Black Confederates and Afro-Yankees in Civil War Virginia

Jordan has penned a well researched and accurate portrayal of non-white sentiment during the War Between the States, most refreshing in this politically correct era when some want to revise history. Painting the Confederacy as an entirely racist nation and all CSA soldiers as slavery fighters not only does a disservice to the men in arms, but to the thousands of "Confederates of Color" who served the southern cause with weapons and support from 1861-1865. The rebel gray clothed many shades of skin, and Jordan has brought their contributions to history, as well as to the southern cause, to the attention of a new era. An excellent, well written addition to the historian's or buff's library.

It appears that a lot of people had a knee-jerk reaction to the title of Professor Jordan's book. This is far from an Apologia for the Confederacy. It is a very well researched and documented account of Black Experience in Civil War Virginia.While working on my own family history I have been doing an analysis of the 1810 Federal Census for Spotsylvania County. What stands out is the number of Free Black households headed by women. In our politically correct age we tend to over-look the fact that in Colonial and pre-war Virginia, women and children owned property, and that the courts vigorously protected their property rights from husband and estate seekers. In both white and black households in Spotsylvania County, one out of six were headed by women.

Finally, the truth is exposed. Many African American Southerners fought for the South. This book is one of the first of it's kind.Although alot of this book should be re-edited, and he should re-check his sources, the basic idea is correct. Although I find it hard to believe that two whole regiments of Free blacks fought at Manassas, some did.This book is a must read for any person interested in learning the facts, not propaganda.