Introduction
As the affliction of the Civil War pressed on, slavery in the nation had decayed. The already passed Emancipation Proclamation, which had freed all slaves within rebel lines, was a huge factor that eased the suffering of the African Americans. "Convinced that freed slaves would not work on their own initiative, the U.S. government put some contrabands to work assisting the army. Their wages were well below those paind white citizens for the same work."[2] "Lincoln also announced that African Americans would be accepted into the navy and, more controversially, the army. Resistance to accepting black volunteers in the army remained especially strong in the Midwest."[2] Although black soldiers were treated inadequately in the forces, their presence in the war set a precedence of equality and freedom.
[1] Dutch Gap, Virginia. Picket station of Colored troops near Dutch Gap canal. Forms part of Brady Civil War Photograph Collection (Library of Congress). http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cwpb/01900/01930v.jpg
[2] [2] Davidson, Gienapp, Heyrman, Lytle, & Stoff. (2006). Nation of Nations. Boston: McGraw-Hill. pg.436-438.
