FREE ESSAY ON THE MILITARY: AN IMPETUS FOR SOCIAL REFORM

THE MILITARY: AN IMPETUS FOR SOCIAL REFORM

The Military: An Impetus for Social Reform
Revolutionary War
The military since the Colonial Era has been an impetus for social reform in the United
States. The Revolutionary War afforded Black Americans an opportunity to escape from the
toils of slavery and fight for freedom. Some Black Americans even earned their freedom by
fighting for the Colonists, but still the freedom they fought for wasn't their own.
However, the military was responsible for the freedom of many slaves and some of these
freed slaves became legendary soldiers like Salem Poor. His performance in battle gave
credibility for future arguments about blacks being allowed to serve. 
In the colonial era slavery was permissible by law in every colony. Blacks were 20% of
the overall population of the 13 colonies and only 8% of them were free blacks
(www.history.org). Colonists commonly used African slave labor despite the question of
whether slavery was morally right. Life for blacks in the revolutionary period was one of
slavery and discrimination. Only 8 percent of blacks were free [Edgar A Toppin. "Blacks
in the American Revolution" (published essay, Virginia State University, 1976), p 1] and
this so-called freedom merely meant that they could own and defend property. They weren't
allowed to mingle with whites and were wholly segregated. Blacks during this 
time period worked predominantly in the fields planting and harvesting Tobacco. They
worked long hours and were likely to be sold at some point in their lives. This separated
families and kept morale very low. Plantation slaves were also subject to brutal
punishments because they weren't regarded as having high value. However, with the onset
of the Revolutionary War, the British invited blacks to join the British Army and in
return, they would receive their freedom. Thoughts of wholesale desertion of slaves to
the British regiments created a fear that swept throughout the colonies and led colonists
to allow blacks to fight for the local militias and even the army.
Serving in the Revolutionary War enabled many slaves to earn their freedom, but to their
dismay, not equality. Although blacks served in segregated units, the military gave them
opportunity to gain respect through acts of courage and valor. Black soldiers like Salem
Poor gained respect from white men. Lemuel Haynes used his military experience to fight
for abolition of slavery by writing the essay "Liberty Further Extended." This essay
speaks about inalienable rights for blacks and a natural rights argument against slavery
(Blacks in the American Army). The Revolutionary ideals also gave impetus to the
abolition of slavery in the North, but slavery became more entrenched in the south.
The military reverted to its policy disallowing blacks to serve once the war ended, with
the navy being the only exception. The reason the navy remained open to blacks was simply
due to necessity. The living conditions on the ships were so horrible that most white
males chose not to serve. During times of peace when large military units weren't
necessary blacks were systematically disqualified from service.
Civil War
The life of a Black American in the Civil War Era was a continuation of hardship from the
toils of slavery to the segregation of the free black man. The life of the slave during
the Civil War Era worsened since the Revolutionary War. The war took most able-bodied
white men away from the home, thus increasing the work for slaves. Male slaves were taken
from the plantations to support the Southern Army's war effort. Slaves were severely
beaten and worked long hard hours in the cotton fields. They were treated as property
rather than people and therefore very little medical attention was given to them. 
The onset of the American Civil War once again gave rise to the fear of wholesale
rebellion of slaves in the South. Politicians, however, were still reluctant to allow
blacks to serve. President Lincoln insisted the Civil War wasn't about freeing the
slaves, but rather to restore the Union (Africana.com/tt_202.htm.). Therefore, initially
the war was strictly a white man's 
war. However, influential people pressured the Union to allow blacks to fight. A
prominent black man, Frederick Douglas, complained, "Colored men were good enough to
fight under George Washington, but they aren't good enough to fight under McClellan."
(Blacks in the American Army). Social pressure alone wasn't enough to convince President
Lincoln to change the policy. As in the Revolutionary War, once all other efforts were
exhausted were blacks once again allowed to serve. In November of 1863 President Lincoln
signed the Emancipation Proclamation giving blacks their freedom and allowing them to
serve, but even then they were used mainly in support roles. The Emancipation
Proclamation didn't free all of the slaves, but before the end of the Civil War the 13th
Amendment freeing all slaves was added to the constitution.
The life of the black soldiers during the Civil War was one filled with discrimination
and hardship, but it also gave blacks the opportunity to prove themselves in combat.
Initially blacks were used strictly in support roles, but after the assault on Fort
Wagner in South Carolina black regiments were given more opportunity in combat
(Africana.com/tt_202.htm). Although black regiments were paid at a lower rate than white
regiments, the military was a bastion of opportunity. Black Americans proved themselves
time and again in combat, earning the respect of their (white) peers. Martin Robison
Delany became the first black field officer and Elizabeth Bowser served as a Union spy in
the 
Confederate White House in Richmond (Africana.com/tt_202.htm). However, perhaps the most
important consequence of military service was the education of former slaves. Many former
slaves learned to read and write during the terms in service and they also learned to be
leaders. The war gave Black Americans confidence in themselves and their abilities. The
opportunities found in the military couldn't be found anywhere in the rest of society. 
Michael King