Replies

Actually there was at least one Confederate General who proposed Freedom for any slaves that fought for the Confederacy.

" In January, 1864, General Patrick Cleburne and several other Confederate officers in the Army of the Tennessee proposed using slaves as soldiers since the Union was using black troops. Cleburne recommended offering slaves their freedom if they fought and survived. Confederate President Jefferson Davis refused to consider Cleburne's proposal and forbade further discussion of the idea. The concept, however, did not die. By the fall of 1864, the South was losing more and more ground, and some believed that only by arming the slaves could defeat be averted. On March 13, the Confederate Congress passed General Order 14, and President Davis signed the order into law. The order was issued March 23, 1865, but only a few African American companies were raised, and the war ended before they could be used in battle."

History of African Americans in the Civil War

despite the laws of the CSA & of the STATES, 100,00-150,000 "freemen of colour" (and NOT a few black women!) volunteered to fight for FREEDOM in the "tattered gray rags of the rebel military".

slaves could NOT serve in the forces, as they were NOT FREE to take The Oath of Enlistment. some few hundred slaves (perhaps as many as 500) were MANUMITTED so that they COULD take the oath & serve as FREEMEN!

additionally, SOME slaves were "contracted out", by their owners, to the military. they were NOT considered members of the forces.

free dixie,sw

From the link you posted. It's absolutely incredible that a die-hard neo-confed would actually publish truthful figures - for a rare change.

History of African Americans in the Civil War

"Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letters, U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pockets, and there is no power on earth which can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship in the United States." - - Frederick Douglass

"These words spoken by Frederick Douglass moved many African Americans to enlist in the Union Army and fight for their freedom. With President Abraham Lincoln's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the Civil War became a war to save the union and to abolish slavery.

Approximately 180,000 African Americans comprising 163 units served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and many more African Americans served in the Union Navy. Both free African-Americans and runaway slaves joined the fight."

If the confederate insurrectionists had been able to fully destroy the United States of America, slavery would not only have continued in the South, but would have expanded in all geographical directions.

On March 13, the Confederate Congress passed General Order 14, and President Davis signed the order into law. The order was issued March 23, 1865, but only a few African American companies were raised, and the war ended before they could be used in battle."

You act like the two are connected. Cleburne was roundly criticized for his letter, and Davis ordered him to retract it. It may be the reason why he never rose to command a corps in spite of the fact that men of lesser ability were appointed corps and army commanders over him.

Oh, and a funny thing about that legislation passed by the confederate congress. It did not contain any clause freeing slaves for their service. Had the south won the war they would have been returned to their masters. Some gratitude, huh?