Discuss how african americans felt about the war and why?

African Americans had (then as now) a wide range of opinions. Many felt that when the war effort failed, they would be severely punished for assisting the Union. Others had great loyalty to their owners despite widespread abusive treatment. Still others did not want to see thousands of Black soldiers dying for a "white man's fight." Early in the war, some escaped slaves were given back to plantations, which caused a great deal of doubt about whether the Union was any better than the Confederacy.

After the Emancipation Proclamation was published, it became easier to support the Union effort, but the continuing lack of progress by the Union Army until halfway through the war made it difficult to support the Union. A series of victories at Gettysburg, Vicksburg, along with Sherman's progress in the deep South caused many to realize that working with the Union to end slavery was a historic cause and very much worth supporting.

Tens of thousands of Black soldiers died in the Union cause, and an uncounted number died working with Union forces as civilian support (cooks, porters, drivers, quartermasters, nurses).