![]() In May 1861, three escaped enslaved men arrived in his camp seeking their freedom. Butler took command of Union forces near Fort Monroe, Virginia. However, several Union generals took matters into their own hands. For over a year, as Union losses mounted following the Battle of Bull Run and the Peninsula Campaign, the federal and state governments refused to enlist thousands of eager African Americans. National Archives and Records Administration Early DoubtsĮven after the outbreak of the Civil War in April 1861, the Lincoln administration and state governors were reluctant to recruit African Americans for service. Racial prejudice and a growing concern over slave rebellions not only prevented African American men from enlisting, but also suppressed the ability of African American veterans to receive proper recognition for their service.Ī Drummer in the 78th Regt., U.S. After the war, state and federal laws prohibited African Americans from continuing their valued service in the military. In the War of 1812, African American Soldiers fought alongside other units in the successful defense of New Orleans in 1815, and repulsed British attacks elsewhere while serving in both integrated and segregated units throughout the volunteer Army. In 1778, the 1st Rhode Island Regiment became the first majority-Black regiment in the nation’s history, and participated in the Siege of Boston, the Battle of Rhode Island, and the battle of Yorktown before war’s end. African American men served in state and private militias from the outset of the American Revolution. National Archives and Records Administration A Forgotten HistoryĪfrican American service in the United States military began long before the U.S. Colored Troops at Port Hudson, Louisiana circa 1864.
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