Black History Month

“The First to Bleed”

The story of Nicholas Biddle, a formerly enslaved man from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a poignant reminder of the courage and sacrifice of African American soldiers during the Civil War. Just four days after the conflict began, Biddle, a member of the “First Defenders” who answered President Lincoln’s call to protect Washington D.C., earned the somber distinction of becoming the first Black soldier wounded in action. While en route to the capital, Biddle and his fellow troops faced a hostile reception in Baltimore, Maryland, a city with strong Confederate sympathies. There, Biddle was struck by a rock thrown by a pro-slavery rioter, highlighting the dual battles Black soldiers faced against the Confederacy and pervasive racial prejudice in 1861.

Despite his injuries, Biddle continued with his unit to Washington, where they were quartered in the Capitol building. The blood spilled from his wound marked the beginning of a long and bloody struggle for freedom and equality. Though the Union was ultimately saved, Biddle’s sacrifice went largely unrecognized. He was laid to rest with a small ceremony in a segregated cemetery in his hometown of Pottsville.

Biddle’s status as the first Black soldier wounded in the Civil War underscores the significance of his contribution and the profound meaning of African American soldiers’ as a whole. They fought not only to preserve the Union but also to claim their rightful place as citizens. Their courage on the battlefield challenged prevailing racial stereotypes and paved the way for future progress in civil rights. The legacy of these soldiers serves as a powerful reminder that the fight for freedom and equality is often waged on multiple fronts and that true patriotism transcends race.

Ironically, when I asked Google Gemini about a black man named Nicholas Biddle, it produced the following output:

Nicholas Biddle was not a Black man. He was a white American financier who lived from 1786 to 1844. He is most well-known for being the president of the Second Bank of the United States and a major opponent of President Andrew Jackson in the “Bank War.”

Perhaps you were thinking of someone else? It’s important to be accurate about historical figures and their backgrounds. If you have any other questions about Nicholas Biddle or any other historical figures, feel free to ask!

I supplied Google Gemini with some information about Nicholas Biddle, and the AI tool responded with gratitude for Biddle’s story (Thank God for a human-in-the-loop approach to AI!).

As I contemplated Nicholas Biddle’s life and legacy, I reflected on the life and legacy of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through my reflection, I noticed at least two comparisons.

Comparison #1: Though he bled for the Union army and a just cause, Biddle’s sacrifice went largely unrecognized. Christians should be thankful Jesus shed His blood as a sacrifice for a just cause (our salvation and eternal security) that did not go unnoticed. The biblical text testifies Christ shedding his blood and the implications of His sacrificial offering in the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, Isaiah spoke of Christ’s suffering and sacrificial death when he wrote, “But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging, we are healed” (Is. 53:5). In the New Testament, Jesus taught His disciples how His blood would institute a new covenant and forgiveness of sins (Matt. 26:28). As he explained one of the main implications of Christ’s shed blood, Paul encouraged the Roman believers to know that they had been “justified by [Christ’s] blood” and delivered from God’s eternal punishment (Rom. 5:9). The Hebrew writer focused on the implications of Christ’s blood when he explained that the old sacrificial system was insufficient to sanctify God’s people (Heb. 9:12). Thus, only the blood of Jesus Christ can “cleanse [our] conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (9:14). One of the songs of the African American Church is “The Blood Still Works.” The hymnologist said, “It will never lose its power.” I’m glad the blood still works and has the power to save whoever is willing to be redeemed, justified, and cleansed from their sins.

Comparison #2: A second comparison would be that Biddle contributed to a cause that strived to secure temporal freedom and citizenship. Jesus Christ offered His blood and surrendered His life in death on the cross to secure our eternal freedom and citizenship. Paul challenged Roman believers to overcome sin by embracing all believers’ freedom, which ensures victory over sin (Rom. 6:1-11). Not only does Christ’s sacrificial offering free us from sin, but it guarantees our new citizenship. Paul communicated this truth to the believers in Philippi when he wrote, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:21). This biblical truth has at least two implications. First, as citizens of heaven, believers should live with an eternal vision. We are to live expecting Christ to return at any moment. Second, when believers live expecting Christ’s second return, that expectation should shape their values and morals. Consequently, eternal principles become the standards by which all believers live in a world that is adversarial to values that originate with God. Thankfully, God does not limit heavenly citizenship to one group of people. God worked through Christ’s sacrificial offering for our sins to provide all people a chance to be delivered from bondage to sin and become citizens of heaven. These citizens will be among the immeasurable number who praise God for the salvation He has provided for all people (Rev. 7:9-12).

We are forever grateful for Nicholas Biddle’s contribution to a just cause. Future generations must continue highlighting his place in American history for being the first African American person to bleed in the Civil War. However, tremendous gratitude should be extended to the Lord Jesus Christ for His willingness to suffer, bleed, and die on the cross for our sins and secure our eternal salvation.

Sources

Anderson, C. (1997). Dirty little secrets about Black history, its heros, and other troublemakers. Powernomics Corporation Of America, ©. (Be-99/00.

Hoptak, J. D. (2008, October 3). Nicholas Biddle:The Civil War’s First Blood. HistoryNet. https://www.historynet.com/nicholas-biddle-first-blood/

Stilwell, B. (2022, April 7). The 1st Black Man to Wear the Union Uniform in the Civil War Wasn’t Even Allowed to Enlist. Military.com. https://www.military.com/history/1st-black-man-wear-union-uniform-civil-war-wasnt-even-allowed-enlist.html

Wynn, J. (2024, February 8). Nicholas Biddle | An African-American Civil War hero from Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Jake Wynn - Public Historian. https://wynninghistory.com/2024/02/08/nicholas-biddle/