War Department General Order 143: Creation of the U.S. Colored Troops (1863)

I'm sure a few people on ATS were aware of this but it's part of history that I just learned about.


War Department General Order 143: Creation of the U.S. Colored Troops (1863)
The issues of emancipation and military service were intertwined from the onset of the Civil War. News from Fort Sumter set off a rush by free black men to enlist in U.S. military units. They were turned away, however, because a Federal law dating from 1792 barred Negroes from bearing arms for the U.S. Army. In Boston disappointed would-be volunteers met and passed a resolution requesting that the Government modify its laws to permit their enlistment.
The Lincoln administration wrestled with the idea of authorizing the recruitment of black troops, concerned that such a move would prompt the border states to secede. When Gen. John C. Frémont in Missouri and Gen. David Hunter in South Carolina issued proclamations that emancipated slaves in their military regions and permitted them to enlist, their superiors sternly revoked their orders. By mid-1862, however, the escalating number of former slaves (contrabands), the declining number of white volunteers, and the pressing personnel needs of the Union Army pushed the Government into reconsidering the ban.
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 President Lincoln presented the preliminary draft of the Emancipation Proclamation to his Cabinet. After the Union Army turned back Lee's first invasion of the North at Antietam, MD, and the Emancipation Proclamation was subsequently announced, black recruitment was pursued in earnest. Volunteers from South Carolina, Tennessee, and Massachusetts filled the first authorized black regiments. Recruitment was slow until black leaders such as Frederick Douglass encouraged black men to become soldiers to ensure eventual full citizenship. (Two of Douglass's own sons contributed to the war effort.) Volunteers began to respond, and in May 1863 the Government established the Bureau of Colored Troops to manage the burgeoning numbers of black soldiers.
Nearly 40,000 black soldiers died over the course of the war—30,000 of infection or disease. Black soldiers served in artillery and infantry and performed all noncombat support functions that sustain an army as well. Black carpenters, chaplains, cooks, guards, laborers, nurses, scouts, spies, steamboat pilots, surgeons, and teamsters also contributed to the war cause. There were nearly 80 black commissioned officers. Black women, who could not formally join the Army, nonetheless served as nurses, spies, and scouts, the most famous being Harriet Tubman, who scouted for the 2nd South Carolina Volunteers.
For additional information, see Teaching With Documents Lesson Plan: The Fight for Equal Rights: Black Soldiers in the Civil War.

So they essentially freed the slaves just in time to help with the war efforts due to dwindling volunteers or am I reading too far into this...

a reply to: chrismarco

I just can't believe the South finally won the war. All the blue states donate more money to the treasury than they receive. All the red southern states receive huge amounts more socialism from the treasury. It's funny how the people who are the most outspoken against socialism turn out to be the ones who benefit from it the most!

a reply to: dfnj2015

We live on a real crazy rock...

Did not know about that little tidbit with Tubman, thanks for that.

S+F

The 1st Louisiana Native Guard (CSA) was formed in 1861 consisting of free persons of color. Many members of the regiment, consisting of 1,500 men, came from wealthy prominent free-black families in Louisiana.

African-American scholars from Ervin Jordan and Joseph Reidy to Juliet Walker and Henry Louis Gates Jr. estimate that between 3,000 and 6,000 served as Confederate soldiers. Another 100,000 or so blacks, mostly slaves, supported the Confederacy. These estimates are based on sources written or published during the war.

originally posted by: chrismarco
I'm sure a few people on ATS were aware of this but it's part of history that I just learned about.


War Department General Order 143: Creation of the U.S. Colored Troops (1863)
The issues of emancipation and military service were intertwined from the onset of the Civil War. News from Fort Sumter set off a rush by free black men to enlist in U.S. military units. They were turned away, however, because a Federal law dating from 1792 barred Negroes from bearing arms for the U.S. Army. In Boston disappointed would-be volunteers met and passed a resolution requesting that the Government modify its laws to permit their enlistment.
The Lincoln administration wrestled with the idea of authorizing the recruitment of black troops, concerned that such a move would prompt the border states to secede. When Gen. John C. Frémont in Missouri and Gen. David Hunter in South Carolina issued proclamations that emancipated slaves in their military regions and permitted them to enlist, their superiors sternly revoked their orders. By mid-1862, however, the escalating number of former slaves (contrabands), the declining number of white volunteers, and the pressing personnel needs of the Union Army pushed the Government into reconsidering the ban.
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 President Lincoln presented the preliminary draft of the Emancipation Proclamation to his Cabinet. After the Union Army turned back Lee's first invasion of the North at Antietam, MD, and the Emancipation Proclamation was subsequently announced, black recruitment was pursued in earnest. Volunteers from South Carolina, Tennessee, and Massachusetts filled the first authorized black regiments. Recruitment was slow until black leaders such as Frederick Douglass encouraged black men to become soldiers to ensure eventual full citizenship. (Two of Douglass's own sons contributed to the war effort.) Volunteers began to respond, and in May 1863 the Government established the Bureau of Colored Troops to manage the burgeoning numbers of black soldiers.
Nearly 40,000 black soldiers died over the course of the war—30,000 of infection or disease. Black soldiers served in artillery and infantry and performed all noncombat support functions that sustain an army as well. Black carpenters, chaplains, cooks, guards, laborers, nurses, scouts, spies, steamboat pilots, surgeons, and teamsters also contributed to the war cause. There were nearly 80 black commissioned officers. Black women, who could not formally join the Army, nonetheless served as nurses, spies, and scouts, the most famous being Harriet Tubman, who scouted for the 2nd South Carolina Volunteers.
For additional information, see Teaching With Documents Lesson Plan: The Fight for Equal Rights: Black Soldiers in the Civil War.

So they essentially freed the slaves just in time to help with the war efforts due to dwindling volunteers or am I reading too far into this...

Entire movie on it called "Glory" in 1989. Starred a few little known actors you may have heard of like Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, & Matthew Broadrick

a reply to: chrismarco

It is a very interesting fact that oddly many don’t know about. They didn’t teach that when I was in school. I found out about it through documentation that I read after my schooling.
Must say it is crazy how the world works

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: chrismarco

I just can't believe the South finally won the war. All the blue states donate more money to the treasury than they receive. All the red southern states receive huge amounts more socialism from the treasury. It's funny how the people who are the most outspoken against socialism turn out to be the ones who benefit from it the most!

Ummm... the South? Really?

Dose of reality. As you may notice many of the southern states are a bit bluer than those Northern States.

originally posted by: infolurker

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: chrismarco

I just can't believe the South finally won the war. All the blue states donate more money to the treasury than they receive. All the red southern states receive huge amounts more socialism from the treasury. It's funny how the people who are the most outspoken against socialism turn out to be the ones who benefit from it the most!

Ummm... the South? Really?

Dose of reality. As you may notice many of the southern states are a bit bluer than those Northern States.

Trump has a lock on all the isolated rural areas. I would imagine with poor quality education, rampant racism and xenophobia. Two thumbs... Down!

a reply to: Edumakated

Great movie.

a reply to: chrismarco

So they essentially freed the slaves just in time to help with the war efforts due to dwindling volunteers or am I reading too far into this...

That is exactly what happened. And exactly the time frame Lincoln changed the war from The War of Succession to The Civil War.
Had to make it more popular with the folks in the North , as they had the short straw at that time.

a reply to: PorteurDeMort

Yes, please keep telling most of the nation that they are stupid racists! It is a great way to get votes.


LOL

a reply to: chrismarco

Keep in mind though that African Americans fought as irregular troops in the war of independence, often attached to companies in white units, they certainly were part of the Navy and privateers , some "patriots" volunteered their slaves in their stead, but there were tremendous apprehension of arming not only slaves but free blacks for obvious reasons
.the Brits on the other hand, created Armed units of Blacks both regular and irregular early on, for the exchange of freedom meant to disrupt the economy and provide man power , most of these eventually became Canadians and some went on to colonised Sierra Leon.
African Americans and the War for Independence


www.battlefields.org...

a reply to: Spider879

Thanks for the info