I am not disputing the points you have mad in the post above. i think have asked the right question, if 65,000 blacks were serving already, how is it a congressman or editorialist would not know that, yet still make such claims as "no self respecting white man would never serve with a nigger"? If th efigure of 65,000 is true were these congressmen and editorial writers completely out of touch with reality?
But the thing I wanted you, BB, to think about, that disputing the number mis-directs the points you need to make. I say take them at their word. Agree there was 65,000 if that is the figure they say is provable. Fine, so be it.
The proper question is, "okay, if it is true, what you say, what does that mean if there were ineed 65,000 blacks serving the cause of the CSA?"
It means this: that 65,000 blacks risked their lives, gave their loyalty, put everything on the line for the CSA only to be told by a congressman of the CSA "no self respecting white man would ever fight next to the likes of you" and NOT ONE of his companions who he fought along side of came to his defense?
Where are the letters to the editor rebutting this editorial, why are the letters from the companions saying, to the congressman and the newspapers, "brave black men fought beside me tooth and nail and put every thing on the line for me, for all of us."? Where are the defenders of these brave black men, who are told by officials, you are only "property", your rights only concern white "property rights".
Let's agree, 65,000 blacks served the CSA loyally and willingly. That's how the CSA congressmen and public newspapers paid tribute to their loyalty and bravery?
65,000 blacks served the CSA loyally and willingly. What weree the ratios black with white? 1 to 10? 1 to 100? 1 to 1000? The Appomattox figure show it was awful thin.
If 1 in 10, that means 650, 000 white men served alongside these blacks. If 1 in 100 it means 6 million 500 thousand white soldiers witnessed FIRST HAND that blacks fought bravely, loyally, AND LIKE MEN, fighting for the confederacy.
How were these brave black men paid back for this uncommon extraordinary loyalty to a system and a government that made them legally no more than mere 'property"? Did these six million plus white soldiers go home and say to theior families and their government leaders, these black soldiers were MEN and brave soldiers who fought beside us?
Nope. The 65,000 brave black soldiers did not come home greeted as loyal soldiers by their towns, their political leaders, and precious few of their companions. Each of the 65,000 black soldiers had parents, we know that to be true.. so that is 13 thousand mothers and fathers of brave black confederate soldiers who were still catle in the eyes of the CSA no matter if their sons fought like tigers beside their masters. Wonderful treatment of your brave soldiers noble white men of the CSA!!
"In payment for your dedicated service, your, uncommon bravery, black soldier, your mother is property, your father is property, and so are you." If you are publicly defiled in the newspapers by our political leaders, not one of us will write in to correct the public record.
Thank you brave 65,000!! You have shown the Northern invaders that blacks can be loyal to the South. For your bravery and loyalty, you wives will still be our property, your children too.
65, 000 of these braves black soldiers, 65 thousand!!, and where in the papers is the evidence of the GRATITUDE of the whites for their service?
If the few mentions of black soldiers that can be found today can be turned into 65,000, why is there not an overwhelming amount of evidence left behind revealing the gratitude of the bare minimum the at least 650,000 whites who fought right beside them? Only a quote from Forrest? Did Forrest lend his support to Ewell, Cleburne and Lee? Did Forrest make it clear to Hunter and the others that he supported black soldier emancipation, and that of their families, because of his own experience with 44 brave black men? Did Forrest write to this editorialist and set the public records straight? Or wasn't he a "self-respecting" white man?
65,000 black men INTEGRATED into the forces of the CSA and no one publicly defended their honor to the CSA congressmen? That is the almost the equivalent of 650 companies, 65 regiments! That is a lot more than the whole state of Iowa provided to the Union (44 regiments of Infantry, 11 of Cavalry).
So after giving a whole Nothernstates worth of fighting men for the CSA what was the CSA willing to do for them? The CSA congress would not even arrange for emancipation.... because the congress was not going to interfere with sacred "property rights" of the slave's masters!!!!
Great sacred principle! Property rights of someone else trump your bravery, black soldier, property rights of your slave-master are more important than loyalty and human dignity, black soldier.
Human property rights are more important than the God-given rights to life and liberty and happiness, under our sacred principled laws, and all the white soldier you fought beside will do little or nothing to stand up for your rights as a human being, as a man. "Self-respecting" whites would not have fought beside you in the first place!