Notes on Frederick Douglass and African American Soldiers in the Civil War

Frederick Douglass' Call to Arms

• In March 1863, Frederick Douglass urged African Americans to join the fight against slavery and defend the government and liberty.
• Douglass emphasized the importance of African Americans fighting for their own freedom.

Legal Incentive to Enlist

• An act of Congress declared that African American soldiers who enlisted were "forever free," along with their mothers, wives, and children.
• Transition from slavery to soldiering: "trading shackles for uniforms."
• The opportunity to fight for the Union was seen as a chance to prove themselves as men.

Douglass' Family Involvement

• Douglass' sons, Charles and Lewis, enlisted in the Union Army.

Formation of African American Regiments

• General Butler was responsible for mustering the first African American federal regiments: the 1st and 2nd Louisiana Native Guards.
• Butler praised their intelligence, obedience, and esteem for their roles as soldiers.

Gordon's Story

• Gordon, a former slave, escaped from a Mississippi plantation and reached a Union camp in Louisiana.
• His decision to enlist exposed the brutality of slavery when photographs of his scarred back circulated, shocking the nation.

Impact of Abolitionists

• Abolitionists like Frederick Douglass used Gordon's story and images to highlight the cruelty of slavery.

Black Soldiers' Courage

• Black soldiers knew the stakes and were motivated to fight.
• The bravery of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, especially in the assault on South Carolina's Fort Wagner, was a notable example that inspired more African Americans to enlist.

Confederate Reaction

• The Confederates were outraged to see former slaves fighting for the Union, confronting them as equals on the battlefield.