Campfires of Freedom

The Camp Life of Black Soldiers during the Civil War

Keith P. Wilson

Three related themes are examined in this fascinating study: the social dynamics of race relations in Union Army camps, the relationship that evolved between Southern and Northern black soldiers, and the role off-duty activities played in helping the soldiers meet the demands of military service and the challenges of freedom.

By vividly portraying the soldiers’ camp life and by carefully analyzing their collective memory, the author sets the camp experience in the broader context of social and political change.