Military Service

“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 pocket, and there is no power on the earth or under the earth that can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship.”

Frederick Douglass, April 6, 1863

 

The Emancipation Proclamation triggered the formation of the United States Colored Troops.  By the end of the war, more than 186,000 African Americans joined the U.S. armed forces.  Of these, an estimated 93,542 black soldiers were former slaves who understood firsthand the nation’s fight for freedom.  Even as black soldiers fought and died, their citizenship status remained uncertain.  Racist policies limited opportunities for black soldiers to become line officers and paid them lower wages than whites.

Butler Medal (NMAAHC)

After the Battle of New Market Heights, General Benjamin F. Butler commissioned a medal of honor to be awarded to African American soldiers for bravery.  Officially known as the Army of the James Medal, these are the only U.S. medals designed specifically for African American troops. 

USCT commission for Richard Andrews, First Lt. A273 (NMAAHC)

 

As one of roughly 110 African Americans to serve in the Civil War, 1st Lt. Richard Andrews participated in the battles of Pierson Farm, Petersburg, and Chapin’s Farm in Virginia.  He was promoted to captain on October 21, 1864, before being severely wounded in battle