In 1862 -- a year into the Civil War -- most Americans believed that blacks did not have the courage, intelligence, or discipline to make combat soldiers. But by war¿s end, more than 175,000 African Amer. had served in the Union Army. From the first actions along the Mississippi River to the celebrated attack on Ft. Wagner to the final skirmishes of the war, black troops more than proved their courage. Yet after the war, the role they played in ending slavery was largely ignored or forgotten. This book recounts the complete, battle-by-battle history of these soldiers, beginning with the first unofficial ex-slave regiments and the push to organize all-black federal regiments. ¿Offers a richly textured and unforgettable account of African-Amer.

soldiers in battle.¿ Ill.