1st South Carolina Volunteers (Colored) at Hilton Head S. Carolina & Rev. Charley White
The 1st South Carolina Volunteers was the first black regiment to be formed during the Civil War. They felt that this was the time chosen by God for their deliverance from slavery. According to abolitionist, Colonel T. W. Higginson who was also a “secret six” supporter of John Brown’s raid said ” A religious army,” ‘ a gospel army.” were their frequent phrases”. “I lived next door to a black Civil War re-enactor for ten years and I refused to believe that Blacks fought in the Civil War. I was trained to believe that slaves accepted slavery and were freed by whites. After watching the movie Glory twenty years ago, I researched the subject and was convinced that I had to teach the truth.” This is a perspective of African American slave liberation that represents the perspective of contemporary African American’s, former slaves and abolitionist. In the words of a former slave, “If you want Negro History, you will have to get it from somebody who wore the shoe.” Primary historical sources such as the slave narratives, the works of William Wells Brown, periodicals, letters, memoirs and paintings are used to uncover lost history. It is argued that American History does not fully include the actions taken by African Americans to win their own freedom which is incomplete and has an adverse effect on African American identity. The power of God and prayer were the only powers possessed by slaves. The Invisible Steal-away to Jesus Prayer Movement was illegal in the South with penalty of flogging but the movement inspired the abolitionists and ignited the Civil War. When the opportunity was available for liberated blacks to fight for freedom, Colored Troops had a significant impact on the Union victory. Black troops demonstrated a willingness and ability to capture deadly confederate fortifications which helped President Lincoln win reelection over an anti-emancipation opponent. People that are commonly viewed as victims are redefined as victors. John A. White Jr.
We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder
Slaves were not allowed to read or write, but their lives are recorded in their spirituals. Although they had no education, God gave them sacred songs along with a sacred way of singing them as a means of preserving their culture and true heritage. They expressed their feeling in their songs and eventually changed music around the world. One of my favorite songs is “Oh Freedom!” by the Golden Gospel Singers, which was used during the Civil Rights Movement.
“Oh Freedom!” by the Golden Gospel Singers
Former slaves Reverend Green and Dinah Cunningham attributes the magic of their spirituals to their love for the Lord.
“They say that we can carry the song better than the white folks. Well, maybe we do love the Lord just a little bit better, and what’s in our mouth is in our hearts.”[1]
Dinah Cunningham
“Sometimes somebody would start humming an old hymn, and then the next-door neighbor would pick it up. In this way it would finally get around to every house, and the music started.”[2]
Reverend Green
A program called The Civil War, produced by Ken Burns, was aired on PBS several years ago. When blacks were mentioned, the spiritual “We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder”[3] was sung by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon and played in the background. The effect was powerful. It appeared to add purpose to the Union cause in the Civil War, and it added purpose to African American identity as well. Historian David Cecelski said this hymn was popular among African American slaves at the onset of the Civil War. Wikipedia says, “The spiritual saw a parallel in the ladder’s steps representing the upcoming exiles of the Jews with the tribulations of American slavery with both to be ended by example of God’s covenant to Jacob.” I struggled with the structure of telling this story and decided to use th spiritual “Jacob’s ladder” as the main frame work to tell the real story of African American liberation.
“We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder” by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon
We are climbing Jacob’s ladder We are climbing Jacob’s ladder We are climbing Jacob’s ladder Soldiers of the cross
All humans descended from people similar to the Bushmen or San of Southern Africa and their use of prayer to control hopelessness is universal.
Every round goes, higher, higher Every round goes, higher, higher Every round goes, higher, higher Soldiers of the cross
The seed of slavery was war between African tribes, black men enslaving black men.A member of the original Louisiana Native Guard spoke for Africa when he said; “General, we come from a fighting race. Our fathers were brought here slaves because they were captured in war, and in hand to hand fights, too. We are willing to fight. Pardon me, General, but the only cowardly blood we have got in our veins is the white blood.”
Slaves in chains, guarded by a native Askari or colonial soldier, circa 1896. Slavery was hopeless, especially in the delta and without hope, death quickly follows. Slaves chained together from Tennessee chose death over Delta slavery.“As they walked together, they talked about their future, and they all agreed that death would be preferable to the living death of the cotton fields. And they decided that the first time they had to ferry across a river with the nigger trader, they would walk onto the Ferryboat and keep right on walking till they had walked off the other end… that is exactly what they did: they all walked ‘off into the deep of the river at the other end. If there was any among them who was lukewarm he was shoved in by the ones behind him.”
Children do you want your freedom Children do you want your freedom Children do you want your freedom Soldiers of the cross
Eastman Johnson, “The Lord is My Shepherd”.” Bible history-the history of Israel, of the Hebrew slaves and their redemption-became the black Baptist’s sacred past. They themselves felt as if they were of the seed of Abraham, and biblical “space” became their sacred topography. They would go home to Heaven, as African spirits went home to Africa (“Gonna make heaven my home”), and they would find mother, father, and kinfolk there waiting.”
“Contraband Camp at City Point” depicting an evening prayer meeting. Many slaves found hope through religion—the harder their lives were, the more religious they became.Slaves were powerless, so they learned to seek the power of God through prayer. ““I was a religious child, in those days, and I’m religious now, too, but colored folks just naturally had more religion back there, before the Civil War,”Rachel Reed.
Sinner do you love my Jesus Sinner do you love my Jesus Sinner do you love my Jesus Soldiers of the cross
Photo by Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada – Stained-Glass Image of John Newton – Amazing Grace Writer – St. Peter and Paul Church – Olney – Buckinghamshire – England.John Newton was a slave trader and treated slaves inhumanely. However, he was saved by God’s grace and became one of the first abolitionist to speak out against slavery. Newton wrote the story of his conversion in the most popular hymn ever written, “Amazing Grace.” This song should have special meaning to poor blacks. “The University of New Jersey offered a honorary Doctor of Divinity to Newton and he said that ‘the dreary coast of Africa had been his university and he would never accept any diploma ‘except from the poor blacks’“.
NEGRO PRAYER MEETINGS BANNED. Slaves, had a practice of “stealing away” to the woods to have their religious services. At these services, they usually prayed for freedom, and this is why these meetings were outlawed. Albert J. Raboteau , a Henry W. Putnam Professor of Religion at Princeton University, referrers to this slave prayer meeting practice as the Invisible Institution. This invisible institution appears to be a slave movement or prayer movement and is frequently described by the voice of the slaves.
If you love him, why not serve him If you love him, why not serve him If you love him, why not serve him Soldiers of the cross
The “Last Moments of John Brown” by Thomas Hovende John Brown of Ossawatomie, they led him out to die: And lo! a poor slave mother with her little child pressed high, Then the bold blue eye grew tender, and the old harsh face grew mild, As he stopped between the jeering ranks and kissed the Negro’s child!
Tragic Prelude mural at Kansas Capitol Building. With his “Bible in one hand and his musket in the other” John Brown is frequently attributed with starting the Civil War. This theme is included in a “Soldiers Prayer” recorded by Col. Higginson: “’ Let me so lib dat when I die I shall hab manners ; dat I shall know what to say when I see my heabenly Lord.”Let me lib wid de musket in one hand, an’ de Bible in de oder dat if I die at de muzzle of de musket, die in de water, die on de land, I may know I hab de bressed Jesus in my hand, an’ hab no fear.”I hab lef my wife in de land o’ bondage ; my little ones dey say eb’ry night, ” Whar is my fader?” But when I die, when de breseed mornin’ rises, when I shall stan’ in de glory, mid one foot on de water an’ one foot on do land, den, O Lord ! I shall see my wife an’ my little chil’en once more.”‘ Col. T. W. Higginson, First South Carolina Volunteers[1
[1] W. W. Brown, The Negro in the American Rebellion, 132.
Do you, think Ill, make a soldier Do you, think Ill, make a soldier Do you, think Ill, make a soldier Soldiers of the cross
Most people in the North as well as the South believed that slaves would not fight for their freedom. This was the whole basis of racism and the primary principle that the Confederacy fought to uphold and protect. Most Union generals felt as well that blacks would not fight and would just endanger the lives of white Union troops. General William Tecumseh Sherman argued: “I have had the question put to me often, ‘Is not a negro as good as a white man to stop a bullet?’ Yes: and a sand-bag is better; but can a negro do our skirmishing and picket duty? Can they improvise bridges, sorties, flank movements, etc., like the white man? I say no.”Storming Fort Wagner by Louis Kurz & Alexander Allison 1893.On July 18, 1863 the 54th Massachusetts attacked Fort Wagner (depicted in the movie “Glory”) and W. H. Carney was awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor many years later. A Flag belonging to the 54th Massachusetts was the first Christian flag to enter the Civil War. “This is the first Christian banner that has gone into our war. By a strange, and yet not strange, providence, God has mistic this despised race the bearers of his standard. They are thus the real leaders of the nation.”
We are climbing Jacob’s ladder Rise, Shine, give God the glory Rise, Shine, give God the glory Soldiers of the cross
“The First Mississippi Cavalry Bringing into Vicksburg Rebel Prisoners Captured at Haines Bluff,” Frank Leslie’s Illustrated, December 19, 1863Battle of Nashville by Louis Kurz & Alexander Allison 1893. “In the late stages of the war, the USCT really began to make its presence felt. Nearly one in every eight soldiers in the siege of Peter’s burg was black. and at the Battle of Nashville, where Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas ‘s troops crushed the Confederate Army of Tennessee and put a halt to Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood’s Tennessee invasion, black forces played a major role despite their comparatively small size.” William Wells Brown, The Negro in the American Rebellion, p153
We are climbing Jacob’s ladder Rise, Shine, give God the glory Rise, Shine, give God the glory Soldiers of the cross
Black Troops Entering Charleston, Harper’s Weekly, March 18, 1865. South Carolina was the first state to succeed from the Union and the Civil War started in south Carolina at Fort Sumter. The first black regiment was formed in South Carolina as well making the state an important part of Civil War history. A parade was organized by emancipated blacks of Charleston to celebrate their liberation on March 21, 1865. A similar parade occurred again in Charleston a month later. A parade of 10,000 people was organized to dedicate the Union cemetery, which was the first Memorial Day Celebration.[1] At the head of the procession was three thousand black schoolchildren carrying roses and singing “John Browns Body.” They were followed by several hundred black women carrying flowers and wreaths. The men marched next followed by Union soldiers.“All of a sudden, there was no talking,” says musicologist Horace Boyer. “They said you could hear the soft weeping . . . and I’m sure that the Jubilee Singers were joining them in tears, because sometimes when you think about what you are singing, particularly if you believe it, you can’t help but be moved.”
