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.
It seems akin to modern day veterans from World War 2, Korea, or Vietnam who were drafted, potentially against their will. They have the right to attend veteran reunions, and might have friends at veterans reunions, and might choose to attend veterans reunions, because they did serve in their respective wars, not that they wanted to serve in the first place.
It was oddly worded (as though personally should type).
My cousin lives in Alabama and guess what? He’s Asian! He loves the South and has a big Confederate sticker on his pick up truck as well. He’s been offered jobs in the IT sector (he’s an IT tech guy) but he never wants to leave. He says Southern girls are hot.
He says Southern girls are hot.
Your cousin is right
But that is not the reality for very many of the blacks who served in the Confederate Army. Some, indeed went as slaves and some of the slaves transformed themselves on the battlefield. Many went to fight for their homeland against the foreigners invading. A few were offered freedom if hey joined and fought. Some slaves took up their masters’ guns when master was killed.
>>...which shows him pictured with a group of other white soldiers,...<<
Mising comma; it should read:
>>...which shows him pictured with a group of other, white soldiers,...<<
You’re welcome!
“Southern history is a wonderful thing when told honestly. We dont get that very often.”
No kidding. Try telling a Yankee that the War was fought principally for economic reasons and they throw a hissy fit, as it contradicts the pap they were taught in school about the War being first and foremost about freeing the slaves. Funny that they never admit that slavery was abolished AFTER the War, and only then with the passage of the 13th Amendment. Funny, too, that they were never taught the truth about (or they conveniently forget) Lincoln’s so-called Emancipation Proclamation, which in fact freed no one.
“He says Southern girls are hot.”
They are the hottest. Especially the Louisiana belle I married.
The former Confederate Secretary of State, Judah P. Benjamin, had a hand in writing the Canadian constitution.
Southern history is a wonderful thing when told honestly. We dont get that very often.
There were many more white southerners who fought for the Union than there were black southerners who fought for the Confederacy, but that fact is not well known either.
Yes there were, like my great-grandfather, a Confederate member of the 36th Virginia Cavalry, who was captured in 1862, sent to Camp Chase, Ohio, and forced to join the Union Army on a work gang under threat of death.
That's ironic. My great great grandfather was similarly forced by the local reb "brain trust" into the 36th Tennessee Confederate Infantry from Bradley Co. with a large number of other Unionists. Then the stupid reb commanders marched them to Cumberland Gap where they deserted in droves and joined the Union Army. The glorious Confederate States of America thus served as a very effective recruiting officer for the Union Army.
With such brillant leadership, it's no wonder the Confederacy proved to be no good. :)
You are right. That WAS a stupid move. The Confederate Commander should have HUNG the whole bunch of them.....
Really nice story....Thanks for the ping.
I am constantly thinking of it as the war for Southern independence but I think it was more accurately named “The war of Northern aggression”
“Southern history is a wonderful thing when told honestly. We dont get that very often”
Ain’t that the truth.
> Its only the politically correct crowd that will tell us this isnt possible or that Ike was forced to follow his master and friend.
Here’s another tidbit that the political correctionists will never acknowledge:
The 1st Louisiana Native Guard was an all black Confederate Infantry Regiment. There was also an all black Union Infantry Regiment called the 1st Louisiana Native Guard. They were separate military units with the same name. Like the 54th Massachusetts that was featured in the film “Glory”, both black Union Regiments had all white officers. The black Confederate regiments were unique in that they almost always had all black officers.
Do you really think he had a choice?
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