Enlisted African Confederates

[Longbranch 1]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

Mods,

Just curious as to how " African American Re-enactors" became " Enlisted African Confederates" ?????

Definitely explains the divergence.

PM if needed.

Thanks,
Kevin Ellis,
26th NCT

[cap tassel]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

I have a couple questions. What specific cases of black men volunteering for Confederate service do you know of? And when and where?

[rbrewer]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

From the Official Records:
SERIES 1 Vol. 16, part 1 reports ( pages 803--->805)
This is a report from the Battle of Murfreesborough Tenn-report of LTC John G. Parkhurst 9th Michigan Inf. -
in part:
"There were also quite a number of negroes attached to the TX & GA troops, who were armed and equipped and took part in the several engagements with my forces during the day"
SERIES 1 Vol. 15 ( pages 137--->138)
This is a report from Maj. Frederick Frye-9th Conn Inf.(Camp Parapet LA-Sept 12th 1862)
in part:
"picketts were thrown out that night and Capt Hennessey-Co. "E" 9th Conn and having been sent out with his company captured a colored rebel scout , well mounted , who had been sent out to watch our movements."

Thank you
Bob Brewer

[Emmanuel Dabney]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

From page 670, The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies. / Series 1 - Volume 41 (Part IV)


"Patterson [November] 24, 1864.

Colonel MAUPIN:

I have arrived with my squad on return. Captain McClanahan has gone on the upper road for Pilot Knob; will all arrive there to-morrow. No rebel force below. We have turned up eleven bushwhackers to dry and one rebel negro. No man hurt on our side. The men are generally well.

P. L. POWERS
Captain Company H, Forty-seventh [Missouri Infantry]."

[Johan Steele]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

My wife portrays a free woman of color w/ an impression more based on the day to day life of a black woman in 1860-65. It is something that is sorely underrepresented in pretty much any aspect of CW Re-enacting or Living History. Her own research came first from sitting at the feet of her grand mother and great aunt and just listening to the stories from those still directly connected to slavery.

My wife has concentrated far more upon the civilian aspect; the everyday life of a woman of color. While I have looked more at the military aspect.

Several years ago I started a project to educate myself on the roles & experiances of the Civil War era black man and woman. This was partly fueled by a crow eating experiance where I took for granted as legitimate some information on Black Confederates. A learning experiance for me that forced me to check much of what I thought to be legitimate research.

I was specifically told about a major Black CS force at the battle of "Dingles Mill" near Sumter SC in the last monthes of the war. I took for granted that the SCV man knew what he was talking about when he spoke of 300+ black confederate soldiers opposing Sherman's men there (in his defense he was merely repeating what he had been told). Upon further research I came to realize that Dingles Mill was so insignificant a skirmish that it isn't listed upon the rolls of battle for the war and to add insult to injury the 300 + black soldiers present were USCT men w/ nothing to do w/ Sherman. Some of the further research pointed that there MAY have been some black men manning one of the two guns contesting the USCT but that in reality they were likely the men who manhandled the guns there in the first place.

I spent the better part of two years (maybe 600 hours) on the project taking a lot of time looking through my copies of period diaries & letters and every other period letter or diary I could lay my paws on, to the tune of 2200 different authors. In all I found just over a dozen specific incidents referencing black men in any way directly aiding the CS cause by carrying arms. IIRC they were almost all Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas troops referred to. I was able to coalate a number of about 140 names of black men who might have been considered under arms; I added in the numbers of black men who joined the CS army in the last chaotic days of the CS outside Richmond and several other accounts, all told I came to a number of a little less than 1300 and gave myself an error rate that would put the numbers closer to 1400. I have since seen the referenced number of 13,000 and the methodolgy that came to such a number and feel it a reasonable number. While I consider it quite high I can understand it and feel it was reached through legitimate research.

THe only verified account of large numbers of black men in direct combat w/ US forces I have found were those men who took up arms at the last minute at Chickamauga. And IIRC I owe a big note of thanks to Mr White of the NMP for putting me on that track.

Mr Dabney puts forward a vital point when referencing black men and women of the Confederacy; the majority were directly involved with the war effort in a support role. Without which the war effort of the CS would have crumpled like so much newspaper. When one studies the works prepared around Petersburg, Vicksburg, Atlanta or all through the CS the majority were built by slave labor, the rapid and efficient repairs to damaged rail lines were accomplished by slave labor and the majority of foodstuffs used by the CS Army were procured through slave labor. The work done in factories to create many of the arms and munitions utilized by the CS was done through very efficient and effective slave labor. So that when one looks at it thus the amount of black support for the CS was nearer to three millions. Then question then becomes how much of it was willing?

THus Mr Dabney point is the salient one of this or any other discussion dealing with black men and women in the Confederacy.
"The bottom line really to this subject is that it is a proven fact that both enslaved and free blacks were used by the Confederate government including their armies and its citizens to sustain the war effort. This subject, fascinating as is, loses critical elements that many a Confederate soldier would have gone hungry without the sustainment of slavery (as well as crops turned over, sold, or confiscated) in the production of corn and wheat. Many a Confederate soldier would have had less clothing without slave labor in cotton growth. Many a Confederate soldier would have died without the labor of black men and women in hospitals from Richmond to Texas. Many Confederate soldiers would have not been able to shield themselves from sheets of bullets and shrieking shells had not black men been engaged in the construction of miles of fortifications. Many Confederate soldiers would have lacked ammunition, weapons, and transportion without black men employed in factories and for railroad companies. These efforts for whatever reason have been pushed to the side to uphold combatants. Ultimately, millions of black Southerners, free and enslaved, were critically important to the Confederate war effort."


Over the years I've looked through and read a few books on the subject with these being those I would recomend to anyone wanting to learn about the subject. At the same time several are quite dated and the inherent racism of the first half of the 20th century is apparent in some.

Berlin, Ira, Freedom; The Black Military Experience

Brewer, James, The Confedertae Negro: Virginia’s Craftsmen & Military Laborers

Cheek, William F., Black Resistance Before the Civil War,.

Durden, Robert, The Gray and the Black

Fogel, Robert William & Engerman, Stanley L., Time on the Cross the
Economics of American Negro Slavery.

Glatthaar, Joseph T., Forged in Battle The Civil War Alliance of Black Soldiers and White Officers,

Jacobs, Harriet, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,.

Jordan, Ervin, Black Confedertaes & Afro Yankees in the Civil War

McLaurin, Melton A., Celia, A Slave,.

McPherson, James M., Marching Toward Freedom,.

McPherson, James M., The Negro’s Civil War: How American Negroes felt
and acted during the War for the Union

McPherson, James M.,The Struggle for Equality:Abolitionists and the Negro in the Civil War & Reconstruction

Meltzer, Milton, In Their Own Words A History of the American Negro 1619-1865,

Quarles, Benjamin, The Negro in the Civil War

Rose, Willie Lee, Rehearsal for Reconstruction The Port Royal Experiment,

Spencer, Samuel R. Jr., Booker T. Washington and the Negro’s Place in American Life,.

Synnestvedt, Sig, The White Response to Black Emancipation,.

Trudeau, Noah Andre, Like Men of War.

[rbrewer]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Franklin Cozzens is listed as a private in the 37th NC, KIA at 2nd Manassas. He and his brother enlisted in the Confederate army in Boone, Watauga County NC. He is listed on the 1860 census as a literate, property owning mulato. I beleive that would qualify.
__________________
Derek Carpenter
Armory Guards
WIG

Thank you Derek ( also Micheal C. Hardy)for this info, its worth noting that both Cossens/Cozzens brothers appear on the roster for Co. "B" of the 37th N.C., and thier service records appear in Mandarin -Jordan's "North Carolina Troops 1861-1865 A Roster"-
COSSENS, FRANKLIN Private, Born in Randolph County and resided in Watuga County where he was by occupation a farmer prior to enlisting in Watuga County at age 28, September14, 1861.Killed at the Battle of of Second Manassas, VA., August 29,1862.
COZZENS,WILLIAM HENRY Private. Born in Randolph County and resided in Watuaga County where he was by occupation a farmer prior to enlisting in Watuga County at age 21, September 14, 1861. Present or accounted for until captured near Pertersburg, VA, April 2, 1865. Confined at Point Lookout , Maryland, until released on June 10, 1865, after taking the oath of Allegiance.

This from the OR's:
Federal Official Records, Series I, Vol. XVII, Chapter XXIX, Pg. 634-637 -
December 28, 1863 - "...It had to be prosecuted under the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters, protected as well as the men might be by our skirmishers on the
bank, who were ordered to keep up so vigorous a fire that the enemy should not dare to lift their heads above their rifle-pits; but the enemy, and especially their armed negroes, did dare to rise and fire, and did serious execution upon our men...The casualties in the brigade were 11 killed, 40wounded, and 4 missing; aggregate, 55. - Very respectfully, your obedient servant, D. STUART, Brigadier-General, Commanding 4th brigade-2nd div of operations 12/26/1862-- .01/03/1863 along the yazoo river.

I located these news items on a roll of micro film (roll M-film AN 67-R5E5) form the Interlibrary loan system /Richmond Enquirer :(July 24, 1861)
"HAD ON OF THEM" A genteleman who was at the Manassa(sic) on Tuesday morning saw a negro man belonging to an Alabama officer march a Zouave in to camp. The negro , a short thick -set fellow, had two guns on his shoulder, and drove his prisoner before him. The Zouave was a pert looking fellow, and wore his arm in a sling in consequence of his wound. As the negro reached the company in which the officer was standing he handed over his prize, saying , "Massa, here one of dese devils who been shooting at us, sir!".

Richmond Enquirer/Balto, Sun July 24(or 27)1861:
A darkey with the VA. regiment at Manassas, wrote home to his wafe last week for his "Sunday clothes" as " we ( that is Beauregard's men) has determined to go to Alexandria" and he wanted his fine goods to wear while in the strange place.

The Confederate Monument at Arlington National Cemetary ( sculpted by Confederate Veteran Moses Ezekiel -VMI cadet wounded at the battle of New Market) contains an image of a black Confederate Solider.
Mr. Dabney- thank you for continuing and contributing to this thread!!
Sincerely
Bob Brewer
Gaithersburg,MD

[Johan Steele]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

It is a very complex subject, I have write two years ago an article on the subject, Entitled " the confederated black soldiers, the myth or the reality "
It is an article in French, if there are people who masters French or one the courage to translate, I give you the link?!

Mr. Miconnet please do provide the link to your article. While I do not speak or read French my wife is fluent... or used to be anyway.

[EVOC]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mcouioui
It is a very complex subject, I have write two years ago an article on the subject, Entitled " the confederated black soldiers, the myth or the reality "
It is an article in French, if there are people who masters French or one the courage to translate, I give you the link?!

And I have a co-worker who is literate in French. If you send the article to me, I will ask her to translate it. BTW, I was also a Confederate at BGR and if I had an avatar, you would probably recognize me.

[cap tassel]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

Berlin, Ira, Freedom; The Black Military Experience

Brewer, James, The Confedertae Negro: Virginia’s Craftsmen & Military Laborers

Cheek, William F., Black Resistance Before the Civil War,.

Durden, Robert, The Gray and the Black

Fogel, Robert William & Engerman, Stanley L., Time on the Cross the
Economics of American Negro Slavery.

Glatthaar, Joseph T., Forged in Battle The Civil War Alliance of Black Soldiers and White Officers,

Jacobs, Harriet, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,.

Jordan, Ervin, Black Confedertaes & Afro Yankees in the Civil War

McLaurin, Melton A., Celia, A Slave,.

McPherson, James M., Marching Toward Freedom,.

McPherson, James M., The Negro’s Civil War: How American Negroes felt
and acted during the War for the Union

McPherson, James M.,The Struggle for Equality:Abolitionists and the Negro in the Civil War & Reconstruction

Meltzer, Milton, In Their Own Words A History of the American Negro 1619-1865,

Quarles, Benjamin, The Negro in the Civil War

Rose, Willie Lee, Rehearsal for Reconstruction The Port Royal Experiment,

Spencer, Samuel R. Jr., Booker T. Washington and the Negro’s Place in American Life,.

Synnestvedt, Sig, The White Response to Black Emancipation,.

Trudeau, Noah Andre, Like Men of War.

Are there any instances of black men volunteering for Confederate service that you've come across and if so who and where? thanks.

[Prodical Reb]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

Franklin Cozzens is listed as a private in the 37th NC, KIA at 2nd Manassas. He and his brother enlisted in the Confederate army in Boone, Watauga County NC. He is listed on the 1860 census as a literate, property owning mulato. I beleive that would qualify.

Larry,
I believe this, the above quote, qualifies as a voluntary enlistment. I don't know the specific date but the 37th was formed before the 44th in which my 3G- Grandpa volunteered for in March of '62. Logic would state that it is was before this date but not much maybe a month or so.

[Mcouioui]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

I put more than year to read a part of the quoted books higher and all the articles which I could find on Internet to translate and write this article, with my bad English and my love.:cry_smile
I you will thus ask to be indulgent with me, I have him write unpretentious with my heart and all these questions which this subject this complicated created in my spirit. :confused_
Here is the link of site of the CCFF where is the article http://pageperso.aol.fr/ccffpa/index.html?f=fs you click twice in "articles" and it is the third, but also read articles of my French, Belgian and Canadian, colleagues, which are write with the same passion...:wink_smil

[Mcouioui]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mcouioui
It is a very complex subject, I have write two years ago an article on the subject, Entitled " the confederated black soldiers, the myth or the reality "
It is an article in French, if there are people who masters French or one the courage to translate, I give you the link?!

And I have a co-worker who is literate in French. If you send the article to me, I will ask her to translate it. BTW, I was also a Confederate at BGR and if I had an avatar, you would probably recognize me.

Have you a photo bigger than your avatar? :wink_smil

[EVOC]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

Have you a photo bigger than your avatar?
__________________
William Miconnet

William,

I sent you a private e-mail. I am just not educated enough to figure how to send an attached photo on this forum. You may remember me when you see the BGR photos at the visit to the civilian camp.

[Mcouioui]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

I received your e-mail, I remember very well you :wink_smil
Otherwise to put photos on the forums, me I use that, http://imageshack.us/ but there is the others site for that, maybe there is you he one connected to the forum?

PS: All my excuses to the moderators for the momentary outside subject

[c.irelan]

Re: African American Re-enactors

[QUOTE=HighPrvt;63375].
To do so in the realm of authentic reenacting one would have to do so historically correct, which may not bide well in today's politically correct realm.

In the southern ranks the black soldiers would primarily be used as workers. Rather that be digging, cooking, driving, etc...

Same could be said for the union side, especially in the western theater.
If one wanted to do so as a federal infantry soldier, you would need your own unit ( segregated) with white officers.....

QUOTE]


My question would simply be why?


We love it when those protraying support troops show up at our events and do it right, teamsters, engineers, and so on. The simple fact is that in whole supoort troops in general are ignored. It takes far more men to move and take care of an army then those that actualy do the fighting it is easy to explain there lack of prensents at events because normaly we set ourselves on the front line and they would be in the rear. So if we can explain away such a important part of the conflict to fit our needs why would we not be able to so for colured fighting men?


And the white officer thing that is just one more thing that would have to be researched for accurate protrial after the attack on battery Wagner you start to see the promotion of colured to commisioned officers.


Jasper

Christopher Irelan
CFC