Blacks in the CS Ranks?

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

Black Companies in Arkansas.

.Black Companies in Arkansas.

"The Fort Smith Times of the 10th September states that two companies of Southern black men have been formed in that neighborhood. They are thorough Southern men, not armed, but drilling to take the field and they say that they are determined to fight for their masters and their homes."

THE REBELLION RECORD – DOCUMENTS, NARRATIVES, ILLUSTRATIVE INCIDENTS, POETRY, ETC. EDITED BY FRANK MOORE 1862 P.46

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

‘I think that the proposition to make soldiers of our slaves is the most pernicious idea that has been suggested since the war began. You cannot make soldiers of slaves or slaves of soldiers. The moment you resort to negro soldiers your white soldiers will be lost to you and one secret of the favor with which the proposition is received in portions of the army is the hope when negroes go into the army they the whites will be permitted to retire. It is simply a proposition to fight the balance of the war with negro troops. You can t keep white and black troops together and you can t trust negroes by themselves. Use all the negroes you can get for all purposes for which you need them but don t arm them. The day you make soldiers of them is the beginning of the end of the Revolution. If slaves make good soldiers our whole theory of slavery is wrong “ Sen. Howell Cobb to James A Seddon CS Sec War, January 8, 1865 - Richmond, Va

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

Gen J.E. Johnston was petitioned by several Confederate Military officers in Jan 1864 to arm blacks. Their spokesman was gallant Gen. Pat Cleburne who questioned:

“Will the slaves fight ?” “The experience of this war has been so far that half trained negroes have fought as bravely as many half trained Yankees” Gen.Cleburne

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

"the proposal to arm the slaves was a monstrous proposition revolting to Southern sentiment Southern pride and Southern honor" General Patton Anderson, Florida The Civil War and Reconstruction in Florida

[arming of the negroes would lead inevitably to:] "the atrocious consequences which have ever resulted from the employment of a merciless servile race as soldiers" General Beaurgard to General Gillmore July 4, 1863

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

“At this time, it appears to me enough to say that the negroes will certainly be made to fight us if not armed for our defense. I further agree with you that if they are to fight for our freedom, they are entitled to their own. Public opinion is fast ripening on the subject.” CS Sec of Treasury, Judah Benjamin ORs – Sec. vi, v, 3, pp 1010-1011

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

“ Richmond, Va.

March 3, 1863

My Dear MacPherson,

I have received from time to time the copies of The Era containing your wise and patriotic letters which I have read with ever increasing pleasure. The sufferings of your family and the destitution which prevails among my subjects have touched my paternal heart and I now recommend that you go at once to New Orleans and take the oath of allegiance. Of course you will understand that no oath is binding upon the conscience of a Confederate unless taken before a Confederate magistrate. Having eaten enough to last you until your next visit and made such observations as will be useful to the cause, you will return on the first flag of truce boat and immediately communicate to me all information you can obtain. Also bring your satchel full of edibles for your family.
I have directed my Adjutant general, S Cooper to make out a new furlough for you excusing you from all duty with your regiment, so long as you continue to write for The Era. I also forward herewith a commission for your son, John C Breckinridge Macpherson as Colonel of the 8th Georgia Negro Confederate Liberty Guards.

I am, my dear Mac,

Yours in Confederate bonds,

Jeff Davis “

MACPHERSON THE GREAT CONFEDERATE PHILOSOPHER AND SOUTHERN BLOWER Alfed C. Hills p26

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

“The world had never seen such a body of slaves for not only in peace but in war they had been faithful to us. During much of the time of the late unhappy difficulties, Florida had a greater number of men in her army than constituted her entire voting population. This of course, stripped many districts of their arms bearing inhabitants and left our females and infant children almost exclusively to the protection of our slaves. They proved true to their trust. Not one instance of insult, outrage or indignity has ever come to my knowledge. They remained at home and made provisions for the army”.

Governor Walker of Florida, before the State legislature in 1865 (himself a former slaveholder)

Carpet Bag Rule in Florida John Wallace p 23

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

"For more than two years, Negroes had been extensively employed in belligerent operations by the Confederacy. They had been embodied and drilled as rebel soldiers and had paraded with white troops at a time when this would not have been tolerated in the armies of the Union." The American Conflict VoL II Horace Greeley 1866 p 524

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

"It was a notorious fact that the enemy were using Negroes to build fortifications, drive teams and raise food for the army. Black hands piled up the sand bags and raised the batteries which drove Anderson out of Sumter. At Montgomery the Capital of the Confederacy Negroes were being drilled and armed for military duty." The Negro in the Rebelion WW Brown p. 59

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

"Attention volunteers ! Resolved by the Committee of Safety (Tenn) that C. Deloach, DR. Cook and William B Greenlaw be authorized to organize a volunteer company composed of our patriotic free men of color of the city of Memphis for the service of our common defense. All who have not enrolled their names will call at the office of WB Greenlaw & Co FW Forsythe Secretary F Titus President - April 1861"

History of the Negro Vol II , Williams p 277

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

“If all white men capable of bearing arms are put in the field it would be as large a draft as a community could continuously sustain and whites are better soldiers than Negroes. For war when existence is staked the best material should be used.”

CS Sec of War J.A Seddon ORs Series IV Vol Ill pp 693 694

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

“The recruits should come from our Negroes nowhere else. We should away with pride of opinion, away with false pride and promptly take hold of all the means God has placed within our reach to help us through this struggle a war for the right of self government. Some people say that Negroes will not fight. I say they will fight ! They fought at Ocean Pond Olustee Fla, Honey Hill and other places. The enemy fights us with Negroes and they will do very well to fight the Yankees”

Sen. Sam Clayton, Georgia – OR’s -Series IV Vol III pg 1010-1011

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

From the man himself:

“I think therefore we must decide whether slavery shall be extinguished by our enemies and the slaves be used against us or use them ourselves at the risk of the effects which may be produced upon our social institutions. My own opinion is that we should employ them without delay. I believe that with proper regulations they may be made efficient soldiers. They possess the physical qualifications in a marked degree. Long habits of obedience and subordination, coupled with the moral influence which in our country the white man possesses over the black furnish an excellent foundation for that discipline which is the best guaranty of military efficiency. Our chief aim should be to secure their fidelity. There have been formidable armies composed of men having no interest in the cause for which they fought beyond their pay or the hope of plunder. But it is certain that the surest foundation upon which the fidelity of an army can rest especially in a service which imposes hardships and privations is the personal interest of the soldier in the issue of the contest. Such an interest we can give our Negroes by giving immediate freedom to all who enlist and freedom at the end of the war to the families of those who discharge their duties faithfully, whether they survive or not together with the privilege of residing at the South. To this might be added a bounty for faithful service”

General Robert E Lee in response to Senator Andrew Hunter at Richmond - January 1865

Official Records Series IV Vol 3 - Page 1013

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[Tom Dodson]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

message deleted by writer
Tom Dodson

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Blacks in the CS Ranks?

Why can't this farcical and ludicrous thread be closed once and for all.

What in particular do you deem "farcical and ludicrous" ?

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida