Editor’s Comments

Originally published March 2020 · p. 7

There is some anecdotal commentary about black soldiers but tracking down the original source is complicated. Philip Thomas Tucker, Pickett’s Charge, (2016), page 104, gives two examples, mentioning a black color bearer and his brother in the 14th Tennessee as well as a black drummer in the 18th Virginia during the massive charge at Gettysburg on July 3, but these men were presumable unarmed. The year before, a member of the U.S. Sanitary Commission wrote a description of blacks marching through Frederick, Md., among Jackson’s troops; Over 3,000 negroes must be included in this number. These were clad in all kinds of uniforms, not only in cast-off or captured United States uniforms, but in coats with Southern buttons, State buttons, etc. These were shabby, but not shabbier or seedier than those worn by white men in the rebel ranks. Most of the negroes had arms, rifles, muskets, sabres, bowie-knives, dirks, etc. They were supplied, in many instances, with knapsacks, haversacks, canteens, etc., and were manifestly an integral part of the Southern Confederacy Army. They were seen riding on horses and mules, driving wagons, riding on caissons, in ambulances, with the staff of Generals, and promiscuously mixed up with all the rebel horde. The fact was patent, and rather interesting when considered in connection with the horror rebels express at the suggestion of black soldiers being employed for the National defence (cited in Harwell’s Union Reader). More to the point are late war references including Marylanders applying to be drillmasters for black units being formed in Richmond (Robert J. Driver First and Second Maryland Infantry, CSA, (2004), pp. 368, Negro recruiting in Richmond on Mar. 22, 1865 (Driver, p 323 citing three diary entries for 21-22 March 1865). The Maryland regiment researcher also noted that a Maryland regiment cook was sent to Point Lookout along with his captured regimental comrades (Driver, p 545). Any troops recruited and drilled in Richmond were presumably among those noted during the retreat to Appomattox as guarding a wagon train and who drove off an attack by Union cavalry, but were then captured in a second charge (Burke Davis, To Appomattox, p. 176 citing R. M. Doswell’s account in Confederate Veteran, 1915, p. 404). These scattered references probably indicate something of the reality of any black combat soldiers. We encourage comments..