Keith,

Many months ago, maybe year, another fellow and I, I'm sorry I don't recall which one of us it was. Did several weeks of research on this subject. I went through the entire O.R. looking for on Union reports on Black Confederate soldiers throughout the war. There were many mentioned in combat and in POW camps. With the laws and reports gathered we estimated several tens of thousands somewhere between 10,000 to 50,000 were in Confederate uniform. Some in combat roles, most in support rolls.

Stonewall Jackson had an all black pioneer corps [combat engineers], freemen. Black Confederate soldiers were reported in the trenches at the Battle of Chickasaw Bluffs where a Union officer complained that he suffered many casualties from their black sharp-shooters. I determined they were a Louisiana unit. I had reports of black Confederates in POW camps by befuddled Union officers wanting to know what to do with them. One of my favorites was a captured Black Confederate scout captured in Southern Mississippi, the officer was shocked at how well uniformed, mounted [his horse and equipment] and armed this soldier was.

I wish I had what we posted. It was a large amount of information.
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David Upton