Byline: 

The existence of Black Confederate soldiers almost sounds like an historical contradiction. Given that the South initiated the Civil War to preserve slavery, it is hard to imagine that (1) Southern leaders would utilize black solders and (2) Blacks would voluntarily bear arms to support the confederate cause.

Why have we not heard more about Black confederate soldiers? Ed Bearrs, a National Park Historian, stated felt that there was a tendency around 1910 when racism was rampant throughout the nation to ignore Black participation.

It has been estimated that over 65,000 Southern blacks were in Confederate ranks. Over 13,000, of these, “saw the elephant” also known as meeting the enemy in combat. These Black Confederates included both slave and free. The Confederate Congress did not approve blacks to be officially enlisted as soldiers until late in the war. But in the ranks it was a different story. Many Confederate officers did not obey the mandates of politicians. They frequently enlisted blacks.

As the war came to an end, the Confederates took progressive measures to build back up its army. Jefferson Davis envisioned black Confederate veterans receiving bounty lands for their service. In essence, the enlisting of black solders meant no future for slavery. Southern politicians recognized that enlisting Black solders was incompatible with slavery and thus only in desperation authorized the legal employment of Blacks.

Southern Black solders were killed in combat as early as the First Battle of Bull Run. The highest rank Black Confederate was a non-commissioned officer, James Washington, 34th Texas Cavalry. Black solders even got the same pay as white solders. This was not the case in the Union army where blacks did not receive equal pay. Blacks generally wore shabby uniforms similar to those worn by their white comrades. 

According to General John Gordon (Army of Northern Virginia) Confederate troops were in favor of Colored troops. He stated, “ Bad faith to black Confederate solders must be avoided as an indelible dishonor.” Confederate officers were ordered to treat their Black solders humanely and protect them from injustice and oppression.

Nearly 180,000 Black Southerners, from Virginia alone, provided logistical support for the Confederate military. Many were highly skilled workers: Nurses, military engineers, teamsters, ordnance department workers, wagon makers, etc. 

At the 50th anniversary of Gettysburg, Confederate veterans welcomed their Black comrades, gave them one of their tents, and “saw to their every need.” The first military monument in the US Capitol that honors an African-American soldier is the Confederate monument at Arlington National cemetery. Moses Ezekial, a Jewish Confederate, designed the monument in 1914. He wanted to correctly portray the “racial makeup” in the Confederate army.