The Civil War began in 1861. Lincoln debated the idea of allowing free African-American men to enlist in the Army due to his worry of wanting to keep the four remaining border states in the Union. Many black americans had tried to enlist, but were turned down due to the 1792 federal law that forbid blacks from bearing arms in the U.S. Army. Would-be volunteers got together to ask the Government to change its laws and allow them to enlist. More and more people were pushing for the right of black men to enlist which would eventually persuade the Government to create the General Order 143 and prohibit the creation of the U.S. Colored Troops. At first the Army had no problem meeting volunteer numbers. As the war went on and casualties increased, less and less whites signed up to fight. Lincoln saw it as a military necessity for free blacks to serve in the Union’s army and was forced to make a decision. When Lincoln finally made the decision to allow it he said, “You say you will not fight to free negroes. Some of them seem willing to fight for you; but, no matter. Fight you, then exclusively to save the Union. I issued the proclamation on purpose to aid you in saving the Union. Whenever you shall have conquered all resistance to the Union, if I shall urge you to continue fighting, it will be an apt time, then, for you to declare you will not fight to free negroes.” (Percoco, n.d.) “As a result, on July 17, 1862, Congress passed the Second Confiscation and Militia Act, freeing slaves who had masters in the Confederate Army. Two days later, slavery was abolished in the territories of the United States, and on July 22 …show more content…
Many soldiers assigned to work supply and guard details. Black soldiers could not obtain officer rank unless they held a non-infantry role. This was a result of the relevant racism that still existed in the Union