I'm waiting for any sort of verifiable numbers at all. Y'all insist that thousands of blacks served in combat roles, in spite of the fact that it was against the law. You claim that the free blacks were treated as brothers-in-arms, in spite of the view the southern states had towards blacks prior to the war. It's just ridiculous to me.
Where there blacks in supporting roles in the confederate army? Yes, I believe so, and I believe that most of them were slaves who had little real say in the matter. Where blacks welcomed into combat roles in the Confederate army? I don't believe that they were and I haven't seen any real evidence that they were, other than the odd newspaper article you all keep throwing out. There may have been some in combat, but they were there in spite of the government and army regulations and not because of them. Officially, legally, and as far as the overwhelming majority of the confederate leaders were concerned, there was no place for free black southerners in the confedederate fighting forces.
it came down to this: in the midst of a war for your freedom, you do what is NECESSARY to increase your chances of WINNING the war. what was necessary was using the available volunteers, regardless of religion, language spoken or race.
free dixie,sw