Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation
On January 1, 1863 President Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation. There are several key points you will need to understand. First, it was issued by Lincoln in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy as a "necessary war measure". Secondly, when issued it did not immediately free a single slave. This is because its application was limited to those parts of North America which were still under the control of the armed forces of the Confederate States of America. Since the CSA believed itself to be an independent country it felt it was under no obligation to follow the Emancipation Proclamation. Many students may wonder why President Lincoln did not simply issue a decree (like a dictator or an absolute monarch) freeing all of the slaves in the United States, including the states in rebellion and the border states of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland and Missouri which had not seceded from the USA. The simple answer is that the President had no power to issue a proclamation to emancipate slaves generally. Such a measure would have been unconstitutional and at his inauguration he had taken an oath to uphold the Constitution. A decree purporting to free slaves generally would have had no effect as the USA was, and still is, governed by the rule of law. He could only do so insofar as it could be categorized as a "necessary war measure". To officially end slavery would require a constitutional amendment. Despite its limited application, the Emancipation Proclamation had two effects. First, it disrupted the agricultural economies of those States forming the Confederate States of America as slaves fled the plantations. Any slave that reached Union soldiers was considered “free”. Tens of thousands of slaves made their way to Union lines as Union forces invaded the South. The second effect was even more important in effecting the collapse of the Confederate States of America. The British and French governments had been very sympathetic to the Confederate States of America, as it was in their interests to have a weak USA. The Emancipation Proclamation, however, cast the USA in the role of the emancipator of slaves against the pro-slavery Confederate States of America. The USA was able to portray itself as the opponent of slavery and the Confederate States of America as the supporter of the institution. Public opinion in Great Britain and France sided with the USA, and the British and French governments soon followed suit. This meant that the British and French governments would not join sides with the CSA. The Confederate States of America found itself unable to import or manufacture sufficient ships, artillery and other heavy military equipment needed to fight the war. Demand for its exports (principally cotton) declined. This caused the CSA’s currency to collapse and it found it difficult to obtain credit. Thus, the Emancipation Proclamation hurt the South ecomonically.
African American Soldiers in the Civil War
In 1862, President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation opened the door for African Americans to enlist in the Union Army. Although many had wanted to join the war effort earlier, they were prohibited from enlisting by a federal law dating back to 1792. President Lincoln had also feared that if he authorized their recruitment, border states would secede from the Union. By the end of the war, approximately 180,000 African-American soldiers had joined the fight. In addition to the problems of war faced by all soldiers, African-American soldiers faced additional difficulties created by racial prejudice. Although many served in the infantry and artillery, discriminatory practices resulted in large numbers of African-American soldiers being assigned to perform non-combat, support duties as cooks, laborers, and teamsters. African-American soldiers were paid $10 per month, from which $3 was deducted for clothing. White soldiers were paid $13 per month, from which no clothing allowance was deducted. If captured by the Confederate Army, African-American soldiers in uniform were put to death. If African-Americans were caught helping the Union army and they were not in uniform they were sent back into slavery. In spite of their many hardships, African-American soldiers served the Union Army well and distinguished themselves in many battles. Of their service to the nation Frederick Douglass said, "Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letters U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pockets, and there is no power on earth which can deny that he has earned the right of citizenship in the United States." African-American soldiers comprised about 10 percent of the Union Army. It is estimated that one-third of all African Americans who enlisted lost their lives. Black regiments, commanded by white officers and designated U.S. Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) were quickly raised by the War Department following the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation. Often used as assault troops, the U.S.C.T. saw action in more than 400 engagements, 39 of which were major battles including Port Hudson, Louisiana; Fort Wagner, South Carolina; the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia; and Nashville, Tennessee. More than 9,000 black seamen in the U.S. Navy added to the Union's strength as did thousands of others who served in military support positions. Disease and combat wounds claimed almost 38,000 casualties in the Colored Troops, a large portion of the total number of men enrolled. The U.S. government awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, first issued during the Civil War to recognize gallant service, to 24 African Americans.