“Yours is a typical ‘lost causer’ response when faced with an uncomfortable truth, which is to take offense at some perceived slight to dignity, honor, or family. The entire purpose of course is to lead the conversation AWAY from that uncomfortable truth to the extent possible.”
Au contraire, the slight you made is not merely a perception. You denigrated the service of soldiers. Period. The purpose is not to lead away from any truth but, points out your disrespect for those who served in a capacity which somehow doesn’t live up to a standard YOU set. You still fail to acknowledge the function, and the importance of the buglers and drummers within the regiments.
I will also note, you still offer no respect for their service. Do you have any idea how hard it would be to have bullets flying around you and no weapon with which to defend yourself? Think carefully about this question b/c I personally know someone who was in that very position.
If I correctly understand the direction you are trying to take this conversation, I will suggest you read up on which, “side” allowed blacks to serve first. I will also suggest you answer Virginia’s question re: “Their were no black regular soldiers in the P.A.C.S. during the Civil War. Not one black man fired a shot in anger for the Confederate side during the entire war.” (central_va) Virginia is asking for a simple answer either in the affirmative or negative.
I am not quite sure what uncomfortable truth you believe any of us are seeking to avoid. I don’t recall anyone denying any part of our heritage, the good, the bad, nor the ugly. IMO, there are those on these threads that seek to avoid an uncomfortable truth; the Union treatment of blacks is equally as disgusting as any treatment the South perpetuated on the pour souls. Neither side was innocent. That is the complete truth.
IOW, you have no evidence that blacks ‘fought’ for the confederacy. No surprise here.