Soldiers American Civil How many American soldiers died in the Civil War to put down the treason of the Confederacy?
- Never forget the troops that sacrificed their lives to preserve the USA - here to help (below) If you don't know. I cannot explain it to you. Raising arms against the US government is treason where I come from. Unless the US government is persecuting US citizens.
The Union armies had from 2,500,000 to 2,750,000 men. Their losses, by the best estimates:
Battle deaths: 110,070 Disease, etc.: 250,152 Total 360,222
The Confederate strength, known less accurately because of missing records, was from 750,000 to 1,250,000. Its estimated losses:
Battle deaths: 94,000 Disease, etc.: 164,000 Total 258,000
Introduces the lives of typical Union and Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War. Author: Roche, Tim Series Title: Heinemann InfoSearch Publication Date: 2010/09/01 Number of Pages: 48 Binding Type: Library Grade Level: 46 Language: English Depth: 0.25 Width: 7.50 Height: 9.50
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How did African American prove they were good soldiers in the Civil War?
Approximately 180,000 African Americans comprising 163 units served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and many more African Americans served in the Union Navy. Both free African-Americans and runaway slaves joined the fight.
On July 17, 1862, Congress passed two acts allowing the enlistment of African Americans, but official enrollment occurred only after the September, 1862 issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. In general, white soldiers and officers believed that black men lacked the courage to fight and fight well. In October, 1862, African American soldiers of the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteers silenced their critics by repulsing attacking Confederates at the battle of Island Mound, Missouri. By August, 1863, 14 Negro Regiments were in the field and ready for service. At the battle of Port Hudson, Louisiana, May 27, 1863, the African American soldiers bravely advanced over open ground in the face of deadly artillery fire. Although the attack failed, the black soldiers proved their capability to withstand the heat of battle.
On July 17, 1863, at Honey Springs, Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, the 1st Kansas Colored fought with courage again. Union troops under General James Blunt ran into a strong Confederate force under General Douglas Cooper. After a two-hour bloody engagement, Cooper's soldiers retreated. The 1st Kansas, which had held the center of the Union line, advanced to within fifty paces of the Confederate line and exchanged fire for some twenty minutes until the Confederates broke and ran. General Blunt wrote after the battle, "I never saw such fighting as was done by the Negro regiment....The question that negroes will fight is settled; besides they make better solders in every respect than any troops I have ever had under my command."
The most widely known battle fought by African Americans was the assault on Fort Wagner, South Carolina, by the 54th Massachusetts on July 18, 1863. The 54th volunteered to lead the assault on the strongly-fortified Confederate positions. The soldiers of the 54th scaled the fort's parapet, and were only driven back after brutal hand-to-hand combat.
Although black soldiers proved themselves as reputable soldiers, discrimination in pay and other areas remained widespread. According to the Militia Act of 1862, soldiers of African descent were to receive $10.00 a month, plus a clothing allowance of $3.50. Many regiments struggled for equal pay, some refusing any money until June 15, 1864, when Congress granted equal pay for all black soldiers.
African American soldiers participated in every major campaign of 1864-1865 except Sherman's invasion of Georgia. The year 1864 was especially eventful for African American troops. On April 12, 1864, at Fort Pillow, Tennessee, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest led his 2,500 men against the Union-held fortification, occupied by 292 black and 285 white soldiers. After driving in the Union pickets and giving the garrison an opportunity to surrender, Forrest's men swarmed into the fort with little difficulty and drove the Federals down the river's bluff into a deadly crossfire. Casualties were high and only sixty-two of the U.S. Colored Troops survived the fight. Many accused the Confederates of perpetuating a massacre of black troops, and the controversy continues today. The battle cry for the Negro soldier east of the Mississippi River became "Remember Fort Pillow!"
The Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia (Chaffin's Farm) became one of the most heroic engagements involving African Americans. On September 29, 1864, the African American division of the Eighteenth Corps, after being pinned down by Confederate artillery fire for about 30 minutes, charged the earthworks and rushed up the slopes of the heights. During the hour-long engagement the division suffered tremendous casualties. Of the sixteen African Americans who were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Civil War, fourteen received the honor as a result of their actions at New Market Heights.
In January, 1864, General Patrick Cleburne and several other Confederate officers in the Army of the Tennessee proposed using slaves as soldiers since the Union was using black troops. Cleburne recommended offering slaves their freedom if they fought and survived. Confederate President Jefferson Davis refused to consider Cleburne's proposal and forbade further discussion of the idea. The concept, however, did not die. By the fall of 1864, the South was losing more and more ground, and some believed that only by arming the slaves could defeat be averted. On March 13, the Confederate Congress passed General Order 14, and President Davis signed the order into law. The order was issued March 23, 1865, but only a few African American companies were raised, and the war ended before they could be used in battle.
In actual numbers, African American soldiers comprised 10% of the entire Union Army. Losses among African Americans were high, and from all reported casualties, approximately one-third of all African Americans enrolled in the military lost their lives during the Civil War.
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We, the colored soldiers, have fairly won our rights by loyalty and bravery -- shall we obtain them? If we are refused now, we shall demand them. ...Sargent Major William McCeslin; 29th U.S.C.T.
Who would be free themselves must strike the blow....I urge you to fly to arms and smite to death the power that would bury the Government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave. This is your golden opportunity."
"Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letter, U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pocket, there is no power on earth that can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship." Frederick Douglass
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The conflict between the states of the developing United States reached an impasse concerning states' rights issues, which eventually ended in a divided America in 1861. Seven of the southern states decided to break away from the UNION on February 8, 1861. Jefferson Davis was named President of these new CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA. Many say SLAVERY was the causative factor behind the dissolution of the UNION which led to the AMERICAN CIVIL WAR. President Abraham Lincoln stated, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." In 1858, Lincoln stated that, "I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free."
It was therefore inevitable that something had to be done in America in order to preserve the UNION. The disunity of the states escalated into one of America's most dreadful and bloody wars. It all began when the CONFEDERATES fired on FORT SUMTER, the Federal military base in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.
From the beginning, both black slaves and freeman saw this opportunity to serve in the military as a method for relinquishing their chains and proving their inclusive worthiness to this nation. Some black slaves, for some unknown reasons, remained with their masters and assisted them on the side of the Confederacy during the entire period of the Civil War. On the whole, there was widespread resistance by whites on both the Union blue and Confederate gray sides in accepting Blacks as part of the military. The Union Secretary of War issued a statement:
"This Department has no intention at the present to call into service of the government any colored soldiers."
The need for able-bodied fighting men soon led individual states to swear into the military separate REGIMENTS OF ALL BLACK TROOPS. Other Blacks found acceptance as volunteers in semimilitary or military support positions. Not until August of 1862 did Blacks receive the endorsement of Congress to serve in the Civil War. "Congress revoked the militia laws banning Blacks" from serving in the Union Army. Soon afterward, Abraham Lincoln issued on January 1, 1863, THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION, "freeing all slaves in areas still in rebellion."
The Emancipation Proclamation opened the door full-fledged for Blacks to participate in the Civil War. On May 1, 1863, the War Department created the BUREAU OF COLORED TROOPS in order to handle the recruitment and organization of all black regiments. These units were known as the UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS, and all units were commanded by white officers. The widespread knowledge about these all black units of the Civil War came about recently with the popularity of the movie, GLORY, starring Denzel Washington. Based upon the triumphs and defeats of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, a historical moment was captured in the lives of some unknown American Freedom Fighters. Twenty-four black soldiers were awarded the meritorious CONGRESSIONAL MEDALS OF HONOR, and over 200,000 African Americans served in the U. S. armed forces during the Civil War. 620,000 Americans died in this war. Over 38,000 Blacks died.
Dude you're knocking lincoln? He was a great man! Why do you think he's on the penny AND the five dollar bill? Have you heard of the emancipation Proclamation? That was ALL him. Though he may or may not have owned slaves (I don't have that info.) I know for a FACT that freed them if he did. The emancipation proclamation freed the slaves. Don't you know that? I'd check your sources. SIDE NOTE: If all of this is true why do your bring it up? Why can't you let america remember him as a great man instead of trying to ruin his reputation. The guy is dead, even if he said some terrible things there's nothing he can do to redeem himself now.
Dude you're knocking lincoln? He was a great man! Why do you think he's on the penny AND the five dollar bill? Have you heard of the emancipation Proclamation? That was ALL him. Though he may or may not have owned slaves (I don't have that info.) I know for a FACT that freed them if he did. The emancipation proclamation freed the slaves. Don't you know that? I'd check your sources.
SIDE NOTE: If all of this is true why do your bring it up? Why can't you let america remember him as a great man instead of trying to ruin his reputation. The guy is dead, even if he said some terrible things there's nothing he can do to redeem himself now.