Posted on 08/25/2010 7:20:44 AM PDT by Michael Zak
On this day in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln (R-IL) authorized his Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, to "arm, uniform and receive into the service of the United States such number of volunteers of African descent as you may deem expedient." African-Americans had already been serving aboard U.S. Navy ships.
During the Civil War, 210,000 African-Americans, three-quarters being southerners, served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy.
Black privates also got paid $9/mon vs. $13/mon for whites. Blacks also served in the CSA Army, initially as servants, later as soldiers. For them it was a matter of homeland over politics.
The pay of African-American soldiers in the U.S. Army was raised to the salary of whites within a year or so. One of the reasons African-Americans were initially paid less was that they were not expected to serve in combat. Soon enough, African-American troops proved their fighting valor.
Until March 1865, Confederate law expressly forbade African-Americans in the rebel army, though slaves were indeed forced to dig trenches, drive mules, attend to their masters in camp, etc.
And a Democrat POTUS 50+ years later removed African Americans from combat units, disbanding the Buffalo Soldiers and segregated Blacks serving in the federal government’s bureaucracy. Woodrow Wilson.
And a Democrat POTUS 50+ years later removed African Americans from combat units, disbanding the Buffalo Soldiers and segregated Blacks serving in the federal government’s bureaucracy. Woodrow Wilson.
Here we go again...
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig2/lincoln-arch.html
despite the facts of the matter being available to all, the band strikes up that old familiar tune first heard in the public squares and public “schools” of America...
I always have to laugh when I see people using the term “African American” as if it refers to someone’s skin color.
Also when it's used to describe any black individual, regardless of his nationality.
"Dated November 7, it declared "all indented Servants, Negroes, or others (appertaining to Rebels,) free that are able and willing to bear Arms, they joining his MAJESTY'S Troops, as soon as may be, for the more speedily reducing this Colony to a proper Sense of their Duty, to his MAJESTY'S Crown and Dignity"
The American Side:
The Continental Army wanted long-term soldiers who served wherever needed, an unappealing prospect for Virginians at a time of heightened slave unrest and the threat of wholesale desertion of their black property to the British. "The lottery-based draft law enacted in May 1777 greatly increased the number of blacks in the Virginia Line. Free blacks were the first to be called up, as Virginia tightened the enforcement of the draft. "It was thought that they could best be spared," Governor Thomas Nelson informed George Washington.
General Washington himself had opened the door for African-Americans in his general orders of January 12, 1777, in which he instructed recruiters to "enlist none but Freemen," the implication being that the recruit could be black just as long as he was free."
hmmmm.....
Battle of Bunker Hill-"The battle's unlikely hero was apparently a figure named Salem Poor. A 27-year-old freed slave, Poor joined the Massachusetts militia in time to face down the British on top of Bunker Hill and fatally wounded a British colonel during the battle. Afterwards, more than a dozen Colonial officers cited him for extraordinary bravery. "A Negro Man Called Salem Poor ... behaved like an Experienced Officer, as Well as an Excellent Soldier," they wrote. Poor was the only soldier at the battle to be singled out for such praise, but the specifics of his exploits are frustratingly out of reach - "to Set forth Particulars of his Conduct," the officers wrote with no regard for history, "would be Tedious." nuf said First death in American Revolution "Some historians consider the escaped slave, Crispus Attucks, the first casualty of the American Revolution. He was killed in the "Boston Massacre," March 5, 1770. A total of five men were killed at that "event." Four died at the site, one died several days later." wikianswers, militarydiscovery.com,americanrevolution.org
Sorry about what?
sorry for the missing missive-
one of the retired black Continental Army soldiers, "The Prince", had a bar `n boarding house just up the street from me, and a beach house with a view on the lake , to boot, 1791-
These black soldiers fought in non-segragated units side-by-side with everyone else as they did for the British as freemen in 1755-1759 French and Indian War--
The Prince evidently was a veteran of both wars, serving as Robert Rogers` slave who ecaped twice west from Mrs. Rogers in New Hampshire to New York-
So these black soldiers already knew how to fight.
it`s in my book
Thanks. When the Civil War began, there had been no African-Americans in the U.S. Army for decades.
Lincoln also believed in the inferiority of blacks and demanded they not be allowed into Illinois nor to marry whites. Lincoln was a racist.
It was the Democrats who passed the law barring African-Americans from Illinoios.
Dunmore’s proclamation of 1775 is the reason for the line in the Declaration of Independence which says “He has excited domestic Insurrections amongst us...”
Isn’t Lew Rockwell Cindy Sheehan’s pal? No thanks, I’ll stick with real history and stay away from such neo-Confederate Lincoln-hating nonsense.
no sweat...It was untended for others who know who they are...
Please name me one person living during the period who would not be considered a racist by today's standards? Lincoln believed slavery was wrong. Lincoln believed that blacks were entitled to the exact same God given rights outlined in the Declaration of Independence that whites were. Those alone places him head and shoulders over virtually any Northern leader you care to name. And every Southern one.
The Illinois Butcher™ had to, he was running out of Irish conscripts and needed fresh meat for his cleaver.
Really? Lew Rockwell is pals with Cindy Sheehan? Do you have a link?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.