About a month ago I posted an inquiry about Edwin Brown Rembert of Copiah Co. I received a lot of great information (for which I am thankful) and have become "hooked" on tracing MS & LA Confederates in the family.

On the LA site I saw info about Oscar Demesme (Appromattox Confederate Cemetery) and his black descentents, etc.

I have often wondered about blacks serving in Confederate units, because of family verbal history concerning EBR's service in the 4th MS Cavalry. In my original inquiry, I simply said a friend brought EBR's riderless horse from Brandon to his home in Wesson in May/June '65.

Edwin was young (16) when he enlisted, along with another Rembert, in Jan. '64 (I had thought he enlisted in '63 but later found the New Testament he carried through the war and it is signed by his pastor on Jan. 15th '64).

Suposedly, his father knew an officer with the company (F) and arranged for a black slave to go with them to look after the young boys. What I didn't say in my 8/7/06 posting was that the friend was the black slave who, if it sounds possible, stayed with "boys" for some 17 months, buried Edwin on the way home and returned to Wesson.

Is there anyone who can shed light on this story? Would the 4th have had a black, who perhaps served as a wagon driver, a blacksmith or whatever? Most of the "family stories" have been pretty reliable thus far, and this one, if true, is one of true devotion and loyality, of a black "friend", to the two Rembert boys.

Sorry I have been so lengthy.

Regards, Edwin Rea