A Grand Army of Black Men: Letters from African-American Soldiers in the Union Army, 1861-1865 (review)

354CIVIL WAR HISTORY and scenes of cities and countryside in only slightly greater number. The portraits include such luminaries as Grant, Sherman, Halleck, and Pemberton, but mostly a host of unknown common soldiers, both Union and Confederate , peer out at the reader. The authors' criterion for inclusion was Mississippi residence or participation in a battle within the state. The authors say their aim is to show the human side of war, but posed photographs of individuals are, unfortunately, not the most effective way to do that. The authors could, however, only reproduce what is available. Photographs available for the eastern theater simply do not exist in the same quantity for the west. So, though the authors dug widely and deeply, their finds were necessarily limited. Specialists in Mississippi history will find these photographs of some interest, but Civil War generalists will be better advised to stick to Miller's and Davis's multivolumes. John F. Marszalek Mississippi State University A Grand Army ofBlack Men: Lettersfrom African-American Soldiers in the Union Army, 1861-1865. Edited by Edwin S. Redkey. (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Pp. xix, 302. $49.95.) The Civil War provided black men with the opportunity to fight to preserve the Union and for the freedom of millions of slaves. These men hoped that as a result of participating in the war they and their race would be the beneficiaries of equality and citizenship. The decision by the United States government to use black soldiers was both controversial and revolutionary. However, by the end of the conflict, nearly 200,000 of them had taken up arms against the Confederate nation. Although the great majority of black troops were untutored, thousands were literate and many of them penned letters to family, friends, and newspaper editors. Edwin S. Redkey notes in the preface of GrandArmy ofBlack Men that these 1 29 letters written by African American troops were selected because they "give the reader a broad sample " (xii) of their experiences in the Union army and address a variety of issues which affected them. The letters in this collection were originally published in black and abolitionist newspapers during the war. These writings make numerous observations of the black soldiers' performance in combat, excessive fatigue duty, long hours ofentrenchment work, unequal pay, and inferior food and medical attention. Many of the letters were emotional, especially when relating to casualties , loneliness, homesickness, and thoughts of loved ones left behind. The letters reveal that the soldiers admired Abraham Lincoln and became filled with grief upon learning of his assassination. They provide vivid descriptions of moments of bravery and triumph as well as cowardice and defeat. Though drudgery dominated the lives of black soldiers, festive occasions such as the celebration of victories and holidays were frequent occurrences. BOOK REVIEWS355 The African American soldiers wrote passionately about the omnipresence of racial injustice, which was their constant companion. Since racism had permeated virtually every aspect of military life, their treatment was egregious , whether prisoners of war or part of an occupying force. Black troops not only had to fight the enemy, but to endure prejudice as well. Many of them understood that the Northern army was a microcosm of American society . Despite attempts by abusive white officers and soldiers to break their spirits, black troops maintained a sense of racial pride. Moreover, they did not hesitate to criticize white commanders they considered ineffective or racist . A clear picture emerges from this engaging volume of letters of the roles, fears, hopes, and disappointments of black soldiers. Redkey has done an outstanding job of editing so as not to alter the texts or meaning of the letters. His excellent introduction to each chapter of letters places them within the context of the war. The editor provides a brief description of each entry that includes the author's name, military rank, unit affiliation, date, the purpose of writing, and the newspaper in which the letter first appeared. The addition of explanatory footnotes to identify individuals, places, events, or phrases lends clarity to the work. A Grand Army ofBlack Men adds significantly to the literature of the Civil War and is a fascinating account of military life in the...