Yet the terms of enlistment for several of the black regiments that were raised in that final month did.
No it did not. Here is what the legislation said:
"SEC. 3. That no negro slave shall be received into the service without the written consent of his owner and under such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of War to carry into effect this act."
But here is what the author of this article said:
"The Confederacy, its own troop strength depleted, offered slaves freedom if they volunteered for the army."
And that is a false statement.
This was less than -three-weeks- before the rebellion collapsed, and the slave power could still not write legislation to free negroes from bondage.
Oh, and what about this:
From the Confederate Constitution: Article I, Section 9, Paragraph 4: "No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law denying or impairing the right of property in negro slaves shall be passed."
I hadn't heard the rebels ever added any amendments to their constitution, so no owner -had- to free his slaves, nor could the government seize them.
Walt