While most African-American soldiers drafted into the Union Army faced discrimination and were confined to colored units, african american troops still played a major role in securing Union victory. Below are ten remarkable African-American heroes of the Civil War.
How African American Soldiers Changed the War
Their courage on the battlefield, ingenuity behind enemy lines, and relentless drive for freedom reshaped the conflict and paved the way for a more inclusive army.
10 Andre Cailloux
Born into slavery in 1825, Andre Cailloux earned his freedom in 1846 and quickly rose as a leader among New Orleans’ free Afro‑French community. In September 1862 he enlisted in the Union’s 1st Louisiana Native Guard, receiving a commission as captain of Company E—a unit famed for its flawless drilling.
On May 27 1863, General Banks launched a poorly coordinated assault on the Confederate stronghold at Port Hudson. Cailloux’s company led the charge and was ordered into a deadly volley of sharpshooter fire. Even after his arm was torn off by cannon blast, the one‑armed captain kept pressing forward, only to be felled by an artillery shell. His heroic stand turned him into a legend; thousands attended his funeral, and his story inspired countless African‑Americans to enlist.
9 Robert Smalls
Born into slavery, Robert Smalls grew up steering ships in Charleston’s harbor. When the war erupted, he was given the helm of the Confederate transport CSS Planter. Seizing a daring moment while the officers slept, Smalls disguised himself as the captain, used the correct secret signals, and slipped past five Confederate forts.
He surrendered the vessel and its codebook to the Union blockade, impressing the commander at Port Royal so much that Smalls was sent to meet President Lincoln. Lincoln’s decision to allow African‑Americans into the Union Army was partly thanks to Smalls, who later commanded the Planter for the Union, deactivated mines he once helped plant, and helped destroy railroad bridges. After the war, he served as a congressman.
8 William A. Jackson
William A. Jackson was enslaved when the Civil War began, but his position in the home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis gave him a unique espionage platform. Serving as Davis’s coachman, Jackson overheard high‑level conversations about supply routes and military strategy.
In late 1861, he fled across enemy lines and delivered this intelligence to Union officials, exposing Confederate supply shortages and strategic plans. His daring intelligence work proved invaluable to the Union cause.
7 William H. Carney
Escaping slavery via the Underground Railroad, William Carney joined the Union army as soon as he could. During the ferocious Battle of Fort Wagner, his regiment surged across a beach under relentless fire. When the color sergeant fell, Carney seized the flag and carried it to the front.
After the Union captured the fort’s walls, Carney found himself alone, shot twice, and later hit a third time by a different regiment. He managed to hand the flag to another soldier, only to discover he had kept the colors aloft the entire time, never letting them touch the ground. For this extraordinary bravery, Carney became the first African‑American Medal of Honor recipient.
6 Aaron Anderson
At 53, Aaron Anderson enlisted in the Navy in 1863 and quickly became a poster boy for bravery. In 1865, he was part of a small boat crew equipped with a howitzer, tasked with attacking Confederate forces along Mattox Creek, Virginia.
When three abandoned enemy ships were spotted, the crew prepared to destroy them, only to be met by fire from 400 Confederate soldiers on shore. The barrage shredded most of the oars and the sole musket, leaving the boat badly damaged. Anderson and the few remaining oarsmen maneuvered to safety under intense fire, sustaining only one injury among them. His Medal of Honor was mistakenly engraved as “Aaron Sanderson,” but his heroism remains undeniable.
5 Powhatan Beaty
Born into slavery, Powhatan Beaty secured his freedom and moved to Cincinnati by April 1861. After the Confederate victory at the Battle of Richmond, fear of an attack prompted local authorities to draft men—including Beaty—to construct defenses. For fifteen days, an unarmed unit of mostly black men voluntarily built fortifications well ahead of Union lines.
In 1863 Beaty enlisted in Ohio’s first black combat unit, the 5th United States Colored Infantry. He was promoted to sergeant within two days and soon commanded 47 men. At the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm on September 29 1864, Beaty, now a first sergeant, braved a fierce charge to retrieve a flag dropped 550 meters from the enemy line. Surviving the assault, he led a second charge that drove Confederates back, earning a Medal of Honor on April 8 1865.
4 Alexander Thomas Augusta
Alexander Augusta wasn’t a battlefield cannon‑firing hero; his battlefield was the operating table. Born to free parents in 1825, he pursued medical studies beginning in 1850. In 1861 he became one of the first eight African‑American physicians to enlist in the Union army, rising to the rank of major—the highest‑ranking African‑American officer at the time.
Despite his medical contributions, Augusta faced mob violence in Baltimore and Washington, and two Union assistant surgeons complained to President Lincoln about reporting to a black doctor. The pressure forced his transfer to Washington, but he persisted, serving as a surgeon through the war’s end and championing civil rights—most notably fighting for the right of African‑Americans to ride streetcars.
3 Miles James
Miles James, born in 1829, entered the Union ranks in September 1864 as a corporal with Company B of the 36th Colored Regiment. He saw action at the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm on September 30 1864.
During the fight, a shot mangled his arm. Though urged to retreat for immediate amputation, James refused, continuing to lead his men while reloading his pistol with one arm only—still within 30 meters of the enemy line. After the battle, his disability led to an honorable discharge, but his courage left an indelible mark.
2 James Daniel Gardner
James Daniel Gardner served as a private in Company I of the 36th Colored Regiment during the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm. While his unit charged Confederate positions, Gardner spotted an officer rallying troops atop the parapet.
Seizing the moment, he surged ahead, firing at the officer and then closing in to finish the job with his bayonet. His bold action earned him a promotion to sergeant and a Medal of Honor the following day.
1 John Lawson
Born June 16 1837, John Lawson exemplifies the grit of African‑American sailors. He enlisted in December 1863 and was assigned to the USS Hartford’s ammunition party, responsible for supplying the deck guns.
During the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5 1864, the Hartford took a heavy Confederate shell, killing the entire ammunition crew except for Lawson, who was thrown against the ship’s side and badly injured in the leg. Despite orders to seek medical care below deck, he regained his composure and continued to pass ammunition single‑handedly—a job that normally required six men. His extraordinary effort earned him the Medal of Honor.