[central_va]

The overwhelming majority served unofficially in supporting roles as teamsters, cooks, servants, laborers, and the like, and there is no doubt that by doing so they freed up a lot of white men to do the actual fighting.

Black Rebs in this role were in danger, and were also a force multiplier. Riding shotgun on a ammo wagon train with Union cavalry running around isn't the safest thing in the world to do.

[Non-Sequitur]

Black Rebs in this role were in danger, and were also a force multiplier. Riding shotgun on a ammo wagon train with Union cavalry running around isn't the safest thing in the world to do.

They were a force multiplier in that they freed up whites for the combat roles. And you're assuming they were armed. The standard practice for both armies was to detail infantry or cavalry units to guard their supply trains.