"The name of the BC i'm looking for is James T. Brooks a friend of mine claims that he may have been a Sargent."

The only blacks that served as sergeants in the Confederacy were in the militia units (Native Guards, Creole Guards, etc) or the companies of black soldiers formed late in the war. The same can be said for the North with the USCT.

Blacks that served in predominately white units were either private, cook, teamster or musician. I have found a few men possibly of mixed race serving as non-commissioned officers. Sometimes they are listed as "mulatto" and other times "white" in census records.