Black Southerners in Gray

Currently the Political Correctness crowd has tried to place a "moral spin" on the Civil War, wanting us to believe, the purpose of the War was to "Free the slaves". It should not seem hard to believe that Black people, ( Free and slaves), would fight to defend their homes, the same as the Southern white people, Jewish people, Southern American Indians that joined the Confederacy, the Mexicans, the Southern Irish. The Civil War was truly a war between two countries. Not a War for the purpose of "freeing slaves".From the book, "In May 1861, Governor Thomas O. Moore of Louisiana issued a proclamation providing for the enrollment of free blacks in an all-black regiment with some black officers. By early 1862, nearly 3000 men had joined this regiment and other nearby units around New Orleans. Their officers were skilled tradesmen, craftsmen, and even a few slave owners. There were several sets of fathers and sons and sets of brothers in this regiment, and "all the males in the large Duphart family were members" pages 22-23). Black officers included:Captain Noel Bachus, 40, a carpenter and landowner; Captain Michael Duphart, a 62-year old wealthy shoemaker, and Lt. Andre Cailloux, a cigar maker and boxer. The 1st Louisiana Native Guards was a 1307 man regiment with some black officers. It included many of the leading individuals in the New Orleans black community. Like most Southern militia regiments early in the war, they provided their own arms, and uniforms. They spent the greater part of their Confederate service as Provost Guards, although there is some indication that part of the regiment saw action at Fort Jackson during the New Orleans campaign (Official Records of the War, I, 6, 858). Black Louisianans played a significant part in Louisiana's military history ever since the beginning of settlement. They fought for, and against, the French, the Spanish, the English, as well as with Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. By late 1861, about 3000 black Louisianans were enrolled in state troops and militia organizations, in the state, in service to the Confederate cause (Pages 22; 167-168)This book covers a topic that should be read by every Civil War buff, historian and African-American. It is truly an interesting book.

History is made up of the stories surrounding events and this book adds another story worth reading.Many people still believe the Civil War was about slavery, not state rights. Many people also do not realize that right before slavery was officially banned by the U.S. governement, there were over 400 blacks that worked as slaves to help build the capital building. Blacks had been selling their own people (and whites) into slavery long before the U.S. got involved in the trade. True, it was a serious mistake that has repercusions that are still being felt in this country.It is interesting to note, however, that considering how bad the pre-Civil War South is made to sound, the American Africans in this country have long enjoyed better standards of living and health than in any other country, especially their countries of origin. This book points out that many blacks were in favor of preserving the Southern government. Not only that, it points out that even after receiving freedom, many chose to go back and work for their old masters pretty much as before. There were many blacks loved and adored by their families and this is one unfortunate piece of Civil War history often overlooked. It seems the concepts that founded this country are gradually being lost. Now more than ever, the issue of states rights needs to be re-visited to protect the sovereignty, strength and long-term well-being of the U.S. Or we will pass from United STATES to something akin to the United KING-DOM.

When the South put down the gun they picked up the pen and have aquitted themselves handsomely in the ensuing years. This little book is an eyepopping surprise especially in the face of so much recent revisionist, politically correct "history". Blacks served willingly and honorably in the Confederate army. They appied for and received Confederate pensions. This volume is a "must have". This is a compelling volume of the most significant new research in 50 years.