I have read the same type of comments in Deckert's history of Kershaw's South Carolina Brigade, who commented on this same thing happening even in Pennsylvania during the Gettysburg Campaign. That they operated with very little supervision and control.

There is no doubt that large numbers of blacks were a part of every Confederate Army on the move and even move when when they camped. They were a large part of the supply trains and pioneer and engineer labor force that accompanied these armys.