If you will read the rolls of the Grandbury's Brg., in the book on the unit, you will find name listed and race. One "servant" was listed in a different company then the master and since each company serves in different parts of the line, on the march, and in battle, and more then likely in camp as well, I don't see how he was "dragged off to fight."

We do know that N.B. Forrest, went to his chattel, being in the business selling slaves and told them if they enlist and fight he will give them their freedom. He got a company of about 80 who wrode, carried guns, and fought in one of Forrest's units. They served if my memory serves me right, two years and were given their freedom. A number of them stayed in the service, some left and change sides, and others, they went home to find family or whatever floated their boat.

Now I knew a man who in WWII wondered if he did any service for the U.S. He was in Retrieve and repair, and the only unit with the First U.S. Army. He landed on D-Day +1 and marched across Europe ending up in the Cech. Republic (of today). He never fired a shot and was never in harms way though he did leave Malmendy at 4:30 pm and Stepp Dietrick's SS entered near 5:00 pm. He did have buzz bombs crash near their camp site shortly after that. In short, he wasn't on the front lines, but the cook who baked the cake, the truck driver who drove up to the lines with fresh ammo, and the man who picked up and repaired the broken down machine guns served just like G.I. Joe on the front lines. It really doesn't matter if the Confederate Government said they were troops or not, did they serve should be the question. And when you realize they served, you have your answer about the men of "color" in the Confederate Army.

May I suggest you get the book: Black Southerns in Gray. It is a paper back and will run on E-bay about $25.00. You will find many stories in that book that slow the loyalty, the love, and the belief in the South, they had even when treated badly. Look at all the Blacks that served in WWII. Some were shipped off at a New York dock while the people standing on the dock sang the song "Bye, Bye Blackbird." In New York. How do you like that for racism? Before you set up too many rules, you need to look at the history of all the wars. You will find the long suffering Black in many of them, if nothing more the carrying a sword and shield for the knight.

bhile