Yet More African-Americans in Confederate Service

[James A. Page]

Have seen this subject come up here on ocassion. Just thought I'd add some more information. From the Nashville Daily Union May 7th,1862:

"Let the Rebels of Tennessee who have been telling the people that the United States would arm the slaves read this and blush if a blush can crimson their brazen faces: Negroes Uniformed and in Arms!

Two miles and a quarter below Yorktown are three rebel forts, on the west side of the Warwick river—in front of one of them Lieutenant Wagoner, of Philadelphia, was killed. Our artillery have shelled them out a number of times, and an encampment in the rear has been so riddled that their barracks have been deserted. They have in these three forts six guns—two in the left one, three in the centre, and one on the right. The dam of the Warwick river runs in front, preventing them from coming over or our pickets from reaching them. The artillery, however, make it so hot that they cannot stay in the forts. In the centre one can be seen, every day, from two to three hundred negroes, with red coats, gray pants and slouch hats, strengthen the work with sand bags, digging ditches, etc. Whenever they dare to come out to fire their artillery, which is simply field artillery, these negroes ram home the [microfilm damaged] with which white men then fire at the hearts of our soldiers. Any one who doubts that the rebels are fighting side by side with their slaves, can be convinced at any hour of the day by going up to the edge of the woods, about twelve hundred yards in front of their works. With the aid of any ordinary glass, the matter can be put beyond room for a doubt."

Cheers,

Jim Page

[sepoy1857]

Re: Yet More African-Americans in Confederate Service

Thanks Very interesting stuff!

[LWhite64]

Re: Yet More African-Americans in Confederate Service

This might be of use in keeping this a little more in perspective, http://civilwarmemory.typepad.com/ci...federates.html

Lee

[James A. Page]

Re: Yet More African-Americans in Confederate Service

Lee,

An interesting lecture, but--in the end--one man's opinion wholely unresourced by primary sources. However it is an interesting and compelling discussion of possible--maybe even likely--motivations of black confederates.

I suspect that African-Americans associated themselves with Confederate units for a broad spectrum of reasons--from "love" for your owner's family to outright fear...and everything in between.

This subject has been on-going here for a while. My contribution of this original quote (from the May, 1862 Nashville Daily Union) was intended to include more extant sources from the period adding to the ongoing discussion of this subject. I think that, even allowing for the political biases and regionalism of the period, such sources help us to flesh-out our understanding of the War.

Thanks again,

Jim Page

[Gary of CA]

Re: Yet More African-Americans in Confederate Service

Those redcoated rebels of African descent sounds like a labor battalion. What intrigues me (if there is any truth to it) is why did anyone bother to clothe them in like uniforms. It is well known that slaves were borrowed or impressed from their owners who were finacially compensated for the lost labor.

[ewtaylor]

Re: Yet More African-Americans in Confederate Service

Those redcoated rebels of African descent sounds like a labor battalion. What intrigues me (if there is any truth to it) is why did anyone bother to clothe them in like uniforms. It is well known that slaves were borrowed or impressed from their owners who were finacially compensated for the lost labor.

Not every black person in the South was a slave, there were more free blacks in the South than in the North when the War began.
What gets me, is people scream for period proof of blacks fighting in CS units. Then when you provide it, they still aren't happy.

[Gary of CA]

Re: Yet More African-Americans in Confederate Service

Thank you for pointing out that freeman could also hire themselves out (or be impressed) as laborers by the Confederacy. I have found evidence of blacks fighting for the Confederacy. They fought not as enlisted soldiers but as slaves acting with the permission (or direction) of their masters. The Confederacy could not interfer with the master's right to use his chattel (property) as he saw fit. Hence, the example in Harper's Weekly of the two blacks who were forced at gunpoint to serve a cannon at Yorktown (and who were shot down by the Berdan Sharp Shooters).

[roundshot]

Re: Yet More African-Americans in Confederate Service

Here is the Harper's illustration Gary references above. These may be the same blacks described in the initial post. Just how "willing" they were to serve depend upon one's perspective, I suppose.

[shubal]

Re: Yet More African-Americans in Confederate Service

Not every black person in the South was a slave, there were more free blacks in the South than in the North when the War began.
What gets me, is people scream for period proof of blacks fighting in CS units. Then when you provide it, they still aren't happy.

I think what you really should pay attention to is various groups and individuals who say that there were literally thousands of slaves participating in the Confederate military. What the evidence seems to be showing is that there are indeed some individual cases of slaves and maybe free blacks participating in units at the front, and also cases of laboring battalions helping build places like Fort Fisher or the Dimmock Line. But the evidence of larger numbers particularly in action hasn't really come up.

When reading period accounts of seeing slaves with guns etc etc, I am often reminded of Henry Kyd Douglas' description of Turner Ashby. Ashby, was supposedly almost shot once by a Yankee who held back thinking that he, Ashby, was so dark in complexion that he must be a black man. For his troubles, the Yankee got captured if I remember correctly.