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The Black Phalanx: African American Soldiers In The War Of Independence, The War Of 1812, And The Civil War

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Joseph T. Wilson was a soldier in the Civil War who was wounded at the Battle of Olustee. This 1885 book is his history about the struggle for liberty by the Colored Troops, and remains a storehouse of information. Wilson was born in Virginia and educated in New Bedford Mass. After working on a whaling ship he joined the US Navy. Later he traveled to New Orleans and enlisted in the Second Louisiana Native Guard regiment during the Civil War. Wilson collected material for his future history. After his discharge he worked for the Secret Service, the Internal Revenue Service, then Customs. He was active in the Republican Party in Virginia during Reconstruction. Colored Troops were organized in South Carolina, Louisiana, and Kansas. Wilson's book remains an authentic record of that era. It has a table of contents but no index.

Part I has a chapter on "The War of 1775". This history has never been written before. Wilson searched the early histories, literature, and biographies. They were few in number because the war was in the North. The Continental Association banned the import of slaves (p.23). Free Negroes were part of the army (p.31). The British offered freedom to slaves who joined the British army (p.43). After the war Virginia emancipated slaves who had served as soldiers (p.50). American historians have generally omitted the Negroes who were in the Continental army. Chapter 2 is about "The War of 1812". Three of the sailors taken from the `Chesapeake' were Negro natives of America (p.73). General Andrew Jackson recruited soldiers from the Free Colored of Louisiana for the same bounty in money and land as white soldiers (p.81). The state of New York did the same (p.83). They fought in the Battle of New Orleans (p.86) and Sacket's Harbor (p.88).

Part II covers "The War Between the States". Chapter 1 describes the prejudice against the colored races by white people. Negroes and Indians were not enlisted in white regiments (p.94). Negroes were readily accepted in the Navy, as ever (p.103). The "U.S. Colored Troops" were started in May 1863 (p.125). Regiments were organized in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Negro regiments were begun in 1862 South Carolina to reinforce the Federal troops (p.146). Major General David Hunter's letter explains this (p.152). The threat of reprisals prevented execution of captured Union officers. They needed experienced officers for the Negro regiments (p.169). In time non-commissioned officers came from the ranks (p.175). The chapters tell abgout battles in the Gulf, the Frontier, the South, and the Cumberland region.

Chapter X tells about the atrocities where surrendered US troops, both black and white, were shot and killed. If they were captured they would not be exchanged (p.374). The victories by the Black Phalanx showed their devotion to liberty and the flag (Chapter XI). This chapter described the battles in Virginia. Intrenched forces defended against assaults (p.393). Chapter XII names the enlisted men who received Medals of Honor for heroism from the US Government. Chapter XIII lists the many regiments of the Black Phalanx (pp.464-480). The most interesting is Chapter XIV, "The Confederate Service". In April 1861 the free Negroes of New Orleans organized a battalion with officers of their own race (p.481). [Wilson doesn't say that Louisiana kept the civil law inherited from France.] Other states recruited "persons of color" (p.483); they worked as Pioneers or Sappers building fortifications. Many would escape to the Union lines. General R. E. Lee recommended employing Negro troops and their emancipation in January 1865 (p.488). It was too late (p.493). Part III "Miscellany" tells of education, benevolence, and has the Bibliography.