Black Men in Navy Blue during the Civil War - Essay Example

The Civil War in America resulted from ideological differences over the slave trade. This brought on a full-scale civil war between the s that were loyal to the Union and those loyal to the Confederacy. Federal law prohibited blacks from joining the forces. Congress latter amended this law to allow blacks to fight due to the lack of able-bodied White men. The army created separate regiments for blacks where they served in inferior ranks but they still fought with valor. Many black soldiers received medals of Honor, as they fought well in battleships despite the poor working conditions they had to endure. One such man was Charles Ball who in 1816 fled his slave master and joined the Union Navy. President Lincoln finally acceded to the great contribution that black soldiers made both in the army and in the navy. In contemporary times, civil war accounts recognize the great contribution of black soldiers that served the country of America in both the navy and the army. Black Men in Navy Blue during the Civil War Introduction It is possible for two sides to think that they are fighting for the same thing (liberty), as evidenced by the American civil war. The southern states were fighting for their independence and the right to continue slavery as a trade. Many of the Southern states broke away from the Union of the United States to form the “South” or “Confederacy”. The Confederacy consisted of about eleven to thirteen states located in the south. The definition of slavery, liberty and freedom took on different dimensions in the civil war. (McPherson, 1988)The civil war still matters today as it serves as a reminder of civil liberties and freedom, and the fight that the nation had to go through to get it. It is also a reminder and call for unity for all the American people who all forgot their racial, class and economic differences in the quest for freedom (Mc Pherson, 2015). The American Civil War was full of heroic sacrifices as everybody made their contribution to the war. Blacks and women were unable to fight in the war at the time because of enlistment policies. Blacks could not join the army, as federal law enacted in 1792 prohibited them from doing so. This federal law forbade the possession and handling of firearms by blacks, which included both men and women. These restrictions did not deter Blacks form making their contributions to the civil war, as many served as volunteers until President Lincoln gave a directive to allow them to serve in 1862. This was after congress passed the Second Confiscation Act, which gave powers and rights to the president to confiscate all slaves that belonged to owners who were hostile to the United States and use them in the army in whatever capacity they saw fit. Black women and white women went to work in Washington Navy Shipyards where they sewed canvas bags for the army, as all the men had to go to fight in the front lines (Roberts, 2015). Black women made their contribution to the war just as their white sisters did by working in women’s jobs such as nurses, cleaners, washerwomen, maids, attendants and nannies. Blacks flocked to volunteer for the war as the war for liberty held a promise for their race’s liberation from slavery. Slaves came to the union lines by the thousands even though they risked confiscation as contraband goods (Grosvenor, 2015). African American men in Navy Blue during the American Civil War were essential in the victories won and made an extraordinary impact during the war. Treatment of African American Sailors Army verses Navy There was deep resistance within the army and the navy regarding the enlistment of black soldiers due to the highly prevalent racial prejudices that existed at the time. However, there were some in the navy like “Robert Gould Shaw (1837-1863)” a commander who did not distinguish troops based on neither creed nor color, and did his country proud (Mintz, 2015). Racial tensions were less prevent in the army as the soldiers spent less time in close contact. Contrastingly, the navy by its very nature requires close contact and interaction in cramped quarters for long periods. Army Commanders instantly subjected Blacks into an environment filled with racial tension, and expected them to perform at their peak. They did this by first enlisting them as volunteers then when they had reformed the law through Congress, they changed their title to soldiers. The Confederacy responded by reselling, torturing and killing captured slaves who had escaped from their masters. In fact, the Confederates considered all Blacks as slaves regardless of whether or not they were free in the other states. Enlistment of the blacks in the army and the navy attracted resistance as racial tension was still very high, and slave trade was still legal in most states. It was not written policy to treat the blacks as inferior but it was not explicitly disallowed either, which made it possible. Ill-treatment form white soldiers were common for blacks. Segregated Units and Missions As per army regulation, separate infantries housed soldiers of different races, which was the case when it came to access to different amenities such as health care. They went on separate missions from other infantries whereby commanders mostly sent them into the thickest parts of the battle to make way for the regular white battalions. The black soldiers received less payment compared to those in the same rank with them, got poorer and inferior rations and equipment and less benefits (Woodworth, 1996). The black soldiers had deductions made from their salaries that were lower than those of white soldiers to pay for their uniforms. White soldiers got enlistment benefits for, which black soldiers were not eligible. Commanders assigned menial jobs that did not require a lot of cognitive thinking to the Black soldiers. Worsening the situation was the ritual cleansing done by White soldiers with the sole intention of removing filth from the new Black recruits. Needless to say, this was very dehumanizing and degrading to blacks. Despite these, Blacks were undeterred by the ill treatments they had faced worse before enlistment. The blacks also received inferior treatment from the government through less pay, poor health facilities and housing. Positions Held The blacks could only work as casual laborers for the army or the navy. When there was a shortage of able-bodied men in both services, the army recruited Blacks as volunteers. In 1863, the first black regiment was formed called the Massachusetts infantry, which was a step forward whereby blacks could now become part of the army (History, July, 1935). It was segregation in that it was a special regiment meant for blacks only. The regiment was also accountable to a white officer as all officers had to be white. The positions they held were therefore the very lowest with the lowest pay, benefits, privileges, recognition and honor. Contraband Sailors The Whites saw slaves as a commodity or assets due to their inferior status and lack of wealth (FellmanSutherland, Gordon, & Daniel, 2008). Those Blacks who possessed previous sailing experience when enslaved on ships had found it expedient to serve in the naval ships providing the kind of services they could. Whites considered them as runny salves and therefore contraband goods by the Union. They found use in the navy after Congress passed an Act that enabled them to enlist and serve in the army (Aptheker, January, 1947). Many blacks had served as contraband deckhands within the navy as they escaped slavery without pay but putting in a lot of man-hours and labor free. They did this as volunteers as they hoped to gain their freedom under the United States quest for liberty. The Whites treated them very badly and exposed to very inhumane conditions. One navy soldier called Robert Scott died of pneumonia in 1862 after one such ritual (Reidy, 2015). African Americans in the Union Navy Many blacks joined the navy and the army as they were very interested in their own liberty and the best way to ensure their safety was to ensure the triumph of the United States Union. This made the white officers of many ships treat them with contempt as they were seen more as opportunists who were out to take advantage of the Union’s need for able-bodied men for their own benefits (Eicher, 1997). This was true to a certain extent but the same applies for each movement that has ever fought for its own survival. The blacks saw an opportunity to escape slavery and fight for the very freedom they had been yearning for and one cannot fault them for jumping at the opportunity. The blacks in the navy and the army fought with all their might and were so dedicated to the cause that even those who held a lot of distaste for them on racial grounds had to admit that they were a very formidable force and asset to the army and navy. The blacks also had a very strong physiological makeup, which made them resistant to most conditions that adversely affected the whites, and this was a positive thing. Less sickness meant less medicine and more contribution to labor, which made black solders more appealing to commanding officers in the army. Many of the black soldiers and navy marines were already accustomed to hard labor and long hours and so fared better than their white counterparts (Ervin(Jr), 1995). Achievements Victories The problems of racial discrimination, poor pay and ill treatment did not deter black soldiers form fulfilling their duties. Many died in the line of duty as they fought for freedom and will never receive recognition for their valor save for their names being part of a list. In the war, there was some serious overhauling of the perceptions of blacks with regard to their worth in military engagement. This in itself was a great achievement for the Blacks who had lobbied and earned the right to fight for their county. One such man is Robert Smalls who captured a Confederate ship and handed it over to the Union (Mc Pherson, 2015). This man was later to become a US Congressman in South Carolina contributing to his country in both instances. The black soldier Martin R. Delany became the first black officer and he proved his worth through many heroic feats in combat. Medal of Honor Recipients Some Black marines showed exemplary feats of bravery; for example, John H. Lawson who despite serious injuries sustained in battle continued at his post supplying gunpowder and shell for his ship guns in the USS Hartford battleship (Grosvenor, 2015). Another brave black named Robert Blake who was a slave that had escaped from his master, fought so valiantly that the enemy left their position. He received a medal of honor for his valor. Wilson Brown received the highest honor for his action of returning to his position even after shellfire rendering him unconscious and four out of his six compatriots killed or fatally wounded (Mc Pherson, 2015). Battles they fought and ships they were aboard Most of the enlisted black naval soldiers were contrabands and as such were treated by white solders with the utmost incivility. One such soldier was Allan Sanderson who was amongst the lowliest and poorly paid of the contraband soldiers; however, he won a medal of honor for valiant acts during combat. The battleships such assess Monitor and USS Cairo is some of the battleships that had blacks working in them. They worked as cooks, deckhands, cleaners and attendants. Later they worked as contraband sailors for pay and lastly enlisted as soldiers during the reconstruction period (Musicant, 1995). How many served during the civil war Official records serve as the only piece of evidence that confirm the true number of Black soldiers who served in the Army and Navy. Blacks had been serving on naval ships doing casual labor and fighting as the need arose and were for all purposes and intents naval soldiers. It was only after congress passed a law to enlist them that the army accepted Black recruits; therefore, it is impossible to have an accurate figure of the number of blacks who served in the war. Black women served as spies, nursing aides, messengers and scouts for the army but could not be enlisted in the army or navy due to lack of formal education and also because they were women. In fact, most of the activities of black women in the naval and army forces are in memoirs and letters of the whites who owned them as slaves. They did their part in fighting in the Civil War and were therefore soldiers. The army never counted these women, which makes it impossible to have an accurate number of black men and women who fought in the Civil War. They were soldiers because they received some form of compensation; however, army officials could not registered them due to gender and color. The conservative estimates of the number of black soldiers in the civil war stands at one hundred and eighty thousand (Bergeron(Jr), 2002). The war records show that about forty thousand black soldiers died by the end of the civil war. These numbers were quite high compared to the number of enlisted number for blacks. It was understandable because these were runaway slaves as such army Commanders sent them to the thickest part of battle, as they considered them expendable. Blacks in the Confederate Forces The Confederates considered all blacks as slaves and therefore treated them as property. They did not allow blacks to use firearms as this could empower them and cause them to revolt against their masters. It was only after the Confederacy had seen that there was a very strong possibility of their losing the civil war that they reluctantly created black regiments called the “Colored Troops” (McPherson, 1988). Army commanders sent these soldiers to the fiercest parts of battle to clear the way for the white elite troops. Many slaves such as Garland White who was a house servant and a slave in Washington DC were literate as their duties required them to study (Mc Pherson, 2015). White studied and later joined the Union Forces as chaplain and recruited many to join the civil war and served his term. Though he had left his master and become a fugitive, he still maintained a relationship with him through letters. Not all slave- master relations were terrible as demonstrated by Whites relationship with his slave master. Impact on post-civil war Sailors This was a great change of heart by President Lincoln considering that he had never really been anti-slavery; however, he remained keen on reaching a settlement where slavery could proceed in a more humane manner. The treatment of blacks within the navy had never been good, as Whites regarded them as contraband goods that were expendable and filthy. These conditions did not deter the black soldiers who fought valiantly and made a name for themselves in the history of the civil war. The blacks even stayed on in the army and the navy, and took part in the reconstruction of America after the civil war had ended. Government policy never explicitly allowed for the ill treatment of blacks within the navy but did not remove the structures that perpetuated the vice until later on in the Reconstruction period (Bergeron(Jr), 2002). Post-civil war soldiers developed confidence in themselves after they gained their freedom and despite the racial prejudices that still existed continued to serve in the army and navy. The blacks did not own property as they had been salves and still risked capture and enslavement and therefore found that service in the forces was a safe haven, which paid. Conclusion The American Civil War had its roots in the undivided debate about slavery. The southern states that grew a lot of cotton and engaged in a lot of farming needed a lot of manual labor. Slave labor was by far the cheapest and most viable option, which ensured high profits and maintained a reliable and loyal labor force. Whites traded Blacks and sold them at will just like other property. The Northern states and the other members of the Union had started experiencing a problem with their conscience with regard to slave trading, with some going as far as calling it an evil vice. However, many of them had yet to fully condemn the vice, as they feared upsetting the southern states that were part of the United States Union. However, when matters of mutiny put the southern states at war with the other states the other remaining states welcomed runaway slaves to their side and allowed them to join their forces (Aptheker, January, 1947). The war was so bloody on both sides, which led to a shortage of able-bodied men. The Union decided to enlist the services of the slaves to boost their numbers. The joining of the army or navy was a change in status but also came with a price, as the new recruits became victims of racial discrimination and humiliation because of their status. For example, the navy had a tradition of washing down new blacks in a ritual of cleansing, which was very humiliating. Still, the blacks put up a spirited fight and won their way to many recognitions of honor through exemplary feats of bravery and valor. They did this despite the fact that they received less payment than their white counterparts in the same ranks did. They also received fewer benefits, no bonuses upon enlistment, lower ranks and never put in commanding positions. There were so many enlistments by blacks to serve in the army and navy despite the threat of re-enslavement if captured by southern states and torture. African American men in Navy Blue during the American Civil War were essential in the victories won and made an extraordinary impact during the war. References Aptheker, H. (January, 1947). "Negro Casualties in the Civil War". "The Journal of Negro History" , Vol. 32, No. 1. Bergeron(Jr), A. W. (2002). Louisianas Free Men of Color in Gray. Louisianans in the Civil War . Eicher, D. J. (1997). The Civil War in Books An Analytical Bibliography. Illinois: Illinois University Press. Ervin(Jr), L. J. (1995). Black Confederates and Afro-Yankees in Civil War Virginia. Virginia: University Press. FellmanSutherland, M., Gordon, L. J., & Daniel, E. (2008). This terrible war : the Civil War and its aftermath (2. ed. ed.). New York[u.a.]: Pearson Longman. p. 289. Grosvenor, E. S. (2015). The Best Of American Heritage: The Civil War. New York: American Heritage. History, N. (July, 1935). Treatment of Colored Union Troops by Confederates, 1861-1865". "The Journal of Negro History" , Vol. 20, No. 3. pp. 278-279. Mc Pherson, J. M. (2015). The War tha tForged a Nation: Why the Civil War Still Matters. New York: Oxford Universty Press. McPherson, J. M. (1988). Battle Cry Of Freedom : The Civil War Era. New York: Oxford University Press. Mintz, S. (2015). The Guilder Lerhman Institute of American History. Retrieved April 14, 2015, from Balcks In Blue: http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/american-civil-war/resources/blacks-blue Musicant, I. (1995). Divided Waters: The Naval History of the Civil War. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. Reidy, J. P. (2015). National Archives. Retrieved April 15, 2015, from Black Men in Navy Blue During the Civil War, Part 2 : http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2001/fall/black-sailors-2.html Roberts, C. (2015). Capital Dames: The Civil War and the Women of Washington 1848-1868. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. Woodworth, S. E. (1996). The American Civil War: A Handbook of Literature and Research. Geenwood: Greenwood Press. Read More