The Civil War was the most brutal and costly struggle in which American soldiers have ever been engaged. It was an experience that had psychological as well as physical effects on all soldiers who were involved. It was a war that changed men beyond recognition. It is clear that being a black soldier in the Civil War was a harsh and eye-opening experience in many ways, and the psychological effects of it were long-lasting on both the Union and Confederate troops. Affecting their lives long after the war ended.

In the beginning of the war white soldiers did not want blacks involved in soldiering and thought they were not mentally or physically strong enough to withstand the hardships. Despite the hostilities towards them, African-American soldiers “bore stiff with patience”, showing how they were willing to live with the hardships.

The Black regiment entered the war well after it had begun, thus they were all unprepared psychologically to meet the demands of the war. “Union side saw large numbers of Blacks enlisting in the army and joining what they saw as an adventure. Black men felt they were fighting as representatives for everyone in their communities at home and were el

As the war continued, hostility decreased as the white soldiers saw that blacks were both willing to fight and hoping for the same outcome as them. When African-Americans did become soldiers they were serving under white officers but in separate regiments from the white soldiers. They were given low levels of pay, left vulnerable to disease in unsanitary areas of camp, and held only “subservient roles” (Casner70). Despite this, the African-Americans perceived that serving in the military would lead to citizenship and it was therefore very important to them.

African-American soldiers were in the minority in the Union army. “The uniforms supplied to ‘Billy Yank’ were diverse, however by 1863 they had become standardized, which since led Union soldiers to be nicknamed “The Man in Blue”. This gave them a sense of unity and pride in their appearance” (History). They also felt a sense of importance; they were seen as important enough to be provided with good quality supplies and they felt superior. Adequate uniforms were just one example of the ability of the Union to provide material supplies for the Black soldiers. It shows better organization and how Union troops would have had higher self-esteem than Confederates due to feeling more important and cared for by their superiors. Thus there developed a difference in the treatment of troops between the Union and Confederacy. Although uniforms were only one aspect of their lives, they were important enough to give a black soldier in the Union army a sense of worth as a black soldier, and as a person, that Confederates would have lacked.

2000. ITD. 28 Mar. 2003 http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/history

As the war continued, the African American soldiers found it more difficult to cope with life in the camps. The troops had to deal with both boredom and extremely unpleasant experiences in areas where disease spread rapidly. As well as often turning to alcohol to relieve the boredom and to numb the harsh realities of war, many adopted a healthier way of passing the time by writing letters. Writing to their wives or girlfriends, friends and family was a way of relieving the boredom they all experienc

Some topics in this essay:
Americans”37 Black, Union Confederacy, Emancipation Proclamation, African American, Despite African-Americans, Union Confederate, Union Army, Civil War, African Americans, civil war, union troops, white soldiers, Gabriel United, black soldier, black soldiers, black union, black troops, confederate soldiers, war continued, african americans, white soldiers blacks, black union soldiers, americans civil war, black union troops, fellow white soldiers,