One of my favorite stories in this regard is a "revelation" by one of  
the most prominent writers in this field, that there were no less  
than two full regiments of black troops on the Confederate side at  
First Manassas . . . one commanded by a "white" Colonel . . . one  
commanded by a "black" Colonel . . . and that, after the battle, some  
of these "black confederate" troops were seen looting the bodies of  
dead Union soldiers.  Mystifying how ca. 2,000 uniformed and armed  
black troops would have been "missed" by every witness except one  
poor soul selling dime tickets to a self-promoting lecture . . . but,  
sources move in mysterious ways their wonders to perform.

The realities of black service in the Confederate Army are well  
documented . . . and, I believe, speak to the humanity of all who  
fought in that most tragic of conflicts.

Some blacks, clearly, "served" because they had no choice . . . or  
believed they had none.

Some because they felt honor-bound to the people beside whom they  
fought.

Some may, indeed, have fought for some variation of "the  
cause"  . . . but, to the best of my knowledge . . . most instances  
of professions of support in that regard came early in the conflict,  
and did not survive the aftermath of Sharpsburg.

I look forward to this discussion.

Dan




On Jun 15, 2007, at 9:07 AM, [log in to unmask] wrote:

> Another curious aspect of the realities of Black slavery are  the  
> accounts of
> Black slaves and freemen serving in the army of the  Confederacy.