Which Report?

[peacefulanimalguy7]

In the ABT's article on Black Confederates, they note that in the Official Records on the War of the Rebellion, one report mentioned Union troops capturing armed black men. Where can I find this in the records?

Black Confederates: Truth and Legend

"Black Confederates" is the Civil War Trust's historical article outlining the role of black people in the Southern war effort.

www.battlefields.org

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Notwithstanding what's expressly stated in the attachment to the OP, could not find any report in the OR that mentions Union troops 'capturing a handful of armed black men along with some soldiers'. (Interestingly, this mention is of 'armed black men', not 'armed black soldiers, laborers, servants or teamsters').

Nearest reports found were two references to possible black Confederate combatants after a non-comprehensive search of the ORs.

A report dated, Aug. 11, '61, by Col. John W. Phelps, 1st VT Infantry, states that at New Market Bridge, VA, the guns of the Confederate Richmond Howitzer Battery were observed to be partly manned by negroes. (see 'OR': Vol. IV, at page 569)

In another report dated, April 14, '65, B-G Henry E. Davies stated that on April 5 his cavalry brigade attacked Lee's wagon train near Paineville, VA, capturing inter alia, 320 white prisoners and a similar number of colored teamsters. Because Davies did not specify the particulars of these black prisoners in his report, it's unclear whether these black teamsters were possibly armed or wearing gray uniforms, as some commentators have suggested. ('OR': Vol. XLVI, Part 1, Section 2, at page 1145)

Interestingly, shortly after the evacuation of Richmond, R. M. Doswell gave a brief account in the 'Confederate Veteran' (1915) at page 404 of seeing an unidentified departing Confederate wagon train being defended against a Union mounted attack by escorting Confederate negro soldiers, and who only surrendered after a second attack by Union cavalry. (This may have been Ewell's wagon train that left Richmond, accompanied by his patchwork command that included a unique detachment of black C.S. militia recently formed in that city).

 

[peacefulanimalguy7]

Notwithstanding what's expressly stated in the attachment to the OP, could not find any report in the OR that mentions Union troops 'capturing a handful of armed black men along with some soldiers'. (Interestingly, this mention is of 'armed black men', not 'armed black soldiers, laborers, servants or teamsters').

Luckily I have found an answer

 

[Stryker65]

@peacefulanimalguy7@gmail. This is the only instance I have been able to find:
V49P2 pp 299:

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Official Records Series 1, Volume 15, Part 1, Pages 137-138

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

War of the Rebellion: Serial 020 Page 0024 COASTS OF S. C., GA., AND MID. AND EAST FLA. Chapter XXVI.

Capt Charles Parker 10 Jun 1862 pg 2 Rdg Times

Clipping found in Reading Times published in Reading, Pennsylvania on 6/10/1862. Capt Charles Parker 10 Jun 1862 pg 2 Rdg Times

www.newspapers.com

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Thanks for the above extra information.

It's interesting (to me) that none of these Union officer reports above refer to any of the captured colored men as being armed soldiers/combatants (except perhaps, for the reference to the 'colored rebel scout'). Is it possible in these instances that the reporting was merely describing unarmed 'accompanying persons' - meaning they were cooks, aides, servants, laborers, etc.? (Additionally, it's claimed there are no Confederate references in the ORs to any black rebel soldiers, adding weight to the belief there were no colored Southern combatants).

There appears to be various accounts outside of the ORs in peripheral reports, like newspapers, memoirs and unit histories, of Federal encounters with single (usually) enemy black sharpshooters in the field. For example, in 'Berdan's United States Sharpshooters' by Capt. C. A. Stevens (at pp. 55-56), there is a detailed description of an encounter with a 'Rebel Darky Sharpshooter' during the Yorktown siege in 1862, culminating with the African American marksman being brought down.

It seems from readings, there are several isolated accounts (although not reported in the ORs) by Union soldiers of confrontations with single Black Confederate sharpshooters, which ended with most of these shooters being killed in action.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Thanks for the above extra information.

It's interesting (to me) that none of these Union officer reports above refer to any of the captured colored men as being armed soldiers/combatants (except perhaps, for the reference to the 'colored rebel scout'). Is it possible in these instances that the reporting was merely describing unarmed 'accompanying persons' - meaning they were cooks, aides, servants, laborers, etc.? (Additionally, it's claimed there are no Confederate references in the ORs to any black rebel soldiers, adding weight to the belief there were no colored Southern combatants).

There appears to be various accounts outside of the ORs in peripheral reports, like newspapers, memoirs and unit histories, of Federal encounters with single (usually) enemy black sharpshooters in the field. For example, in 'Berdan's United States Sharpshooters' by Capt. C. A. Stevens (at pp. 55-56), there is a detailed description of an encounter with a 'Rebel Darky Sharpshooter' during the Yorktown siege in 1862, culminating with the African American marksman being brought down.

It seems from readings, there are several isolated accounts (although not reported in the ORs) by Union soldiers of confrontations with single Black Confederate sharpshooters, which ended with most of these shooters being killed in action.

I'm aware of perhaps 12-15 other reports/correspondence from Union military/political leaders referring to armed men of color among Confederate combat troops. Over time I've found two Confederate reports, one by Cavalry leader, Thomas Munford referring to a body servant of one of his soldiers being armed and taking part in a Cavalry charge.

The Other by Stonewall Jackson refers to two men of color, part of a command under Jeb Stuart taking part in combat and killing a Union soldier.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

The Other by Stonewall Jackson refers to two men of color, part of a command under Jeb Stuart taking part in combat and killing a Union soldier.

Yes, can recall reading somewhere a reference to one (or two) Southern troopers within Stuart's cavalry ranks being engaged in the field.

Thought that among the multiple reported observations/accounts of colored Southern combatants, there was an element of 'mistaken identity'. Some of these soldiers could easily have been believed to be 'colored' because they had dark complexions, due say to sun-exposure (coming from hotter Deep South States) or because they were of Native American or Hispanic descent. For example, a few of the Texas brigade soldiers fighting at Devil's Den (Gettysburg) were described as being darker-skinned.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

In the ABT's article on Black Confederates, they note that in the Official Records on the War of the Rebellion, one report mentioned Union troops capturing armed black men. Where can I find this in the records?

Black Confederates: Truth and Legend

"Black Confederates" is the Civil War Trust's historical article outlining the role of black people in the Southern war effort.

www.battlefields.org

There have been rare verifications of Blacks in Confederate uniforms (their original clothing had worn out and the uniforms were available) working as wagon drivers and in supply jobs, but all were unarmed. I have never read a verified story of a Black being armed or firing a shot for the Confederate army.

 

[TallTallMan]

Accidental redundant link. Remove please.

 

[TallTallMan]

@peacefulanimalguy7@gmail. This is the only instance I have been able to find:
V49P2 pp 299:
View attachment 502850

Is this an actual reference to SOLDIERS or just teamsters? This can be manipulated some.