number of blacks in civil war, army and navy

Most African Americans serving with the Confederacy were considered part of the slave labor force.Īccording to, some of the slaves who accompanied their masters in battle took their place on the firing line and were adopted by the regiment. Harriet Tubman, known for her work with the Underground Railroad, was documented as assisting the Union army. Support positions during the Civil War often consisted of scouts and surveyors. The 1st Regiment was the first all-Black regiment from a Northern state to enter the Union army. These individuals served in over 160 units, with the highest numbers serving in the Navy and support positions.ĭuring the Civil War, Kansas was the first state to officially begin training and recruiting Black Soldiers, according to the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute.įrom July 1862 to October 1863, Fort Scott produced both the 1st and 2nd Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry Regiments. , a website created by the publisher of numerous magazines regarding history, shares statistics about their participation.Īccording to the site, more than 179,000 African Americans served in the Union forces, comprising approximately 10 percent. Armed Forces.ĭuring the Civil War, African American served on both sides of the war. The focus of this year's observance is 'African Americans in Times of War.'Īfrican Americans have defended the nation since the Revolutionary War, fighting in wars at home and abroad and serving in each branch of the U.S. The observance is also mandated by Public Law 99-244. Each February, we honor the contributions of African Americans throughout our nation's history with African American History/Black History Month.

Number of blacks in civil war, army and navy