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The University of North Carolina Press
440 pp., 6.125 x 9.25, 16 illus., 5 maps, notes, bibl., index
Civil War America
North Carolina's Black Soldiers in the Civil War Era
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.
"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
"Well researched, written, and annotated. . . . A most welcome addition to the growing body of literature about the military service of African Americans during the Civil War."
--The Journal of America's Military Past
"Outstanding. . . . Provides an invaluable window on the black experience in the Civil War era."
--The 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
"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
Cloth: $40.00
© 2009 The University of North Carolina Press
116 South Boundary Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-3808
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