Lest We Forget - African American Military History by Researcher, Author and Veteran Bennie McRae, Jr.

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CIVIL WAR

Confederate States of America


"I have your letter of the 2d instant informing me that the quota of troops for the war for the State of North Carolina, as fixed by direction of the President, was "6 per cent. of our white population." This I suppose is, in round numbers, 38,000 men. We have now in for the war, in round numbers, 11,000 men, and for twelve months, say 23,000, leaving 4,000 to be furnished now." Henry T. Clark, State of North Carolina, Executive Department, Raleigh, February 11, 1862 in a letter to Secretary of War J. P. Benjamin


"Our position with the North and before the world will not allow the employment as armed soldiers of negroes. If these creoles can be naturally and properly discriminated from negroes, the authority may be considered as conferred; otherwise not, unless you can enlist them as "navvies" (to use the English term) or for subordinate working purposes." Secretary of War James A. Seddon responding to a November 7, 1863 correspondence from Major General Dabney H. Maury's on his request to accept into  Confederate service a company of Creoles in Mobile, Alabama

"I think these negroes, whether free or slave, had better be arranged and organized into something like companies, battalions, and regiments, after the plan adopted by the English, with reference to what they call navvies, or laborers, with superintendents and overseers in lieu of officers. From these organizations appropriate details may be made, singly or by squads, companies, or the like, for the various duties in which they are intended to be employed. Many advantages, I think, would result from this system in enabling us to preserve better order and exercise more care and supervision over the negroes so employed." Secretary of War James A Seddon in a letter to General Robert E. Lee, Commanding Army of Northern Virginia, September 22, 1864

"The Yankees must now have in their service 200,000 of our ex-slaves, and under their next draft will probably have half as many more. We have not one soldier from that source in our ranks. It is held by us that slaves will not make soldiers, therefore we refuse to put them in the service, and I think are correct in so doing; but while we thus think and thus act our enemies are creating." J. H. Stringfellow in a letter to President Jefferson Davis, February 8, 1865

 

 

 

"I. The following act of Congress and regulations are published for the information and direction of all concerned:

 

AN ACT to Increase the military force of the Confederate States.

The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That, in order to provide additional forces to repel invasion, maintain the rightful possession of the Confederate States, secure their independence, and preserve their institutions, the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to ask for and accept from the owners of slaves, the services of such number of able-bodied negro men as he may deem expedient, for and during the war, to perform military service in whatever capacity he may direct.

SEC. 2. That the General-in-Chief be authorized to organize the said slaves into companies, battalions, regiments, and brigades, under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of War may prescribe, and to be commanded by such officers as the President may appoint.

SEC. 3. That while employed in the service the said troops shall receive the same rations, clothing, and compensation as are allowed to other troops in the same branch of the service." General Orders No. 14. Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, Richmond, Va., March 23, 1865.

 

 

"I have the honor respectfully to recommend the appointment of the following-named men to the positions of commissioned officers in the first negro organization raised under the late act of Congress: Privates G. M. Edwards and J. J. Dean, Company E, Fifteenth Alabama; R. H. Skeelin, Company B, Fourth Alabama; and J. D. Patrick, Company A, First South Carolina Volunteers." Lieutenant General J. Longstreet in a letter on March 30, 1865 to Lieutenant  Colonel W. H. Taylor, Assistant Adjutant-General.

 

 

 

Civil War

Category: Civil War | Subcategory: slave draft plan | Tags: Mississippi , North Carolina , Virginia , South Carolina , Tennessee , Georgia , Florida , Alabama , Louisiana , Texas , New Mexico , Arizona , Washington , Kansas
Related Topics / Keywords / Phrases: 1365, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Assistant Adjutant-General, Charleston, Civil War, Clark, Company A, Company B, Davis, Edward, Florida, Georgia, Gid. J. Pillow, Gorgas, H. W. Mercer, Helena, Henry, Hunstville (Alabama), J. H. Stringfellow, J. P. Benjamin, Jack, Jackson (Mississippi), James A. Seddon, James Longstreet, Jefferson Davis, John, John J. Pettus, John W. Riely, Jones, Jordan, Josiah Gorgas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mexico, Mississippi, Mobile (Alabama), New Mexico, North Carolina, Patrick, Patrick R. Cleburne, Petersburg (Virginia), Raleigh (North Carolina), Richmond (Virginia), Robert E. Lee, Shreveport (Louisiana), South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, W. S. Turner, War Department, Washington, Williams, Williamsburg (Virginia), Wilmington (North Carolina),