Tag Archives: African American soldiers

“I Objected”: A Black Mother Takes a Stand Against Coerced Enlistment

Posted on August 15, 2020 by ECW Guest Post

ECW welcomes guest author Brendan Hamilton “You never told me that you was going to enlist my son, either in the army or navy. When I met you, you said you had thought of doing it, and I objected to … Continue reading →

Posted in Common Soldier | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

“Freedom!” Their Battle-Cry: 1863 Poetry For African American Soldiers

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Sarah Kay Bierle

Poetry has many form and uses, and this writing form has legendarily been used to celebrate heroes. Some of the earliest epics in World History – Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey – were crafted in poetry form. Through meter, rhythm, and … Continue reading →

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Slaves and Sailors in the Civil War

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Dwight Hughes

The enlistment of African Americans as soldiers in the United States Army during the Civil War is a well-examined topic, but less appreciated is the story of freedmen and former slaves as sailors in the navy. Wartime experiences of these … Continue reading →

Posted in Navies, USCT | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Cosmopolitanism of the Union Army: What Did It Mean?

Posted on April 8, 2016 by Matt Stanley

I was recently assessing the demographic makeup of Union and Confederate armies in my Civil War and Reconstruction class when one of my students asked a thought-provoking question: “What percentage of the Union Army was northern, white, English-speaking, and native-born?” … Continue reading →

Posted in Armies, Common Soldier, USCT | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments