Just to be clear. I entirely and gladly welcome your opinions your "Views", but I can not tolerate insults, browbeating and the berating of others on the site. At some point, if another on the message board is in disagreement with you, you have to say "God Bless'em!" and go on to another topic or communicate with others on the subject.

I have my own views about this subject, based on my own limited research. I believe, for a host of individual reasons, a number of freedmen and slaves accompanied their white counterparts or masters in to the camp and at times, even ventured on to the battlefield and/or carried a weapon. I do not believe, nor have I ever found, except in the earliest days of the Confederacy in New Orleans or in the last days of the Confederacy, in Richmond, an organized unit of Confederate African-Americans.

I must say a lot of my views are "piggy-backed" on our beloved friend and scholar, Art Bergeron's work and his views on this subject. I sure miss Art. I'll bet he could and would be a voice of scholarly reason in this discussion.

Your views and opinions are always welcome here. I only ask that all of us respect the views and opinions of our fellow posters.

Jim Martin