THe La. Guards are unique because they were not "black" slaves byut free
men of color who were mostly more than half white and never considred
themselves to be "black."  Many or even most were slaveowners or from
slaveholding families. 

The evidence of slaves as soldiers in the Confederate Army is small and
slim.  Very few were in combat and therefore risked their lives in that
way.  Most of the blacks associated with the Army were slaves who were
brought along by their masters.  Of course, over 200,000 blacks -- many
who had been slaves when the wr began -- served in the U.S. Army and
U.S. Navy and probably at least that many were paid civilian employees
of the US military.

Historically young men go off to war for adventure, as much as for a
"cause."  Individual slaves who went with their masters may have done so
for that reason, or for loyalty to the master, or even, to escape.  And
some did.

Paul Finkelman
President William McKinley Distinguished Professor of Law
     and Public Policy
Albany Law School
80 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, New York   12208-3494

518-445-3386 
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>>> [log in to unmask] 06/15/07 9:07 AM >>>
Another curious aspect of the realities of Black slavery are  the
accounts of 
Black slaves and freemen serving in the army of the  Confederacy.  C.F.
Black 
Confederates and Afro-Yankees in the Civil War  Virginia by Jordan; The 
Louisiana Native Guard by Hollandsworth;  Black Confederates by Barrow,
Segars and 
Rosenburg; Black  Southerners in Gray by Bataile, et. al; and Black 
Southerners in  Confederate Armies by Segars and Barrow.
 
I find it hard to believe that these slaves and former slaves served out
of  
fear of being whipped.  Rather, they must have had some deep felt
feelings  
for the South to risk their lives in battle for "the cause".
 
J South



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