War with in the Civil War
- Submitted by: jh3361
- Views: 735
- Category: History: American
- Date Submitted: 08/15/2010 10:43 PM
- Pages: 5
- Report this Essay
War With in the Civil War
Since my ancestors arrived in the United States, we have always been looked down upon and discriminated against. When the Slave runners first brought us to America, we were taken against our will, separated from our family’s and forced to work as laborers. We became less than dogs. We became slaves to the rich/greedy Americans. We were given no pay, little food and worked all day every day. If we did not obey we were badly whipped and beaten sometimes to death. Africans like myself have fought for our freedom, and up until the Civil War it was never given to us. When the Civil War began, we wanted to fight so we could free all slaves, in hopes that we could fight along side white men equally.
The road to freedom was long and hard for us. In the northern states the Civil War began as a fight against the succession of the Confederate states from the Union. Abraham Lincoln, who was President at this time, wanted to save the nation by bringing the southern states back to the Union, but ironically did not have much intention of freeing the slaves. His greatest interests lie in preventing a war from occurring. However, even Lincoln could not stop the outbreak of War.
Ex-slaves, myself and other African Americans wanted to get in on the action. We wanted to fight against those who had enslaved our people and our families. My brothers volunteered and tried to enlist, but everywhere they went they were rejected. The Americans believed that we lacked the courage to fight. They said that my people and I should not be enslaved. Even though we where slaves this country was all we know. We refused to give up our fight to defend our homeland as free Americans.
I think it was our pretence to fight; a lack of white men (solders), as well as constant changing circumstances, that eventually changed Lincoln's mind because he was being bombarded with pressure to let free African Americans fight in the war. Finally, in the summer of...
Since my ancestors arrived in the United States, we have always been looked down upon and discriminated against. When the Slave runners first brought us to America, we were taken against our will, separated from our family’s and forced to work as laborers. We became less than dogs. We became slaves to the rich/greedy Americans. We were given no pay, little food and worked all day every day. If we did not obey we were badly whipped and beaten sometimes to death. Africans like myself have fought for our freedom, and up until the Civil War it was never given to us. When the Civil War began, we wanted to fight so we could free all slaves, in hopes that we could fight along side white men equally.
The road to freedom was long and hard for us. In the northern states the Civil War began as a fight against the succession of the Confederate states from the Union. Abraham Lincoln, who was President at this time, wanted to save the nation by bringing the southern states back to the Union, but ironically did not have much intention of freeing the slaves. His greatest interests lie in preventing a war from occurring. However, even Lincoln could not stop the outbreak of War.
Ex-slaves, myself and other African Americans wanted to get in on the action. We wanted to fight against those who had enslaved our people and our families. My brothers volunteered and tried to enlist, but everywhere they went they were rejected. The Americans believed that we lacked the courage to fight. They said that my people and I should not be enslaved. Even though we where slaves this country was all we know. We refused to give up our fight to defend our homeland as free Americans.
I think it was our pretence to fight; a lack of white men (solders), as well as constant changing circumstances, that eventually changed Lincoln's mind because he was being bombarded with pressure to let free African Americans fight in the war. Finally, in the summer of...