User:Odaialyamani/sandbox

Introduction
During the Civil War, soldiers occupied the nation's consciousness, and they have equally captured the interest of subsequent scholars. By giving Union sailors the same origins, attitudes, and motives as Union troops, scholars appear to have concluded that they were extremely comparable to Union soldiers. They were, however, considerably unlike their on-land counterparts. The Civil War was fought over multiple things but most significantly to abolish slavery and rid the nation of that reality that had poisoned the hearts of many in the process. Most of the fighting and casualties that came, as a result, would be seen during land combat more so than naval warfare. At the time, the Union's Navy was already a force to be reckoned with compared to the weak Confederate navy. Even though the Union had the upper hand at sea with more vessels and more enlisted sailors, they were facing problems and were in need of securing the waters from confederate vessels.

African Americans in the Union Navy
African Americans' presence in the Union Navy and their impact on the Union's efforts at sea during the Civil War has been greatly underappreciated by scholars and researchers alike. 10,000, or around 17%, of Union Navy sailors, were black. Not only did free African American males aid in the war efforts, but also the slaves fleeing the southern territories were of great use when it came to providing information on enemy movements and lending their hands in any way to fight back against what they had fled from. Regardless of perceived ‘major’ differences, achieving the common goal of being victorious over the confederacy and ridding the continent of the confederacies views was to some, if not many white Northerners, enough to clear up their fogged perceptions surrounding racial differences, racial inferiority, and other dividing variables for the time being.

Significance of Integration
One of the best sources of information for Union sailors were fleeing slaves and previously freedmen who had either witnessed the Confederacy's military movements and movements on the water.[1] The aid received from African Americans of different statuses proved to be very beneficial in completely annihilating any chances the Confederacy ever had to disrupt the Union's Navy since that was the most they can do. The reason why the integration of African Americans into the Union Navy was very significant was that it marked a new era in which those of European descent and those of African descent were plunged into a war where they suddenly found each other to be on the same side. African Americans’ labor, combat efforts, and information on the confederacy’s military movements & positions were essential in giving the Union navy the upper hand and securing the waters against enemy vessels for the trading and safety of vessels intended for their ports and the war effort in general. Many African American's fought for a tomorrow that would never come as most of them would not taste the freedoms their ancestors would come to enjoy.

Impact on the Union's war efforts
One sailor at the time, John Lawson[2], proved his bravery and willingness to serve the Union. Lawson won the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Civil War. Although Lawson's efforts went over the heads of the white sailors that must have been associated with him and the USS Hartford, he is a shining example of just how important any man could be regardless of their race. The Union Navy valued African-American refugees, particularly as informants. They gave trustworthy information to the commanders of the Potomac Flotilla which inevitably aided them in their operations. The impact African Americans and fleeing slaves had at the time was a positive one. For one, the more people the navy rescued, the more there were people to help with labor. C. R. Gibbs details many instances in which Black men were at the very least involved in significant naval events during the war. In most instances, however, he mentions the men who were involved as very significant in the success of the missions they were a part of. This author would argue that not only were Black sailors present and helpful during the Civil War, they were actually a big factor in turning the tide and securing the Union’s dominance on the water. According to Peter C. Luebke, there were many ways in which African Americans helped the Union's efforts such as he states, "Black people kept a careful eye on Confederate activities and would frequently bring intelligence to Union vessels. This information extended from troop movements to the precise placement of Confederate torpedoes."[3]