Slave life went through great changes, as the South saw Union Armies take control of broad areas of land. During and before the war, enslaved people played an active role in their own emancipation, and thousands of enslaved people escaped from bondage during the war.
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, issued in 1863 after the costly Union victory at Antietam, freed all enslaved persons within the Confederacy. More significantly, it changed the goal of war to one not only to preserve the Union but also to end slavery.
Most of Virginia's slaves worked as agricultural laborers, and their wartime production helped feed both civilians and soldiers, particularly after the Confederate Congress passed legislation allowing for the impressment of wheat, corn, and other foodstuffs.
The North was fighting for reunification, and the South for independence. But as the war progressed, the Civil War gradually turned into a social, economic and political revolution with unforeseen consequences. The Union war effort expanded to include not only reunification, but also the abolition of slavery.Apr 23, 2015
The Union had many advantages over the Confederacy. The North had a larg- er population than the South. The Union also had an industrial economy, where- as the Confederacy had an economy based on agriculture. The Union had most of the natural resources, like coal, iron, and gold, and also a well-developed rail system.
Lincoln decided that any blacks enlisting into the army were to be used only as laborers and not trained as combat soldiers. By the end of 1862, it was clear that the war was not going to end quickly. As this harsh reality began to sink in, the number of Northern white volunteers dropped considerably.
The South was using enslaved people to aid the war effort. Black men and women were forced to build fortifications, work as blacksmiths, nurses, boatmen, and laundresses, and to work in factories, hospitals, and armories.
What role did slaves play with the Confederate army? Numerous slaves worked as laborers for the Confederate military.