From The Lowcountry — March 2020

By Jack Melton · Originally published March 2020 · p. 2

We’ve had a few columns and letters about Blacks serving in the Confederate Army recently. If you have specific knowledge of a Black man who was duly enlisted and carried on the rolls as a soldier (infantryman, cavalryman, or artilleryman) we would like to hear from you. As a topic that needs airing, we know there are non-academics who have specialized knowledge about a variety of little known sources that can contribute to the discussion of Black soldiers in the ranks. This is quite different from modern day African Americans who have Confederate ancestors. Why they choose to ignore them or remember them is another topic. The argument as to whether or not black soldiers voluntarily served in the Confederate Army to fight against the Federal troops during the Civil War is an extremely controversial topic. We encourage any factual or historical documented proof of black soldiers that willingly fought for the Confederacy. Photographs, pensions, newspaper accounts, Official Records, period firsthand accounts, and any other documentation that proves or supports the myth will be considered for publication. Please send any correspondence to Letters to the Editor at [email protected].