in 1869, this was written in the constitution and would allow African Americans who fought for their country to take a part in running the country they fought so hard for. The 54th Massachusetts Infantry proved that African Americans were just as worthy of freedom and citizenship as anyone

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many people at this time we're still extremely racist the slaves are free but that didn't change how people thought about them. African American soldiers what are usually used for labor work and not many of them were sent off to go fight in the war except for the 54th Massachusetts Regiment and a few other African American soldiers. The 54th Massachusetts help the Union throughout the Civil War they were known for being the first of all and tear to go assault Fort Wagner South Carolina. although assault ultimately failed. History.com States the black Soldiers made up 10% of the Union thus given the Union a bigger advantage at winning the Civil War since the union already had more troops than the South.

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During the war, blacks were used as motivation to fight, they were willing to help fight, and they even worked their way into the politics of the post war

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During the war, many white soldiers quit and ran away from war because they did not want to fight alongside African American soldiers or fight to end slavery. Near the end of the war, slave owners in the South would often have their slaves enlist or help do labor around camps. Northerners had many freed slaves backing them, which saved or lessened the impact of many battles. Also, the Emancipation Proclamation had many indirect effects on the war, from an increased army size to the countless free African Americans helping on the homefront. Freed slaves fighting in war changed the tides of many battles, the war would not be the same without

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Many African Americans did not go right in to fighting in the war they started by doing household jobs/chores.3 These jobs consisted of; cooking, cleaning, and getting weapons, and nursing the sick and many more things. After all the training they had to go through some of the “Buffalo Soldiers” (blacks) were sent into war.4 Many were put on the front line because they whites thought they were not as important. The black soldiers did not seem to care as long as they were out there fighting and not do a “slave mans” work. Almost all of the black soldiers lost their lives in

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In the years of the Civil War, African Americans played an important role in contributing to the Union Army and the confederate army. A great deal of African American men volunteered to join the Union Army but only after they gained freedom did they participate in fighting the war. Besides the Union Army, there was the confederate army which consisted of slave labor whom were forced to aid the confederacy following their masters. Later in the war, the Confederacy ran short on men and were in need to supply soldiers, leaving no choice but to enlist the colored men. Not only were African American men impacted from the war, but African American women also served to supply and aid in the war.

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During the Civil War, it is said that almost 180,000 Black Soldiers served in the Union Army. The families of these soldiers would camp in nearby makeshift villages to be near their husbands, sons and fathers. The soldiers assisted them the best they could by share food and clothing from their military rations. Nearly 40,000 Black Soldiers died during the course of the war with 30,000 due to infections and diseases. Although Blacks were giving the chance to fight for their freedom, they were still not looked as equals.

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