Cleburne and others were willing to enroll and employ African-Americans on a limited basis, while other Confederate leaders were not, at least not at that time. At least one of Cleburne's outspoken critics, Maj. Gen. W. H. T. Walker, probably never changed his mind before dying in action at Atlanta GA, July 22, 1864.

So a group of senior Confederate commanders met to hear Cleburne read his proposal so they could deny hearing it later? I'm not following your line of reasoning. Perhaps you might try explaining it a little further.