mulatto in the ranks

[Hank Trent]

Re: mulatto in the ranks

Very interesting...if you find the time...could you please provide a proper citation for the book...and maybe a quotation to support the information you've shared with us?

I'm curious about that as well. In the case of a slave, was it like hiring a substitute: the slave served as a soldier in the ranks instead of the draftee? Or was it like paying $300 to avoid the draft: the labor of the slave was given to the government in lieu of money and he was sent to work digging fortifications, or whatever?

Also, does it give the name of the free black who served and what he did or his regiment and company?

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[BobbyHughes]

Re: mulatto in the ranks

Alfred Ballard notes in his memoirs Gone For A Soldier

On each of our posts was stationed one of Berdan's Sharpshooters, who were always on the look out for game, and woe the the rebel who put himself in the way. One of them who was armed with a telescope rifle had placed a negro picket "Hors de Combat" the day before. In front of our line stood a large hollow tree, having loop holes cut into it so that a rifle could be run through and discharged at our men without danger to the negro who fired it. On this occasion, our sharp shooter had fired twice at the blackwithout hitting him, but in the afternoon he left the tree, and was taking a walk for the benefit of his legs when he was suddenly flopped on his face before he had taken six steps. Two white men who with him tried to haul him back, but a few doses of leaden pills being thrown that way, he was left alone untill darkness gave them a chance to take him away.

Gone For A Soldier Ballard, Alfred Pvt, 5th NJV ppgs 56-57

In an article for Civil War Times, RL Murray quotes a member of the 1st US SS having written:

One of our men in Company G, named Brown, has a small telescopic rifle, weighing only 32 1/2 lbs. He and I were detailed for special duty, this sad duty being to kill a rebel sharpshooter-a big negro-who had been picking off our men. We waited a long time for a sight at him but he did not show himself. It was getting towards night, when a puff of smoke was seen to rise from a tree near the fort, and a bullet came whistling past our heads. We now arranged our plans. By the aid of a glass, I could see his black "mug" peeping from behind a tree. I elevated my sight and fired. It must have come close, for he sprang out. As he did so Brown fired, and "my joker" fell, with a bullet through him. Brown had his sight elevated for fifteen hundred yards.

I find it interesting that these two sources site either the same kill, or that there were two black Confederate sharpshooters at Yorktown.

[laxdoc]

Re: mulatto in the ranks

Sorry abouy the book, here info The Slaves' War; in the words of former slaves by Andrew Ward.
Ward is quoting from the 1920/1930 interviews by states these interviews need to be taken with a grain of salt. I need to get the book back and then will give the names and other info.
By the by just hit the libary to day and found the following new books:

Firebrand of Liberty, Stephen V. Ash story of the 1st and 2nd South carolina.

Black Soldiers in Blue, edired by John David Smith 14 essays including one on the Louisiana's Native Guard both Union and Reb.

The book buyer at the library has his own view of Civil War books.

[jandksuttorp]

Re: mulatto in the ranks

Hey Comrades,
The following is taken from "Battle-fields of the South, from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; by an English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery on the Field Staff" Published in 1864.

At the commencement of the action our men perceived among the enemy several negroes, who seemed to take great care of themselves, and could not be induced to leave the trees behind which they fought. Many of us took a "pop" at the darkies, but always missed. When the fact became known to our colored boys, who always persisted in going to battle with us, they droppped the wounded they were carrying off, and immediately formed plans for capuring "de black 'Bolition teeves." It was very amusing to see their display of generalship. "Go back to the rear, boys," said the officers, "this is no place for you!" But the darkies would not go back, and lurking behind their masters picked off the enemy's officers at a rapid rate. At last the regiment made a sudden charge, when, to our surprise, we found that not less than half a dozen black fellows had preceded us, and were each bringing out a prisoner of the same color, abusing them roundly, and kicking them unmercifully. "You black rascal you!-does you mean to fight agin white folks, you ugly niggers, you? Suppose you tinks yourself no 'small taters' wid dat blue jacket on and dem striped pants. You'll oblige dis Missippi darkey by pulling dem off right smart, if yer doesn't want dat head o' yourn broke." "You are a mighty smart nigger, you is!" said one of our cooks to his captive; "comin' down Souf to whip de whites! You couldn't stay 't home and let us fight de Yanks, but you must come along too, eh! You took putty good care o' yourself, you did, behind dat old oak! I was a lookin' at yer; and if you hadn't dodged so much, you was a gone chicken long ago, you ugly ole Abe Lincolnite, you!"
Some of our servants were fortunate enough to pick up many valuables, including diamond-pins, watches, rings, and money, and as at Manassas, they selected the finest Federal uniforms they could discover, in which they dressed themselves, and they promenaded round town with their sweethearts. I discovered my servant one morning making coffee, completely dressed in the grandest style, from boots to the gilded shoulder-straps, of some unfortunate Federal officer. In their conversation, they seemed to look upon the Yankees with contempt, and especdially because they didn't fight to suit them. "Talk of dem Yanks comin' down to whip us! Dey must be sick! Why, massa can whale a dozen of 'em 'fore coffee is hot, fair fight. Dem Nordon darkies is now 'count, and yet dey puts on all de airs in the worle. If eber I ketch any of dem darkies comin' in my way, of foolin' wid me, dis chile is goin' to make sombody holler, sure!"

This is in the chapter where he is writing about the battle of Leesburgh, or Ball's Bluff. It was written in 1864. Take it for what it's worth, and you decide on it's accuracy.

John Eric Suttorp

[shubal]

Re: mulatto in the ranks

Peter Charmichael weighs in,
http://civilwarmemory.typepad.com/ci...ates.html#more

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: mulatto in the ranks

Peter Charmichael weighs in,
http://civilwarmemory.typepad.com/ci...ates.html#more

What a great...and well-written article.

I was riveted to the screen, as I made my way through this emotional rollercoaster; where at times I found myself in agreement...and at other times at odds. The conclusion about MEN was worth getting through the entire article.

Paul B.

[ContinentalMorganGuard]

Re: mulatto in the ranks

Here's an article on a ceremony marking the service of a Black Confederate, his service is sketchy but it says he was a slave who ran away from the plantation to join his master. http://www.charlotte.com/breaking_ne...ry/719690.html

[Cfarrell]

Re: mulatto in the ranks

While this doesn't talk about serves in the ranks I found it to be interesting.

[HOUSTON] TRI-WEEKLY TELEGRAPH, July 16, 1862, p. 1, c. 1
A Nut for Old Abe to Crack.—On Saturday night last, the negroes of this city gave a ball for the benefit of sick soldiers. The tickets issued read as follows: "GRAND FANCY DRESS BALL, AT TURNER'S HALL. Sam Bowman has permission from Messrs. Geo. W. Frazier, t. W. House and Frank Mathews, to give a ball at Turner's Hall, for the benefit of the soldiers in the Hospital.—Admission, one dollar. Sam Bowman, Proprietor."
They were disappointed at a late hour in not obtaining the Hall, and were obliged, by permission of the Provost Marshal, to go to the Court House; consequently their receipts were comparatively small. Although much disappointed, they have paid over to the Mayor $51, to be applied as above stated. It is said that the ball was conducted with the utmost propriety. Put that in your pipe, Old Abe, and you blockaders who "read the Telegraph."
By-the-bye, how do you feel out there on your prowling mission, during this weather? If you had wool on your backs instead of bristles, you could not feel more sheepish when you read such accounts as the one given above.

I've seen references to another ball that was held in 1861 at Perkin's Hall in Houston.

[laxdoc]

Re: mulatto in the ranks

From the book The Slave's Civil War by Andrew Ward.
1. Slave james Cape Served for his master in Missouri forces no unit given
2. Wiley brewer served Mississippi forces no unit given
Slave of Capt. Thomas Buchanan served in 15 Tenn Calvery
4. Three brothers free blacks tried to enlist early in the war were allow to enlist late in the war no names or units.

These notes from the WPA 1920's/1930's Writers Project and most are childern of the people quoted. Also only a few names, so I am not to happy with the docuation of the book.

Even a second look has not helped.

[Johan Steele]

Re: mulatto in the ranks

I have to recall an incident where a woman at an event overhard me telling the public that women were uncommon in the ranks, even in the form of camp followers. She interrupted me to show her favorite picture of the civil war, the picture of a laundress and her children working in camp. She then gleefully exclaimed that "See, this is proof that millions of women followed their husbands to war." I admit I tried not to laugh, but I did explain there were laundresses in the camps as well as nurses and perhaps as many as 700 women who disguised themselves as men to serve. That is a whole lot like the "Black Confederate" phenomenon. In the last year I've heard patently ridiculous numbers of 250,000 black men in the ranks of the CS Army. And when asked to provide the units, batles, arms carried etc... silence fills the web. The same men get mentioned over and over again in the same conversation in an effort to inflate numbers. And every single time the 1st LA Native Guard is mentioned enthusiasticly... a unit that was never accepted into CS service, armed, paid or equipped by the state. To me they are proof that the CS, even in desperate times, was unwilling to accept the black man into service.

IMO and by my own research I do believe there were less black men carrying weapons for the CS than there were women in the ranks. You can find ones and twos but never even remotely significant numbers carrying arms. And even more telling is the lack of mention by soldiers who were actually there. THem men who would have fought them or fought beside fail to mention them.

Black CS soldiers is on par w/ galtroops. Yes it happened, but rarely... very rarely.

In other words it isn't PEC or NUG. If anything it's like the picture of the CS soldier in jaguar skin trousers... proof of one not thousands.