It was 1861, Ewell said it to President Davis directly when Davis declared the Battle of Manassas was a sign of their ultimate victory over the North, Ewell disagreed and said that only one thing could secure victory and that was "emancipating the slaves and arming them."

The point is, Cleburne did not formulate his ideas alone, nor was it a late realization by many Confederates that they needed to arm the slaves. It was talked about from the beginning, by men of ability in the Confederate Army, and was a dividing issue throughout the South.

David