Joining the Union Army | Educating with Evidence | SIU

Joining the Union Army Introduction

At the start of the war, most runaway slaves were classified as "contraband" and were to be returned to their owners. However, as the war progressed, some Union officers began using and enlisting these runaways. The Emancipation Proclamation marked a turning point, as it led to the active recruitment of former slaves, offering them freedom and honor. By the war's end, around 180,000 Black men, mostly former slaves from the South, served in the Union Army, making up about 10 percent of its forces. Among those who took this path to freedom were members of the Bostick family, who fled enslavement in the South and eventually settled in Southern Illinois – just south of Murphysboro. Their story reflects the broader experiences of African Americans who fought for the Union and sought new opportunities in the North after the war. 

Your Task: 

In this module, you will explore primary sources and complete activities related to the experiences of freedmen who were recruited to join the Union Army. As you go through each section, consider how the Bostick family's story compares to these broader national experiences.

As you read and complete tasks, consider the follow essential questions: 

1. To what extent does the broader national experience reflect or correspond with the Bostick story? 
2. Why did the Union Army’s approach to runaway slaves change over the course of the Civil War, and what factors influenced this change? 
3. How did the promise of freedom and military service shape the lives of freedmen like the Bosticks during and after the Civil War? 

Secondary Source: Michael Jones Unpublished Research

Thinking Like a Historian

Does the secondary source agree with the national narrative presented in the primary sources? Which primary source provides the best evidence for each claim made in the secondary source?

Directions:

Match each claim from the secondary source with the primary source that best supports it. Drag the primary source to the claim it aligns with most closely.