African American Soldier in the Civil War: USCT 1862-66

Description

Approximately 200,000 African Americans fought for the Union during the Civil War. Initially, many white soldiers doubted their bravery and skill; they were soon proved wrong. The United States Colored Troops performed countless acts of courage, most famously at the battle of Fort Wagner where the 54th Massachusetts marched forth and scaled the parapets, only to be driven back in fierce hand-to-hand combat. Through fascinating first-hand accounts, this title examines the journey of the African American from slave to soldier to free man, ultimately providing a fascinating insight into the impact that these brave men had on the war and how it influenced their lives thereafter.

Mark Lardas is an amateur historian, who has written extensively about naval, maritime, and military history subjects of a varied nature. He has a particular enthusiasm for the American Civil War and has spent much time researching the lives of the troops during the conflict. His previous titles for Osprey include WAR105: Native American Mounted Rifleman 1861-65. He lives and works in League City, Texas, USA. Peter Dennis was born in 1950. Inspired by contemporary magazines such as Look and Learn he studied illustration at Liverpool Art College. Peter has since contributed to hundreds of books, predominantly on historical subjects. He is a keen wargamer and modelmaker. He is based in Nottinghamshire, UK

"This excellent new military history is a recommended pick for any specialty collection strong in in-depth coverage." --Library Bookwatch (July 2007) "This brief study examines the USCT experience, from recruiting and training to camp life and the troops' performance in battle. The presentation is largely in the form of the troops' own words, in the form of extracts from their memoirs and oral histories, many of which are from the 'Slave Narratives' collected by the Federal Writers' Project in the 1930s...For those interested in pursuing the topic, there is a helpful list of further reading and a summary of museum and web site resources." --Doug C. Bister, Military Trader Magazine