Who said that was the question? Here and there??? Gee do you actually read anything I posted?
"It is plain silly to argue that if 1000 blacks fought for the Confederacy it is the same as 100,000 black in grey? That is the argument you make when you say "there were some blacks fighting". Are you saying it was the policy in Richmond to have the slaves fight? If that is the case, where were they? Are you trying to imply Richmond always wanted to arm the slaves to fight but the slaves themselves simply refused ?"
Silly ??? Oh well you are entitled to your opinion which is all you are posting. There is no accurate count of how many blacks served in the Confederacy. due to many factors. Factors to consider are there are records of whites missing, the Confederate Army made no issue of race so without a unit by unit study it is impossible to know which race is represented and the numbers. Are you implying that they did not fight? Is a man who digs the battlements any less important than the man who carries a rifle? In today’s army there are non-combat roles, nurses, doctors, mail clerks, cooks, engineers, truck drivers mechanics etc. etc.
I posted where they were ---- read.
"The population of blacks made up almost half the population of the South. White draftees were reaching into very young teens and old men while a population of strong healthy black males of fighting age were left out. Even the northern army saw that the South was running out of men, that is why they stopped POW exchanges for the most part. Exchanges of POWs help replenish the Southern armies. Refusal to exchange POWs by the North cost the South precious manpower, refusal to exchange became a Northern policy, very to their own men brutal but effective war policy nonetheless."
Oh well someone had to grow crops. Take care of the soldiers families.
"Alan provided the link to the book that quotes from original sources the endless heated debates, and the many editorials, and the policy decisions and the repercussions of those decisions, all dealing with the extremely controversial issue of emancipating and arming the slaves to serve as soldiers."
Really don't care what Alan posted I am more interested in what you post. Post something that proves me wrong, not some speculation or some documents that only show the political side of the issue. Everyone wants to roll out the old Cleburne reference to prove blacks did not fight for the south. I provided twice as many sources that says otherwise. Post something that proves those are not Black Confederate graves I posted. Post something proving the ORs are wrong.
"You seem to say there was no controversy whatsoever and it was the normal course of events to use slaves as soldiers. You casually wave it off as some non-issue. Strange how Cleburne and Lee and Davis and dozens of Southern editors didn't see it as quite so non-controversial."
Again just you spin, I provided sources you do the same.
"If it was the policy in Richmond to have slaves fight, then why the need to silence Cleburne? Why the need for editorials begging Richmond to change the policy and arm the slaves, why the need for more editorials saying no, do not let slaves fight? All the editorials pro and con are completely pointless if it was already going on, aren't they? If it was already happening, as you so lightly suggest and Richmond was in all in favor, then why the need for anyone to argue in the CSA congress whether or not to pass a bill to have it happen in 1865?"
Repeating yourself, post something that proves blacks did not fight.
“Cleburne and others saw clearly in 1863 that unless more manpower could be found to fight, the goal of independence was probably unattainable, and they made a very valid suggestion that it should be policy to offer emancipation to any slave willing to fight to help achieve independence for the CSA. Eventually, almost two years later, Davis and Lee and the legislature in Richmond finally agreed but only in 1865 when the ball was all but over.”
Repeating yourself, post something that proves blacks did not fight.
“If it was already happening as you imply, then there was no problem was there? Why not just go ahead and do it on a larger scale and win the war?”
We do not know on what scale it was done, we do know for a fact Blacks did fight for the CSA, prove they did not refute my sources. Slowly but surely their story is being uncovered and it just chaps the behind of you and Baby Boy. Can’t help but wonder why is it you want to give glory to the USCT but yet deny a Black Confederate his honors??? Could this be some sort of biased and prejudice????
"The South did not have enough soldiers to win independence, obviously, and they lost. A clear choice was made to not emancipate slaves and arm them as soldiers. The South might have also won crucial diplomatic recognition from England and other European nations who might have actively sided with the CSA as an independent nation maybe even with only mere promise to emancipate slaves after the War, but they chose not to do that either. Why not do whatever it takes to win the recognition, if independence was the most important goal?"
If England had recognized the South would that have stopped the war??? I think not. Being recognized never stooped a tyrant from attacking a country.
The North couldn't beat the South with it's available manpower, that is why they went overseas to find soldiers. I think the Southern soldier did everything in his power to win his freedom. You nor anyone else has earned the right to say otherwise.
“Whoever made those choices clearly chose that to maintain slavery was more important, and decided "we'll take our chances on winning independence with slavery, rather than guarantee it without".
Really??? I would say that Davis did not have time to implement a plan to train and arm black soldiers. I do believe that up until about late 1863 Lee had tasted defeat very little. I never said what was the policy of the Confederate government regarding them being put in a combat role. I said blacks fought for the Confederacy in some numbers and not just here and there as you try to spin the story. I provided plenty of sources to document that blacks did indeed fight and die(sometimes in a Yankee POW concentration camps) right beside white, Jews, Indians and Asians.
I don't give a ripping crap about your opinion or your spin, either admit what I posted is factual or post some facts to refute to what I have posted.
GP