First, don't ever, EVER, confuse "served" in the Confederate Army (or Navy) with serving as an actual soldier. As Blackerby tries to obscure, but eventually admits, the vast, vast, vast majority of blacks were never given a weapon. To say that 100,000---the highest number Blackeby accepts---"served" means that, at the utter, utter high end, perhaps 4,000-5,000 "fought." It's not clear that all of those were ever intended to fight by the CSA, or whether some, when, say, lines were overrun, picked up a weapon on the spur of the moment.
We do know that Confed propagandaizing of blacks was relentless, telling them that the Yankees were coming to kill them and rape them. Most, I'll admit, didn't believe this, because they had their own "information highway" and that's why they knew what was happening in the war.
He seeks to emphasize a handful of (unproven) reports of "black snipers" and a few (very few) instances of black volunteers who actually saw combat in a Confederate uniform---but has no reliable statistics on how many were truly "soldiers" (ie, were trained with weapons and expected to fight.
He ignores ALL evidence of Confederate military people and civilian leaders terrified of arming blacks.
He grudgingly admits that the overwhelming number of these "troops" were laborers, diggers, cooks, and musicians. I don't have the book---sent it back to the library---but as I recall he even had the actual occupations of many of these "troops" listed, and only one or two were even remotely likely to have a weapon.
But since you're so fond of numbers, how about this: in the North, 178,000 black troops enlisted---half of them from seceded states. Large numbers of them had weapons and training, and many regiments saw combat.
Equally important, however, is the fact that 100,000 WHITE southerners, including the 1st U.S. Alabama Infantry, the 1st U.S. Mississippi Mounted Rifles, the 4th U.S. Arkansas Infantry, the 2nd U.S. Florida Cavalry. It's worth noting that not only did more blacks in the North actually fight (again, most coming initially from seceded states) but about ten times more southern WHITES actually fought for the North than blacks held a weapon for the CSA.
Now here's the cherry on top of the whipped cream: neither the Southern whites nor the northern blacks fighting for the North received anything more than their monthly pay---but ALL (repeat, in case you Rebs have trouble with the truth, ALL) blacks serving in the CSA in ANY function were given promises of emancipation for their service. That's a no brainer if I'm a southern black, no matter how much I hate the Rebs, cause I can at least be free to leave later . . . if they planned to keep their word. (I certainly don't think they would, but that's just me.)
DAMNyankees just CANNOT admit that Blacks served as VOLUNTEERS because it points out that the WBTS was about FREEDOM for dixie (rather than the war being a crusade against slavery & all that other hokem & bilgewater, which is regularly vomited up by the DYs!) & that those FREEMEN were fighting for the LIBERTY of their country!
may i also gently point out that you are DEAD WRONG about Blacks being offered their freedom for enlisting. that is a REVISIONIST LIE, propounded in the mid-1960s by those who would dismiss the BRAVE & HONORABLE service of NON-whites (like MY ancestors, for example!).
NO slaves volunteered for service with the CSA, as they were obviously not free to take the oath of enlistment. SOME slaves (less than 1,000, perhaps a few as 200), in point of fact, were FREED to take the oath.
btw, PLEASE come here to VA, come with me to the VFW & LOUDLY proclaim that mechanics,signalmen,enginemen, gunners,drivers,nurses,cooks,seebees,etc. are NOT real soldiers/sailors/marines! then DUCK! (i might just get you out alive & all in one piece.)
this "not real soldiers" NONSENSE is more smoke,mirrors & (in all too many cases) KNOWING LIES propounded by the LEFTISTS/south-HATERS & REVISIONISTS to DEGRADE & DENY that >100,000 Blacks VOLUNTEERED for duty in the CSA forces. furthermore, the LARGE number of Blacks who were lifelong members of the UCV & other CDA veterans organizations points out the DISHONESTY of those specious claims! (the VETERANS themselves would NOT have tolerated POSEURS as MEMBERS of the UCV!)
face it LS, what you're posting is FALSE! whether you like it or not, you have either swallowed the REVISIONISTS bait/hook OR you know better & are trying to cover-up the INCONVIENIENT facts.
fwiw, as a "mixed-blood", i've spent much of the last 30 odd years researching "non-white" participation in the CSA forces. fwiw, i'd bet that i know a GREAT deal more on that one,admittedly narrow, subject than you do.
as the preceding "claims" of yours have been trounced & exposed as FALSE, would you like to offer another theory????
free dixie,sw