The Life of an African American Solider in the Civil War

The Life of an African American Solider in the Civil War

Early in the Civil War blacks from the north really wanted to be in the war to help end slavery. The army then rejected them because most of them believed the war was a "white man's war ". When the northern armies drove into the confederate's territory, that was when the slaves decided to flock to the Union camps. After being uncertain for a while, the union government finally allowed them to perform support services for the north. There was up to 200,000 blacks working as cooks, laborers, nurses,scouts, and spies for the union. Soon black leaders, such as former slave Frederick Douglass, thought of the war as road to emancipation ( freedom ) for the slaves. However, emancipation caused a lot of problems in the north. First of all, the constitution recognized slavery. Also most northerners were convinced of black inferiority. Even though they still opposed slavery. Northerners ...