The Crucible 1861 - 1865

The War Between the States truly proved to be the forge for the Ebony Sword. Following the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, the door was truly opened for the many thousands of black men who wanted to FIGHT for their freedom! Upwards of 180,000 Blacks & Coloreds donned the uniform, & marched forth to serve the Union!! Though they were first scorned by their white comrades in arms, & considered fit only as laborers, they were soon enough able to prove their mettle. The gallant charge of the 54th Massachusetts at Fort Wagner, South Carolina, is perhaps the most heavily reported action, but there were numerous other actions in which the Black soldier more than proved that he could fight!! During the battle of New Market Heights, Virginia, in October, 1864, the men of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) perhaps enjoyed their greatest day of glory! During this battle, the Black soldiers of the Army of the James were awarded 14 Medals of Honor for their gallantry & bravery. Amidst all the glory, there was of course, the greatest sacrifice, & needless to say, many of these brave Black warriors fell on the field of battle, & did not live to see the nation reunited. The contributions of their women must also not be forgotten. The names such as Harriet Tubman, & Sojourner Truth, along with the many other thousands of anonymous women who supported & aided their men, must always be placed alongside those Black warriors who fought so well, & gave their all for the United States!! However, it must be said, that despite their now proven ability to fight, that once the war was ended, & the weapons of war had been put aside, the Ebony Sword once more slipped back into the sheath of obscurity Almost as the final act of contempt, not a single one of the 180,000 Black soldiers marched down the streets of Washington, D.C., during the Grand Review of the Union Army in May, 1865. Furthermore, as many as 10-15,000 USCT's who had signed 3 year enlistment contracts in 1864, WERE NOT immediately released from military service. Unlike their white comrades in arms who were pensioned almost as soon as the war had ended, these ebony warriors were sent to Texas to form XXV Corps, & most were not pensioned until 1867! One must wonder, if this might have been different ... had President Lincoln lived to see the day? Once more, they could only await the call to arms ... of a still yet ungrateful nation!! There is still yet another chapter of this period that we must explore. It is indeed a chapter that is even more forgotten than that of the USCT ... the saga of the Black Confederates!! Though they did not flock to the call as in the North, it s well documented that anywhere from 15 - 20,000 Black SOLDIERS took up arms to defend the Confederacy!! These were mostly freedmen, but there was still a large number of slaves who felt that the South was still their home, & when allowed to do so, even unofficially, they DID INDEED take up arms ... Depite their status!!!! The Louisiana Native Guard existed as a part ot the state militia for several years before the oubreak of war, at a strength of 2 organized Regiments of Infantry, as well as some supporting artillery units!! Though they did not see combat as an organized unit, the great majority of these men joined other Louisiana Regiments, & went off to fight for their state! The 37th Texas Cavalry Regiment is in particular a prime example of an organized unit, whose roster was filled with gallant black warriors fighting for the Confederate cause!! One can NEVER say that these men were forced to take up arms, as it is well documented that they were all volunteers! There are many"scholars" who would decry even the mere thought of a Black Confederate Soldier ... & they will say there were only servants & forced laborers!! The photos & stories will always prove these narrow-minded people to be totally incorrect, & we will not allow them to change history! However, we must always remember, that the memory of these Black warriors in gray is also quite sacred!! Many of them died as well, fighting for their beliefs ... & it does not matter what color was their unifom!! The Ebony Sword was unsheathed on both sides of the lines, & they both shed their precious blood for their homes & families!! HONOR BE TO THE FALLEN ... NO MATTER FOR WHICH SIDE THEY FOUGHT!!

Sergeant Powhatan Beaty, Medal of Honor Winner
5th Regiment U.S.C.T., Company G 1864
(National Park Service)

Sergeant Major Christian A. Fleetwood
Medal of Honor Winner
4th Regiment U.S.C.T. 1864
(National Park Service)

Lieutenant Henry O. Flipper, Class Of 1877
United States Military Academy, West Point
First Black Graduate of the Academy
(U.S. Army)

Regimental Colors, 10th Cavalry Regiment; Hand Made & Presented By the Ladies of the Regiment
(International Museum of the Horse)

Years of Expansion ... Years of Reknown
The Birth of the "Buffalo Soldiers"

The years following the War between the States were for the most part an expanding time for our nation, & the Ebony Sword was once again unsheathed, & moved Westward!! Many of the USCT volunteers had signed 3 year service contracts, that did not end with the cessation of the war. These USCT regiments were formed into the 25th Corps, & were moved to the Department of Texas in 1865. Most of these soldiers continued to serve in Texas, until their regiments were disenrolled in mid to late 1867. At the same time, two new regiments were formed in order to provide protection for the settlers in the untamed territories, the 9th & 10th Cavalry Regiments. These two regiments, along with several lesser known Infantry Regiments, would go on to perform stellar service for many years in the Western territories, & would bring popular acclaim to the term "Buffalo Soldiers". As the 19th century neared it's close, our nation was thrown into perhaps it first real "foreign" war, & the Ebony Sword was called on once again. The conflict with Spain fought in Cuba, & the Phillipines, caused the activation of 10 Regiments of Regular Infantry (USCT), & 6 Regiments of State Militia. Though the great majority of these Black soldiers did not see any combat, 2 of the regiments particularly distinguished themselves. The 10th cavalry Regiment won great notariety, for it's combat alongside the "Rough Riders", during the battles of San Juan, & Kettle Hills. The 24th Regiment USCT saw heavy fighting in the Phillipines, & was highly commended, receiving several distinguished unit citations before they were returned to the states. For the next few years, the Ebony Sword was not sheathed, but Black soldiers & sailors spent their time ensuring that the United States remained a world power.

previous page	Powered by MSN TV	next page