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Example research essay topic: African Americans In The Civil - 1,246 words

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... Being allowed to prove themselves in an engagement was now the greatest challenge African Americans faced. Robert Shaw of the 54 th Massachusetts demanded that his regiment be given the opportunity to engage in battle and not just the menial tasks assigned to them (Fincher). Many other commanders also demanded the same things for their troops. They believed their regiment had been well trained and prepared for battle.

The black soldiers were eager to prove that they were not different then the white soldier in battle. Finally they were given the opportunity to prove their abilities. In a battle at Port Hudson, Louisiana on May 27, 1863, African American soldiers advanced on open ground (History of African-Americans in the Civil War). They faced heavy, deadly artillery fire.

Their attack had failed, but they had proven their willingness and ability to hold their ground and withstand the heat of battle. On July 17, 1863, the 1 st Kansas Colored, a regiment said to be the first African American infantry to fight in the Civil War, fought at Honey Springs, in what is now Oklahoma (Carle). Union troops under General James Blunt ran into a strong Confederate Force under General Douglas Cooper& # 8230; . The 1 st 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 Confederates broke and ran (History of African-Americans in the Civil War). The regiment had shown their ability to hold off the Confederates attacks. Later General Blunt commented that the African Americans made better soldiers than some of the white troops he had commanded.

African Americans had proved themselves to be equal to the whites in their ability to fight. The massacre at Fort Pillow, Tennessee on April 12, 1864, was probably the bloodiest battle the African-Americans took part in (History of African-Americans in the Civil War). General Nathan Bedford Forrest led Confederate troops and held the fort. The fort held 557 black soldiers and a unit of white Tennessee unionist. & # 8230; they stormed the fort, then butchered as many as three hundred of its disarmed defenders, black and white. '& # 8230; deluded Negroes would run up to our men, ' a rebel soldier recalled, 'fall upon their knees& # 8230; scream for mercy, but were ordered to their feet and shot down' (Ward 335) Though the casualties were many the bravery of the black men who died in this bloodbath was apparent. This tragedy gave many other African Americans the motivation to continue and for many the battle cry had become 'Remember Fort Pillow!' ; (History of African-Americans in the Civil War). In the Battle of Market Heights, Virgina, the African-American division of the Eighteenth Corps, charged up the slopes for an hour-long engagement, after having been pinned down for 30 minutes.

During this encounter the division lost many men, but they continued the battle. Of the seventeen men to receive Congressional Medals of Honor, fourteen of them received the honor as a result of their courage in the Battle of Market Heights (History of African-Americans in the Civil War). This battle once again the determination, bravery, and passion of the African American troops. Perhaps the most famous battle fought by an African American troop was the battle at Fort Wagner by the 54 th Massachusetts.

It was the battle that proved the true bravery of the black soldiers. On July 18, 1863, the regiment, led by Col. Robert Gould Shaw, moved in slowly until the signal to engage came (Fincher). All six hundred men charged the fort. The color bearer fell almost immediately and orders to withdraw were given (Allen 226).

However, Sergeant William Carney refused to let that be the end and he carried the colors despite the orders and the multiple bullet wounds to his chest, arms, and legs (Ward). The regiment continued their attack. When the battle had ended, less then 60 % returned (Ward). The battle had been unsuccessful. However, the 54 th Massachusetts had become heroes. 'It is not too much to say that if this Massachusetts 54 th had faltered had faltered when its trail came, 's aid the New York Tribune, 'two hundred thousand troops for whom it was a pioneer would never have put into the field& # 8230; & # 8230; But it did not falter. It made Fort Wagner such a name for the colored race as Bunker Hill has for ninety years to the white Yankees' (Ward 248).

They had fought in a battle that indisputably showed the blacks courage and ability. Because of the proven ability of African American in combat by the Union, the Confederate Sates began contemplating the idea of using them in battle themselves (Smith 329). The performance of the Union black soldiers had impressed many of the Southern officers. They began petitioning the idea, but Jefferson Davis, the Confederate President, rejected the idea. In later months talk began to stir in the southern states again about the idea of using slaves in the war. '& # 8230; the Confederate cause grew increasingly desperate and finally even Judah Benjamin, the Confederate secretary of state, was won over to the necessity of making soldiers out of slaves'; (Smith 329 - 330). Enlistment began, though not many enrolled to fight for the southern states.

Slaves were told they would be given their freedom in return for their service. The war ended before those who had enlisted were given the opportunity to engage in a battle. According to Smith, when the last bullet had flown, 178, 985 African Americans had fought hard and proudly to free the slaves and save their country. Just over 7100 had been commissioned as officers. They had 449 engagement and had fought hard in 39 major battles.

Enlisted in the navy were 29, 000 black soldiers. Almost 68, 200 African Americans were listed dead or missing. Congressional Medals of Honor were given to 17 soldiers (329). When the war had ended, the country would once again be united as one nation. African Americans had won their freedom and the end of slavery had finally come. When the Union troops marched into the Confederates capital they were led by the black detachments from the XXV Corps (Fincher).

It was a proud moment that would never be forgotten. African Americans had won their own war. They had successfully fought for their rights to fight along side white soldiers and had won equal rights as soldiers. Though the road to equality would last well into the next century, blacks had proven themselves to be worthy opponents in battle. They had shown the nation that they too could fight bravely and hold their ground. Because of this, their ability to fight as soldiers would never be questioned again.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, Thomas B. The Blue and the Gray. Washington DC: National Geographic Society, 1992. 'Black Soldiers, Union'; . The American Civil War: A Multicultural Encyclopedia. Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier Education Corp, 1994. Carle, Green L. 'The First Kansas Colored'; : American Heritage. 43 Feb/March 1992: 78.

Fincher, John. 'The Hardest Fight was Getting into the Fight at All'; : Smithsonian. 21 Oct 1989: 46 'History of African-Americans in the Civil War. '; (April 14, 1999) Smith, Page. Trail by Fire: A People's History of the Civil War and Reconstruction. USA: McGraw Hill Book Company, 1982. Ward, Geoffrey C. The Civil War. NewYork: Alfred A Know Inc, 1990.


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Research essay sample on African Americans In The Civil

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