African Americans and the Civil War Afloat

Bruns, former director of the Department of the Navy's museum system, gives us what is essentially an introductory look at the role of African Americans in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War, wrapped around an overview of life in the naval service and the navy's role in the conflict.  He draws upon personal accounts, official documents, newspaper reports, and other sources.

Unlike the Army, the Navy was always open to Black enlistees, some even rising to petty officer or other specialist ratings.  Bruns notes that about 18,000 Black men served in the Navy, about a third of total personnel, and that African Americans were particular numerous later in war.  Most ships had a few Black crewmen, and on the western rivers some were almost entirely crewed by African Americans, many recruited from plantations along the waterways.

Bruns offers us many vignettes showing Black men under fire, and gives us profiles of some, notably Robert Smalls, who "stole" a ship from the Confederacy, and several who were awarded the Medal of Honor.

Naturally we get a look at race relations in the fleet. White sailors often resented taking orders from Black men of superior rank, and there appear to have been some violent incidents, though surprisingly rather rare.  Several officers were flatly hostile to the presence of African Americans in their crews, while others found them excellent sailors; oddly Bruns doesn't mention that Farragut actually tried to commission one Black sailor as an ensign.

Black Sailors in the Civil War is a valuable introduction to the subject, one which clearly needs much more study. 

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Note: Black Sailors in the Civil War is also available in e-editions.

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