African American Faces of the Civil War: An Album

by Ronald S. Coddington

Discover the men of color who fought for their freedom during the Civil War through profiles illustrated with original wartime photographs. A renowned collector of Civil War photographs and a prodigious researcher, Ronald S. Coddington combines compelling archival images with biographical stories that reveal the human side of the war. This third volume in his series on Civil War soldiers contains previously unpublished photographs of African American Civil War participants―many of whom fought to secure their freedom. During the Civil War, 200,000 African American men enlisted in the Union army or navy. Some of them were free men and some escaped from slavery; others were released by sympathetic owners to serve the war effort. African American Faces of the Civil War tells the story of the Civil War through the images of men of color who served in roles that ranged from servants and laborers to enlisted men and junior officers. Coddington discovers these portraits― cartes de visite , ambrotypes, and tintypes―in museums, archives, and private collections. He has pieced together each individual’s life and fate based upon personal documents, military records, and pension files. These stories tell of ordinary men who became fighters, of the prejudice they faced, and of the challenges they endured. African American Faces of the Civil War makes an important contribution to a comparatively understudied aspect of the war and provides a fascinating look into lives that helped shape America.

Genres: History, African American, Photography

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Colleen Browne]

An engrossing story of African American soldiers in the Civil War. This book showcases the diversity and ability of the African-Americans who fought for the country.

[Eve Markley]

I found this book to be very interesting. It’s history and it’s personal. I think the author must really enjoy doing historical research; I’ve seldom seen so many notes.

Every biographical sketch is paired with a photo of the person. All are young men, most in uniform, all are African-Americans. Each sketch is two or three pages long. This makes for fast reading.

I found the subject matter deeply interesting. Some of these men were born enslaved, some were free. Some ran away from their owner to fight in the Civil War, some fought with their owner’s permission. Some came from Canada to fight. Some became Buffalo Soldiers after the war, some returned and worked for the same people under whom they had been enslaved. Some went north. Each man was different and unique and made his own decisions based on his unique life circumstances.

I like reading about individuals in historical settings. It helps make the historical events more real when you know more about the individuals involved.

[Angie]

Nice brief accounts of black civil war soldiers and their photos. Helped give me a fuller picture of life during that time for black americans.

[☼Pam Might Read Too Much ☼]

Make no mistake. AFRICAN AMERICAN FACES OF THE CIVIL WAR is an important piece of research. And a huge amount of effort went into finding both the photographs --which are rare compared to those of white soldiers in those years -- and the background information that used to bring life to the 77 faces in the photos.

For those looking for an easy book that will expose the 'inner person' of these men, you will be disappointed. Ronald Coddington's book is meticulously researched and his style is to place the soldier in the context of social climate and the battlefield. He quotes from literature that was known to be important to the men; and he quotes from letters and newspapers describing battles and smaller incidents.

In one case, for example, he describes the abuse Nick Biddle suffered as he tried to board a train. Because he was in uniform the crowd was outraged and he was hit with a jagged bit of brick. And Coddington writes, "[S]ome consider Biddles blood the first shed in hostility during the Civil War."

And in other cases, the author describes how grandparents were princes and leaders who came to America after having been taken captive in wars in Africa and sold into slavery.

Coddington's book is a fascinating way to revisit the Civil War. I found it interesting to see the diversity of human feelings between Black and White people. Love and hate. Respect and friendship. As in all times, there is no one single story. Which makes this book so important to scholars and those who just enjoy history.

Pam T~
formerly of PageinHistory

[Carla]

A wonderfully informative pictorial history of enslaved and formerly enslaved African Americans who supported the United States' Civil War effort. Coddington's collection of mini-bio's and accompanying pictures includes brave men who served on both the Union/Federal side as well as the Confederate front; heroes who marched and fought with the renowned 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry; members who were Naval Sailors and those who were Soldiers in the United States Colored Infantry; and, patriots who served in the thick of the war during some of its most brutal battles, as well as those who rode with the Buffalo Soldiers.

One of the most informative sections appears in the author's Forward where he painstakingly details the technological evolution of the field of photography between the 1830's and 1860's and its consequent influence on societal practices.

Finally, the author's End Notes and Acknowledgements practically constitute another whole read in that he relates additional illuminating details about each entry and also acknowledges the weight of his task in endeavoring to compile the book. Coddington is generous in his attribution and conveys deep gratefulness for the assistance he was afforded by contributors, family members, historians and collectors.

This was not only an enjoyable read, but was also a most educational resource to have stumbled upon.

[jane]

Short biographies of African-American civil war soldiers including their pre and post war activities. Amazing that so many of them were so young. Some 13 - 15 years old. All were volunteers. Some from free states or Canada. Some runaways. Some if the sources are true, enlisted with the permission of their owners. Some highly educated, some self taught. Some highly accomplished soldiers. Some not. All faced great odds to advance. Many faced great odds to survive. A widely representative group. A fine
study but the footnotes and source material could have been more detailed.

[Lori]

The book has a biography of each picture/person, some short, some longer depending on how much is known about the person. All of these men were soldiers in the Civil War. The pictures are really wonderful to see:copies of tintypes or carte de visite of each person. Really interesting read and sometimes sad.

[Jocelyn]

Perhaps the most comprehensive listing of the men who joined the USCT during the Civil War. It covers a wide ranger of Regiments and gives as much information as possible about these individuals. Definitely a good read.