Enlisted African Confederates

[Longbranch 1]

Sirs and Madames,

In preface, I wish to state that although I am not a frequent contributor to this forum, I thank you all for helping me improve my understanding, and therefore, portrayal of all our ancestors.

I know that most, if not all, strive to represent our heritage as correctly as possible.
Many may do so as an homage , being directly descended from participants in the " Recent Unpleasantness ".

My questions are simple;

Considering the social impact to, and sheer numbers of African Americans and other people of color that PARTICIPATED , under arms or not:

( 1 )Why is our endeavour basically Caucasian based?
( 2 )How can that be changed to really reflect everyone's history?

Insights to the answer to question (2) are probably more pertinent.

Thanks and Regards,
Kevin Ellis,
26th NCT

Mods; Move where appropriate. Thanks

[Emmanuel Dabney]

Re: African American Re-enactors

A previous discussion on this topic: http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...ave+reenacting

Many of the items discussed there 3 years ago remain true now.

A visitor recently thanked me for my "perspective" on my Battle of the Crater tour. He was granted a black man and so am I; the events of July 30, 1864 are the events. However, from around the 1870s through the 1960s the carnage and chaos of the Union attack on the Confederate troops that day was marred by continued racism, Jim Crow laws, and a lack of interest in telling the horrors that Confederate troops had no problem discussing int the couple of weeks to a month after the event.

The visitor expressed how he had attended college and had never heard one word about colored troops and their role in the war. He was middle aged I would say. I appreciated his comments but I didn't talk about how a man in the 10th Alabama described the skulls of USCTs being cracked with musket butts because I'm black and so were they; but rather because the events of July 30, 1864, were the events and they will not change.

So that brings me to my point as we look at things again from that previous discussion of three years ago...

Still today, despite the immense amount of historian interest in the role of colonization and enslavement, racism, Civil War memory, and the first large scale desire by the U.S. military to have participation by black men in combat roles during the Civil War; the public at large remains ignorant of these facts.

My younger cousins in South Carolina told me that their emphasis on science and math has cut out all instruction on local, state, U.S., or World History. Somehow through globalization, the world has become one. It is now one place (transportation has made barriers of thousands of miles accessible in hours), one language, one series of foods everyone eats (McDonalds and Starbucks for example), one desire (wealth). In the period, the world has forgotten its uniqueness. Just recently I was shocked to find Beijing is tearing down 13th century houses to make way for skyscraping apartments and other buildings preparing for the 2008 Olympics. Sadly these "unique" buildings for Olympics and fairs become white elephants (i.e., worthless, empty spaces) in the aftermath. Yet again in the globalization, cities compete even if that means governments relocate people (like what is going on in Beijing now).

Therefore it comes as little surprise that all Americans, not just black, do not know anything about the vital importance of slavery to the survival of the colonies that became the United States, which added territories which changed into a 50 state Union. They do not understand the divisions that separated North and South; East, Middle, and West. Northern Virginia looks like a L.A. suburb which looks like a Houston suburb.

Now how can we (as in people who live in these 50 states) change that?

It will be diffiicult. We must also understand there is still a lot of animosity over the most recent great division of people: The Jim Crow/Civil Rights Era. That generation continues to get older and as the recent deaths of Civil Rights leaders such as Coretta Scott King tells us; they are also dying. Some people have progressed past hating white society or looking for racism at every chance possible; others have not. Nothing can separate the memories of being locked out of schools, being called ignorant (and the dreaded "n" word); being spat at, having things thrown at you; and generally being treated worse than animals.

However, we can start with demanding that children be taught history and not forced to memorize it. Introduction of the past should begin at an early age by family, for example, outtings to historical sites in addition to amusement parks (note I said in addition to; don't make children miserable). Demand from parents nationwide that history not be thrown out because we want American children to compete with others in the world.

We, the enlightened ones of history, must go into the classrooms, even in the "scary" (I exude sarcasm there) inner city schools. If you are white, black, male or female; discuss various aspects to the war, not just guns.

Part of the problem with the reason why there are not more black reenactors is that they have been beaten over the head with the "great white man" story. George Washington as First President, Thomas Jefferson as the author of the Declaration of Independence, Franklin D. Roosevelt as the president who was around to turn us out of Depression and led us through a World War. But where is George Washington the man who owned slaves and later freed those that he owned? Jefferson the man who likely had children with his wife's half-sister and slave, Sally Hemmings and whose words of happiness pale in comparison with his having slaves whipped and sold? Where is the FDR who was not certain how much he wanted participation from black American citizens in the World War II period?

These stories have been like that of the Crater, hidden until recently. So we're asking for people to perhaps forget about a denial of their race's role in America and just run to us.

However, we still must try. Try to recruit those into the knowledge that there were thousands of men who served honorably in the USCT units and that "colored troops" was not looked at negatively by those men. Try to recruit those into the knowledge that millions were enslaved and that is not a negative thing to us living in today's society. We must instruct on people who then lived in a time and a place and not cast hatred on those who grew up with the institution. Relay the stories of resistance to enslavement and the consequences that followed. We must talk about even hotly debated issues like the roles that slaves and free blacks had within the Confederate armies. Relay that the history of black America is the history of ALL of America and without enslavement, freedom, Jim Crow, and Civil Rights; the America of the 21st century would not be had those things not happened.

Unfortunately, those who do reenact usually choose the USCT impression and that role is chosen because in many ways people could not imagine themselves as submissive in the 21st century and they cannot suspend enough reality to do so. You can read why I chose to portray an enslave person in the previous discussion which I linked at top.

I am in a situation where I really could use about 10 black living historians to portray slaves but I cannot get enough and I will not be able to clone Anita Henderson (a friend and forum member) and myself. I will just have to suffice with the people I can get and tell the stories that I need to tell with those of us who are willing and who have no emotional baggage in telling stories that have been left untold or poorly told.

[Bitter_Bierce]

Re: African American Re-enactors

( 1 )Why is our endeavour basically Caucasian based?

Many (certainly not all) African-Americans view Civil War history as being a primarily a white man's conflict with blacks being marginalized by the Union and persectuted by the Confederacy. Although black Americans made a significant contribution that cannot and should not be overlooked, it is a subject that some blacks are uncomfortable with. In light of such films as "Birth of a Nation" and "Gone With the Wind," both of which were protested by the NAACP, it should come as no surprise why so many blacks view CW history with either indifference or disdain. Popular history has provided a distorted and view of our past that haunts us to this day.

( 2 )How can that be changed to really reflect everyone's history?

I would have said that in the late 1980s changes for the better were in the wind and that blacks were on the verge of coming into the hobby in a big and very positive way due to the film Glory. Alas, while some did get into the hobby for the long haul as a result of that film, many left it after just a few years... not unlike many whites. The problem therefore seems to a human one and not primarily a racial one, but the racial aspects can't be ignored.

With the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War coming up, I for one am hoping that it is not going to be another repeat of the 100th and 125th Anniversary years where most of the emphasis is on battles where blacks were not involved. Preserved battlefields where blacks fought are few and far between. Milliken's Bend was washed away when the Mississippi changed course. Ft. Wagnor is gone due to beach erosion (although Morris Island may itself be saved). New Market Heights near Richmond is in private hands and marked only with a Virginia highway marker. The Nashville battlefield was virtually destroyed by urban growth years ago. Ocean Pond (Olustee) was not exactly a sterling example of black prowess in battle due to the USCTs being inexperienced, but ironically it's the best preserved. And then there is Petersburg where the USCT participants gets lots of empahsis... and then Hollywierd short-changes their participantion in the opening scenes of Cold Mountain.

[jmbyrnes]

Enlisted African Confederates

To all,

I'm currently taking a grad course at university in MD, and earlier this week a professor, who has had a long stint in the African American History section of the library of congress, tried to tell me that I was incorrect when I remarked that the south used blacks as soldiers. She said that has never been any evidence of an African being enlisted in the southern army.

Now I know in March 1865 general order #14 authorized the raising of African American companies for use in the southern army, but that the war ended before they could be offically put into a battle. Where I need some help from you guys is that I'm hoping somebody has come along some research (morning reports, perhaps a muster roll, or even better enlistment papers) that clearly shows an African (who is enlisted) in the ranks of the southern army.

So far the only thing I've found is the info on general order #14, some brief mentioning of black confederates in William H Freehling's book "The South vs. The South", and that is really about it. So, if you've got some info please shoot me an email. I need info to be detailed, and at the very least please be able to cite where you got the information from.

My email address is jared_byrnes@hotmail.com

[cprljohnivey]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

From Yahoo

http://www.blackconfederates.com/

http://www.37thtexas.org/html/BlkHist.html

http://www.rebelgray.com/BLACKREBS.htm

http://www.civilwarhistory.com/_/blacks/black_confederates_fact_page.htm

[Tom Ezell]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

How about a picture?

The original of this quarter-plate ambrotype was in the collection of Sweeny's Museum near Republic, MO, and is currently in the collection of Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Park after the NPS purchased the Sweeney collection in 2005. It's been reprinted in several books, including the Portraits of Conflict series. Though attributed to Arkadelphia, conventional thought at this time points to this being the Hempstead Rifles in Washington, Arkansas, in May of 1861. The fellow in the red circle (as the circle didn't come thru, he's in the 3rd rank, 4th guy from the right, with musket and bowie knife) is an armed black rebel soldier; though he is often overshadowed by the period farb in the front rank who's wearing sunglasses.

Confederate law prohibited negroes from being regularly enlisted as soldiers in the Confederate Army. That being said, it was sometimes done, as this image proves. There is a great deal of discussion about just how many blacks served in gray, and at least two books, Black Confederates and Black Southerners in Gray have been written, compiling period accounts of this. The common quote seems to be around 30,000, but having read those accounts and others, I think that figured is inflated, and includes those blacks who were with the army not of their free will, but who were employed as teamsters, servants, and other combat support and combat service support roles.

Harris Flanagan, LTc and subsequently commander of the 2nd Arkansas Rifles, had his slave, Bird, enlisted in the regiment; and Bird served at least during the Lyon campaign in the summer of 1861 and onward into 1862. Likewise, a number of Nathan B. Forrest's slaves served under Forrest's command in return for being manumited before the War's end.

The 3rd Arkansas Infantry had at least two black soldiers regularly enlisted, the brothers Arkansas and Swiney Ridgell, from near Crossett, AR. They aren't listed in the records as being black, but when research was being done on the regimental history back in the mid-60s, the author, Calvin Collier, looked up the families of all the veterans he could find and was astonished to meet the Ridgells' children and grandchildren.

At any rate, these two books will give the most common anecdotal accounts, and give you a good basis to start research on (http://blackconfederates.com/_wsn/page2.html).

[Spinster]

Re: Enlisted African Confederates

Black Confederates (Paperback)
by Charles Barrow (Author), J. H. Segars (Editor), R. B. Rosenburg (Editor)

Available through Amazon

This volume was done about 15 years ago.

If I remember correctly, Mr. Barrow (probably Dr. Barrow by now) later did a second volume of this study--both include images and service records. Much of the archival material was drawn from the records of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the Military Order of the Stars and Bars.

[Marc]

Re: African American Re-enactors

Em,

As usual a thoughtful and educated response. Pretty well sums it up in my book.

Mentioning George Washington, they have been doing an archelogical dig at his home in Philadelphia when he was president. I am surprised when I read or hear people say they did not know he owned slaves until the dig showed the tunnels etc for the slaves that worked in the house and so they would not be seen by guests etc, much like TJ's home in Virginia.

A lot of history just gets passed over in the education process and it involves all our history.

How many people do you think really know about the Trail of Tears and the Indian relocation programs of the early 19th century?

Of course I could go on, but Em..you summed it very nicely.

[HighPrvt]

Re: African American Re-enactors

To address your second question...
There are black reenactors in the ranks in the mainstream world.
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.....

Substitute the word black with whatever term you wish, as I do not have a politically correct bone in my body!

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: African American Re-enactors

My younger cousins in South Carolina told me that their emphasis on science and math has cut out all instruction on local, state, U.S., or World History. Somehow through globalization, the world has become one. It is now one place (transportation has made barriers of thousands of miles accessible in hours), one language, one series of foods everyone eats (McDonalds and Starbucks for example), one desire (wealth). In the period, the world has forgotten its uniqueness.

Not to get philosophical or political, but...
Somehow we have decided that our "competitiveness" is tied only to math and science. Now, in a time when these two areas seem to be the only valued measure of "Intelligence", what we really need is wisdom. ...which can only be had through a broad range of studies (not only history, but music, art, and language) as well as getting out and learning about other cultures. A slide rule won't make you wise. :sarcastic

First-Rate post, Emmanuel! You are one impressive dude!

[Rob Weaver]

Re: African American Re-enactors

I really think it's a crying shame that African Americans are not more represented in reenacting. It reminds me of the old Disney movie, "Johnnie Shiloh." About the Civil War, but not a person of color to be seen. So what was all the fuss in the "recent unpleasantness" all about again? I must admit that my interest is in the USCT, particularly the infantry, but it's an interest I've always had and seems to be a natural extension of my interest in Federal infantry in general. When we adopted an African American child, our case worker remarked "Many black children are not interested in the Civil War because when it's taught they feel singled out and put on the spot." Could be, along with the current fascination with math and science and teaching to standardized tests. History, and the cultural identity which spring from it are being lost. Tony Horowitz also records some chilling observations in "Confederates in the Attic," of all places, to the effect that in the popular African American history of America, the Civil War really didn't change things for blacks all that much. That view needs to be balanced against Bell Wiley's classic "The Stange Case of Jim Crow," where he demonstrates that the war certainly did change everything, but then many of the changes were lost through the growth of Jim Crow in the late 19th century. I'm trying to do my personal best to change that understanding, but my child is only old enough to drum, and a beginner at that.

[boreguard]

Re: African American Re-enactors

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[tmdreb]

Re: African American Re-enactors

For the most part, reenacting and living history involving all time periods is very much a white hobby.

I wouldn't read too much into it. Other cultures do have ways of remembering and honoring their heritage in ways that do not involve combining historical costuming and camping.

[boreguard]

Re: African American Re-enactors

No clear cut answer to these questions seem to be able to override the varied opinions that ensue when a question like this is presented. However, I don't believe there's a conspiracy. I do believe that history can be a shared value/interest that is many times passed down from generation to generation, thus the aforementioned mode being one of the biggest factors that motivates someone to say "I love history", in my opinion of course.

Our channging Culture has a lot to do with waining interest in the period that we all are so interested in. Regardless of which race you might be speaking of, hardly anyone will disagree that there has been an erosion of the positive things about the culture that exist among blacks or whites. The positive things I'm referring to have a strong influence on our individual, as well as a generation's appreciation for history. In short, soooooo many people are so wrapped up in "me" (sports included in that). So much so that they could care less who owned slaves; white or black owners of slaves, don't matter as much as "Just give me what I deserve" !

Mr. Dabney speaks well to the questions, but heck I'd love to see more of either color represented in this hobby. When you stop and think about it by ratio there's probably a good argument that blacks are no less represnted in the hobby than whites. The ratio I'm referring to of course is the current population in contrast to the total numbers who exist in the hobby.

At the end of the day we all do our best to create a glimpse for the on looker, but we never capture and present a whole picture (i.e., no mile long or longer wagon trains, herds of swine or beef in tow, etc., etc.) but we press on and our best to recruit which is best done by our being consistent participants...who knows someone might even bring in that new recruit who wants to portray a free black slave owner from the Teche area of Louisiana.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: African American Re-enactors

"...who knows someone might even bring in that new recruit who wants to portray a free black slave owner from the Teche area of Louisiana."

Dennis, as usual...so many good points, and if we are protraying the 16th LA VOL INF, then the person you speak of in the above quote would be period correct if he joined our ranks.