When it's only half the truth. What Williams neglects to say is that had the confederacy won then all those slaves who served the rebel army would have gone back to being slaves. And had any of their owners decided to free them for their service then according to the Virginia constitution they would have had 12 months to leave the state or else be returned to slavery. In short, Williams wants us to believe that the service to the confederate cause by any black person was respected was respected by the white populace. That is ridiculous.
Col. Parkhurst’s (Northern) Account of Forrest’s Black Confederates:
"The forces attacking my camp were the First Regiment Texas Rangers, a battalion of the First Georgia Rangers … and quite a number of Negroes attached to the Texas and Georgia troops, who were armed and equipped, and took part in the several engagements with my forces during the day"
(Lieutenant Colonel Parkhurst's Report (Ninth Michigan Infantry) on General Forrest's attack at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, July 13, 1862, in Official Records, Series I, Vol XVI, Part I, page 805).
There is no question that American Civil War remains to this day a highly charged historical subject. And I’m not really interested in setting everyone’s hair on fire yet again. My comment related strictly to the simple care, handling and acceptance of truth and facts. It is a fact that a certain number of negroes/blacks (both freemen and slaves) volunteered or willingly served with the Confederate army during the “Great Rebellion”. Whether one likes it or not, the historical record is irrefutable on the point.
Mr Williams presented his article with one specific purpose, i.e. - to refute the arguments that textbook claims of negroes/blacks serving in the Confederate army were unfounded. He confined his remarks to that topic and that purpose. He was under no intellectual or moral obligation to expand beyond that point.
With respect to the comment - “...Williams wants us to believe that the service to the confederate cause by any black person was respected by the white populace.” - exactly where in his article did Williams say that?
Which National Battlefield is the only location administered by the National Parks Service where the Confederate Flag is allowed to be flown?
And why?