I'm sure the Army had better things to do than spend the time verifying the freedom of each and every person they came across? What became of these freedmen that were shipped back behind Confederate lines?
The fact of the matter, though, is that there was no such policy, it was entirely up to the slaveowner, and while not unheard of, was rare.
How is my statement untrue? The promise was made as a part of the American Revolution, by both sides—Slaves who fought for (party x) would receive their freedom. I believe the same statements were made in the war of 1812.
Regards,
~dt~
Depends -- which war *do* you want to talk about? Secession was about the preservation of slavery, and this SC professor claiming that something which came about because of Lee's putting it forward (quite late in the war, when all was all but lost) doesn't change that.