United States History Student Edition

African Americans in the Civil War GUIDING QUESTION What role did African Americans play in military efforts? At first, both the North and the South barred African Americans from serving in their armies. As time passed, the North relaxed its rules. Southern Fears Even though African Americans made up more than 30 percent of the Southern population, Confederate leaders would not allow them to enlist. Only in the last days of the war, when defeat drew near, did they consider it. Confederate leaders feared that once armed, African American soldiers would attack their fellow troops or even begin a general revolt. African Americans Fight for the Union At first, President Lincoln resisted calls to enlist African Americans in the Union army. He feared that such a policy would be unpopular in the border states. By 1862, though, it was clear that the North needed more soldiers in order to defeat the Confederacy. Congress decided to allow the formation of all-African American regiments. These new Union soldiers were in a tough position. Many white Union regiments doubted their fighting ability. Others resented them. Also, the African American units had white officers. Many Southern troops especially hated the Union’s African American soldiers and focused their fiercest fire on them. Nearly 200,000 African Americans joined the Union army and navy. Some were freed people from the North. Others had fled enslavement in the South. They fought to free the still enslaved, to prove their equality, and to gain future citizenship. The best-known African American regiment was the 54th Massachusetts. In 1863, the 54th led the assault on Fort Wagner in South Carolina. Confederate gunfire caused nearly 300 casualties in the 54th. Although the Union attack failed, the 54th became famous for the courage and sacrifice of its members. 7 CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING Summarizing What difficulties did the new African American troops face?

By the end of the Civil War, almost 200,000 African Americans had served in the Union army and navy. Drawing Conclusions What do you think was the purpose of this poster? Explain your answer.

His death cost the South one of its great leaders. It also affected the morale of its army and its citizens. Changing Union Generals In contrast, Union leadership in the East disappointed the president. Major General George McClellan commanded the Union forces at the Battle of Antietam. Although he was expert at preparing for battle, he was overly cautious. Said Lincoln, “If McClellan doesn’t want to use the army, I’d like to borrow it for a while.” The last straw came when, after the victory at Antietam, McClellan failed to obey Lincoln’s order to follow the retreating Confederate troops and destroy them. Lincoln’s next commander, General Ambrose Burnside, quickly lost the president’s favor after his crushing defeat at Fredericksburg. Major General Joseph Hooker replaced Burnside, but he soon resigned after his forces were crushed by Lee’s much smaller army at Chancellorsville. Next, Major General George Meade took command, three days before one of the war’s great battles, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 7 CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING Explaining Why was Lincoln frustrated with the Union generals?

PHOTO: Kean Collection/Archive Photos/Getty Images; TEXT: Wordsworth, R. D., ed. “Abe” Lincoln’s Anecdotes and Stories: A Collection of the Best Stories Told by Lincoln Which Made Him Famous as America’s Best Story Teller. Boston: The Mutual Book Company, 1908.

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