African Americans in the Civil War
by Krysta CardinaleMany people would be surprised to learn that a staggering amount of military intelligence for the Union army came not from trained detectives or military operatives but from mostly poor, uneducated African Americans in the Civil War who risked it all to aid the Union cause.
Records of African Americans in the Civil War detailing the exploits of these brave men and women are sparse, with few having survived the nearly 150 years since the outbreak of the worst conflict ever to touch down on American soil. Though many of the names and faces have faded and some never uncovered at all, many tales have morphed into Civil War legend and folklore. There is no doubt, however, that African-Americans made a sizeable impact on the course of the war through their efforts as Union spies and informants.
Known as black dispatches, these undercover operatives were usually freed or runaway slaves. Through their efforts, these black spies provided the Union with intelligence gathered through covert operations conducted behind Confederate lines. Many would go undercover to gather information on the enemy and its plans for the war. Given the circumstances they worked under and the risk involved in what they did, the small, surviving list of spies and Union intelligence contributors is significant.
Two such spies managed to infiltrate Confederate president Jefferson's Davis' inner circle by securing jobs in his "White House." Many crossed Confederate lines after risking their lives to leave the South and re-entered slavery to gather information. One of the most famous Union operatives, Harriet Tubman saw action as a battalion leader, providing the Union with invaluable intelligence through her combination of smarts and cunning.
In an age of extreme racism, most Union generals understood and appreciated the value of black intelligence and even recruited blacks to serve on spy missions. The phenomenon crossed over Confederate lines as well, with Confederate General Robert E. Lee himself aware of the occurrences in the Union.
Although those in the upper echelons of Southern military intelligence were aware of the use of black spies in the North, that did not stop many from openly discussing sensitive military policy matters in front of African-Americans (much information was gathered this way). The culture of slavery in the South made it such that blacks were offered little attention by whites, allowing them to come and go quite easily. Black servants in white households were paid no more mind than the furniture, enabling them to easily spy on private conversations or even openly be in the room as the conversations were taking place.
African Americans in the north during the Civil War both free and runaway slaves joined the Union army. There were 163 units total. In the Union Navy, there were even more enlisted African Americans. In September 1862, the Emancipation Proclamation was the official enrollment of African Americans in the Civil War. Even though African Americans in the north during the Civil War were free, they were still victims of racism and equality issues. In the army, the black soldiers struggled to gain equal pay and treatment. Despite the rulings of Congress, it was very hard for blacks to be considered valuable by white soldiers and officers. The brigades of African Americans were entirely black and were considered fearful and unskilled. However, in October 1862 the soldiers of the “1st Kansas Colored Volunteers” proved the stereotype otherwise. These men denied the Confederate attacks at the “Battle of Island Mound” in Missouri. After the victory and less than a year later there were fourteen black brigades armed and ready to fight. The most famous of all battles by African Americans in the Civil War was the assault on Fort Wagner, South Carolina. The all-black 54th Massachusetts corps volunteered to lead the attack on July 18, 1863. The highly protected Confederate fort was scaled by these black soldiers; the only thing driving them back was a tough hand-combat fight once over the walls.
African Americans After the Civil War
African American contributions made to the Union intelligence began a gradual fade-away after the war due to a number of circumstances. Firstly, despite the emancipation of slaves, racism and prejudice was still rampant in America. It made it more feasible for many who would have downplayed the efforts of African-Americans, if they denied recognizing the blacks at all. In relation to this, it can be assumed that many spies were reluctant to have their identities revealed even after their contributions to the war had long passed. This was perhaps most true during the postwar years, when many free blacks lived in close proximity to people still loyal to the South.
In addition, a simple lack of official records wiped the African American contributions off the map altogether. Many of the documents outlining intelligence events were deliberately destroyed in an effort to protect those involved. The Confederate army deliberately destroyed all its intelligence records and counterintelligence documents explicitly naming Union spies in 1865 in one such effort. Washington also turned over many of the intelligence files it amassed during the war to the men and women involved leading them to become lost or destroyed over time.
Word-of-mouth recollections from those involved are some of the most powerful remnants of African American contributions to Union intelligence during the Civil War. While these stories are difficult to substantiate at best, they are all that remains of a significant facet of American history and while many names have been lost over time, nine have withstood the years.
African Americans after the Civil War had only more struggles to face in their push for equality. Even though the “Civil War Amendments” were added to the Constitution, the era of Jim Crow laws prevented almost all blacks from voting. The African Americans after the Civil War felt the repercussions of the failed Reconstruction period for the next century of segregation and unequal treatment. It was not until the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s that had any real change towards equality and finally saw the legal end of segregation.
