Posted on 12/08/2007 10:54:00 PM PST by stainlessbanner
The life of Ike Pringle has become a sort of enigma for local historians who are trying to figure out exactly what role the slave played in the American Civil War.
Born in May, 1841, Isaac, or Ike as he was better known, was owned by the Pringle family that lived and owned land around Vimville. Ike took on the name of his owners and was forever called Ike Pringle.
At an early age he was given to the grandson of the family, Frank Pringle. Not that far apart in age, the two basically grew up together until the Civil War began. At that time, Frank Pringle joined the 24th Mississippi. Ike Pringle followed him into service. Some say Ike Pringle followed on his own accord and out of obligation to Frank Pringle.
Both men survived the war and were in Atlanta when the last cannons fell silent. From that moment on, Ike Pringle was a free man. Frank Pringle gave him his freedom there and moved to Pensacola, Fla., according to records. But Ike Pringle decided to return home to Vimville.
In the years following the war, Ike Pringle built up a farm on 80 acres that originally belonged to the Pringle family. He eventually sold the land but even as he married several times raising a family while keeping up the farm, Ike Pringle routinely attended Confederate soldier reunions as a veteran. It has been noted that Ike Pringle was never wounded nor have any documentations been discovered to suggest he was a combatant or was always kept in the rear area.
Some historians would suggest Ike Pringle was indeed kept in the rear areas to care for Frank Pringle’s belongings and to serve his owner any way possible during the fighting. But the fact he was allowed to attend numerous Confederate soldiers reunions, such as the one in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1937, which shows him pictured with a group of other white soldiers, seems to tell the viewer he was at the very least accepted near the battlefield in some form or fashion.
A narrative written by Ike Pringle in 1937 said he had traveled to many such reunions. A photo taken on the front steps of the Lauderdale County Court House in October 1933 with the Walthal Camp of Confederate Veterans only reinforces the fact he was a member of Confederate organizations. Ike Pringle also appears in a photo of another such gathering in 1925.
Ike Pringle died on Feb. 28, 1938. No grave marker has been found for him in a nondescript cemetery in Lauderdale County although more recent stones have been found with other people named Pringle.
So what was the role Ike Pringle played in the Civil War?
Many of the details are still unknown at this time but whatever his role was, it was enough for the State of Mississippi to grant Ike Pringle a pension in 1920 for being a member of the Confederate army during the Civil War.
Yes. He had a choice not to stay with his master, he has a choice not to go to reunions, he had a choice to turn down the pension. Yes, he had a choice.
He was a slave. He did what his masters forced him to do. Frank Pringle didn’t give him his freedom. The Union Army and the Federal government did.
As William Sherman said, "War is the remedy our enemies have chosen." Having chosen war to further their aims the South cannot blame anyone but themselves that it didn't turn out the way that they wanted.
And the difference is?
Someone should tell these people. They don't make any reference to Hendson's Scouts being a BLACK MISSISSIPPI Confederate Unit...
Neat trick, considering the Canadian Constitution wasn't written until 98 years after he died. If you're thinking of the British North America Act of 1867 then Benjamin had nothing to do with that. At the time he was merely a London barrister and not associated with the government.
I’m not sure I see a difference. He was most definitely Ike’s owner.
In many cases they did. Look at Pickett's actions in North Carolina.
Which brings up an interesting question. When the rebellion broke out a lot of Southern officers and enlisted left to join the rebel side. Enlisted men at the time signed up for a term of service, same as they do now. Recent West Point grads were obligated to serve for a set period of time, same as now. Wouldn't it stand to reason that the Union could have charged any former enlisted men and any officers who were still under obligation with desertion? And executed them?
Except for that 1/3rd of the population that y'all held title to.
...but I think it was more accurately named “The war of Northern aggression”
The most accurate name was the original one, War of Southern Rebellion.
Actually in many ways they were one and the same. The Davis government refused to accept the Native Guard into confederate service because, well, because they were blacks for God's sake. Who did they think they were?
Anyway, the the Union liberated New Orleans, Butler organized the Native Guard as a Union regiment. Quite a few of those blacks who the South turned down joined the new regiment.
I might have driven thru or near, years ago....family is in Butler, Alabama and Meridian is the closest "big" town. I had my first commercial jet ride out of there, heading back to Los Angeles.
It's an interesting story.
Search is you friend. Benjamin was never "merely a London barrister". He was a famous barrister, a QC, and the author of a legal textbook which is still in use today. He represented Canada in several important cases, then became a key adviser both to the privy council and to the judicial committee on the House of Lords. Benjamin argued that the Canadian central government was formed only for the purpose of protecting Canada from the United States, and that all other powers rightfully resided in the provinces. To this day the Canadian government is more of a true federation than our government and this is largely the legacy Benjamin's legacy.
No the most accurate title is the one that describes how it started: The War of Lincoln's Rebellion.
Please add me to this ping list. Thanks!
I ran into this web site whle researching my own family members who wore the uniform of the CSA. Very interesting.
It has been estimated that over 65,000 Southern blacks were in the Confederate ranks. Over 13,000 of these, “saw the elephant” also known as meeting the enemy in combat. These Black Confederates included both slave and free. The Confederate Congress did not approve blacks to be officially enlisted as soldiers (except as musicians), until late in the war. But in the ranks it was a different story. Many Confederate officers did not obey the mandates of politicians, they frequently enlisted blacks with the simple criteria, “Will you fight?” Historian Ervin Jordan, explains that “biracial units” were frequently organized “by local Confederate and State militia Commanders in response to immediate threats in the form of Union raids”. Dr. Leonard Haynes, an African-American professor at Southern University, stated, “When you eliminate the black Confederate soldier, you’ve eliminated the history of the South.”
excerpt
http://www.37thtexas.org/html/BlkHist.html
I'm far from expert on OrBats of the War for Yankee Dominance, but wasn't there also a New Orleans artillery battalion of Free Men of Colour?
OK, I did. Among other things it pulled up a 1970 article from the Toronto Law Review by Jonathan Robinson that shows Benjamin played no part in the creation of the British North America Act. Link. You need JSTOR access to read the whole paper.
In 1867, when the North America Act was written, he was merely a London barrister. His influence over the Act has been widely stated by the Southron contingent, and disproven by scholars. Oh there is no disputing that Benjamin did go on to a distinguished legal career, or that he took silk in 1872 or that he published his book on property law in 1868. But he didn't play a part in the creation of the Canadian constitution.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.