A queston for civil war buffs about the Emancipation Procl., Confisaction act and blacks fighting...

[zonkers]

I am trying to construct a mental road map/timeline as to when blacks actually started fighting in Civil War and what paved the way for it -- not just when colored militias were formed but when were blacks allowed to be armed to protect union held areas in the south -- I am confused as to what laws/events actually triggered it.

July 1862 - Confiscation act passed by Congress ????
Jan 1863 Emancipation Proclamation passed by Congress ????

I know there were early false starts by eager Union generals like Butler and Hunter to arm blacks in Southern occupied areas which Lincoln kabbashed.

Any ideas?

[Gormy Cuss]

1. Have you consulted the NARA site?

There's a fair amount of info there.
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/blacks-civil-war/

[zonkers]

2. I will check it out thanks.