Freedom for Themselves: North Carolina's Black Soldiers in the Civil War Era (Civil War America) [Hardcover]

Richard M. Reid (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0807831743 | ISBN-13: 978-0807831748 | Publication Date: February 1, 2008 | Edition: First Edition

More than 5,000 North Carolina slaves escaped from their white owners to serve in the Union army during the Civil War. In Freedom for Themselves Richard Reid explores the stories of black soldiers from four regiments raised in North Carolina. Constructing a multidimensional portrait of the soldiers and their families, he provides a new understanding of the spectrum of black experience during and after the war.

Reid examines the processes by which black men enlisted and were trained, the history of each regiment, the lives of the soldiers' families during the war, and the postwar experiences of the veterans and their families living in an ex-Confederate state. By considering four regiments from a single state, Reid presents a cross section of a wide range of experiences and assesses what experiences proved largely universal among black troops. The full freedom they fought for and dreamed of having when the war ended did not materialize in their lifetimes, but Reid shows that many of them found in the army a kind of equality that was denied them in civilian life. The postwar benefits afforded to white veterans seldom crossed the color line. The accolades African American soldiers received, Reid demonstrates, came not from a new southern society, but from within their own communities, where black soldiers were seen and recognized as heroes.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A well-crafted and enlightening work that should prompt similar comparative studies on regiments from other states."
-The South Carolina Historical Magazine

"The importance of Reid's work is not that it reiterates the similar experiences of black soldiers, but displays their differences. . . . Gives historians an excellent comprehensive view with fresh insights of African Americans who served in the Union army."
-Louisiana History

"The first state study of African American soldiers in the Union army. . . . A very readable narrative. . . . Succeeds admirably."
-H-Net Reviews

"Will become essential reading for its scholarly audience--and it will probably fare well among popular readers."
-West Virginia History

"A richly detailed account. . . . Skillfully combines military and social history."
-The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society

"Informative, well-written, and has enriched the historical literature on African American men in the ranks of the Union army."
-Journal of Military History

"An excellent social history of North Carolina's African American regiments in the civil war. . . . Superb scholarship and a model for future state-level social histories of Civil War military service."
-Journal of American History

"The most thoughtful and thorough regimental history of the U.S. Colored Troops yet to appear. . . . Points the way toward state and regional studies as a fruitful approach to the history of black military participation in the Civil War."
-North Carolina Historical Review

"Informative . . . effectively synthesizes military and social history, extends our understanding of the challenges confronting African-American Civil War soldiers and veterans, and suggests future areas of investigation."
-Georgia Historical Quarterly

"Outstanding. . . . Provides an invaluable window on the black experience in the Civil War era."
-Journal of Southern History

"A valuable contribution to the growing body of literature on the African American experience during the Civil War era. . . . Yield[s] fresh insights into some neglected areas of the black soldiers' experience."
-American Historical Review

"The first state study of African American soldiers in the Union Army. . . . Promises new research possibilities beyond the traditional view of patriotic black troops sacrificing for the Union. . . . Recommended."
-CHOICE

"An admirable addition to our knowledge of a cross-section of black regiments."
-America's Civil War

"A welcome contrast to the usual regimental-level studies of Blacks in union uniforms."
-Multicultural Review

"Provides a new understanding of the spectrum of the black experience during the Civil War."
-Courier

"Expands the understanding of state soldiers. . . . Some fine illustrations; the bibliography lists major works on black soldiers in blue. . . . Recommended."
-Choice

"This well-researched and well-argued book should stand as the definitive history of North Carolina's four black regiments in the Civil War."
-John David Smith, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

About the Author

Richard M. Reid is associate professor of history at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. He is author of The Upper Ottawa Valley to 1855.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 440 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press; First Edition edition (February 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807831743
• ISBN-13: 978-0807831748
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,508,800 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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