[I Buried My Guns]

"... served widely and willingly in the rebel army and that their service was valued and respected by white Southerners of the period. The first half has an element of truth in it. The second is plain ridiculous..."

Not true. There are many instances in the diaries of Southern soldiers and officers of Confederates giving "huzzahs' and 3 cheers for their fellow black soldiers, as they were either on their way to, or returning from, a battle.

Your anti-southern bias and hatred is showing, and it is not attractive.

[Non-Sequitur]

There are many instances in the diaries of Southern soldiers and officers of Confederates giving "huzzahs' and 3 cheers for their fellow black soldiers, as they were either on their way to, or returning from, a battle.

Then why didn't rebel soldiers accord their black opponents the same respect? Why is the history of the confederate army filled with instance after instance where black Union troops were shot down rather than allowed to surrender? Why were black Union troops considered runaway slaves and ordered returned to bondage if captured?

Your anti-southern bias and hatred is showing, and it is not attractive.

If bias means not accepting a claim at face value when there is considerable evidence against it then OK, I'm biased.