The Strategic Importance of Colored Soldiers in the Civil War

This book reviews the history and accomplishments of Black soldiers during the Civil War. Black soldiers played a pivotal role in the strategy, prosecution, and ultimate conclusion of the War. Their introduction into the United States Armed Forces became possible after the Militia Act of 1862 and the Emancipation Proclamation. The Militia Act of 1862 authorized the enlistment of Negroes as laborers in the North. The Emancipation Proclamation authorized arming Negroes for combat. The more than 181,000 blacks that served with the United States Colored Troops during the Civil War helped turn the tide in favor of the Union. However, this book focuses on the service and accomplishments of the Fifty-Fourth Massachusetts Infantry Volunteers (Colored).