3. Arming black troops was considered inadvisable by many in 1862
Numerous abolitionists throughout the Union, but especially in New England, advocated for the raising of regiments of black troops early in the Civil War. Among the advocates was the governor of Massachusetts, John Andrew. Andrew believed that black regiments would inspire uprisings in the South and freed slaves would be anxious to join the fight against slavery. He found his position to be strongly opposed, by both fellow abolitionists and military professionals. It was widely believed that the black troops would not be subject to discipline and that they would lack the necessary professionalism to perform as soldiers.
The widespread belief was that black troops, en masse, would be more difficult to manage than so many children, that they lacked the courage to stand in battle, and that they would be, rather than an asset, a liability to the men tasked with commanding them. The idea of having them serve alongside white troops (as many had during the Revolutionary War) was unthinkable. When Abraham Lincoln announced his Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863, Andrew traveled to Washington to meet with Secretary of War Edwin Stanton to propose a regiment of black soldiers, officered by whites, for service in the Union Army. Stanton approved additional Massachusetts regiments, including “persons of African descent, organized into special corps”.