African Americans in the Civil War
When the Civil War first began, African Americans were not allowed in the
Union army. They were told, “This is a white man’s war!” On January 1, 1863,
Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves in
rebellious states. The Emancipation Proclamation made it an African American’s
war as well. Shortly after it was issued, President Lincoln ordered the Union
Army to accept African Americans. 215,000 African Americans joined the army.
More than half of these African American soldiers were runaway slaves
who flocked to the Union army in search of freedom. Many found not only
freedom but dignity. No longer did they have to bow their heads or lower their
eyes around whites. When former slaves put on their uniforms, for many the
first decent clothes they had every worn, they looked and felt like free men.
Many whites voiced doubts that former slaves were capable of fighting in
the war, but the officers who led units of runaway slaves soon learned that they
were hard working and brave. One officer said,
“You have no idea how my prejudices against African Americans have been
dispelled by the battle the other day. The brigade of African Americans
behaved magnificently and fought splendidly. They are far superior in
discipline to white troops, and just as brave.”
One of the most famous African American units was the Fifty-fourth
Massachusetts Volunteers. When the men in this unit learned that white soldiers
were being paid more than African American soldiers, they refused to accept pay
at all. “We did not come to fight for money,” one of them said, “we came to make
men not only of ourselves, but of our African American brothers at home.” In 1864,
Congress finally agreed to pay African Americans equally.
Another African American, Robert Smalls, showed bravery during the Civil
War. He freed himself, his crew and their families from slavery on May 13, 1862,
by commandeering a Confederate transport ship, the CSS Planter, in Charleston
harbor, and sailing it to freedom. Smalls later became a Congressman in South
Carolina.