Black Soldiers in the US Military During the Civil War - National Archives

Title

Description

By the end of the Civil War, approximately 179,000 Black men served in the Union Army and 19,000 served in the Navy. Nearly 40,000 black soldiers died during the war.

Educational Resources and Primary Sources:

Preserving the Legacy of the U.S. Colored Troops
Treatment of Black POWs
Compiled Service Records
Frederick Douglass's Sons
Equal Pay for Black Soldiers
Medal of Honor: Sgt. William Carneya

Source

https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/blacks-civil-war

Collection

Primary and Secondary Sources

Citation

“Black Soldiers in the US Military During the Civil War - National Archives,” Fairfax County African American History Inventory, accessed October 24, 2026, https://fairfaxaahi.centerformasonslegacies.com/items/show/467.