| North Carolina Troops, Volume VI, Compendium of the Confederate
Armies:
On June 5, 1861, William C. Revels enlisted in Surry County, North Carolina.
He is listed as a negro and being a musician (fifer) in Company H, 11th
North Carolina Infantry Regiment. The 11th was present but not engaged
at Blackburn's Ford and First Bull Run. On November 14, 1861, the designation
of the regiment was changed to the 21st and remained as such until the
end of the war. The regiment participated in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign
of May-June, 1862, and except for a time with the Department of North Carolina
and Southern Virginia and the Valley District, Department of Northern Virginia
in 1864, followed Bobby Lee from the Seven Days to Appomattox.
William's North Carolina pension application shows that he was wounded
in the left leg at Winchester, in the right thigh at Gettysburg, and the
right shoulder at New Bern.
 |
| Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina
in the Great War, 1861-1865, Volume I:
Big Bethel, Virginia, is considered to be the first land battle of the
war. It was fought on June 10, 1861. Union Major Theodore Winthrop was
killed. The four men who are credited with possibly firing the fatal shot
were in the 1st NC "Bethel" Regiment. They were: Private G.W.Buhman,
Company H. Private Steve Russell, Company H. Private McIver, Company C.
And Sam, body servant to Captain Ashe of Company D.
|
| Unit Roster, 63rd Georgia Infantry Regiment:
Morgan, Eliza (Colored)-Nurse. Enlisted as a nurse and laundress
April 1, 1863.
Morris, Ellen (Colored)-Nurse. Enlisted as a nurse April 1, 1863.
Burroughs, Lydia (Colored)-Enlisted as a cook May 6, 1863.
Dawson, Catharine (Colored)-Cook April 1, 1863.
Dawson, Hannah (Colored)-Cook April 1, 1863.
Several other blacks (about 20-30) are shown in other regiments as well.
Information on them, as is shown here, is minimal. Some have the notation;
"with the consent of owner."
|
| Roster of the Confederate Soldiers of Georgia, Volume VI. Forgotten
Confederates (Savannah News and the Charlotte Daily Bulletin, late 1862):
A Georgia family nurse wrote a letter to her master who was off to war:
"Do if you come in contact with any of those heartless Yankees,
give them a few shots of a bombshell and clear them from our coasts. They
never gave us our home and they have no right to it. Our soldiers may have
a long fight, but I hope they will fight, and watch, and pray, and never
give up the field."
A free mulatto servant, Mariah Bowens from Winton (Winston?), NC, wrote
the following to a free black in care of Captain John Randolph, New Bern,
NC:
"The Federals came in and walked about some two or three hours
and finally left it. Some people think that we are in a very dangerous
predicament, others think we are safe. The majority of the people of this
place think their intentions are to reach Norfolk and Weldon. I hope that
they will not be successful, indeed I think they will not for I am certain
that God is on our side and that his strong arm will protect our weak Confederacy.
You need not have any fears as to my safety for I will not suffer the vandals
to disturb me. I will not even give them the chance."
|
| A Captive of War - by Solon Hyde. Printed by Burd Street Press,
63 West Burd St., Shippensburg, PA 17257
"All along our route we could see the negroes carrying on the labors
of the plantation, and raising supplies for the soldier in the field; as
well as providing for home comfort and consumption. While not enrolled
as soldiers, they were nevertheless as important an element to Southern
success as were the soldiers in the field; for while the whites furnished
the brain and sinews of the war, the negro furnished the rations without
which no army can be kept organized. One was as necessary as the other.
Trusty negroes would look after the interests of the soldier's families,
so that the men at the front had no anxiety for the welfare of the home
circle to worry them. In this respect the South was peculiarly prepared
to carry on warfare as long as they could keep their internal organization
intact and keep the contending armies in the border states. Any one traveling
behind the scenes, as we were, could see how necessary this sable element
was to the South. In fact, they were as much enrolled, so far as effect
was concerned, in the Southern cause, as were the negroes who were bearing
arms for the North."
|
| Arkansas Democrat, May 11, 1928
SCORE OF NEGRO WAR VETERANS AT REUNION
Former Slaves Who Served With Masters Enjoy Gathering
"Known names of the negro veterans present at the reunion are:
Steve Manuel of Mark, Miss.: Louis Nelson of Ripley, Tenn.: R.H. Bradley
of Jackson, Tenn.: Dan Winfull of Sweet Home, Ark.: W.M. Black of Marrianna,
Ark.: the Rev. H.M. Neely of Columbus, Miss.: "Uncle" Horthown
of Brownsville, Tenn.: "Uncle" Maple and his wife of Sulpher
Springs, Tex.: C.C. Lemons of Calvert, Tex.: Isaac Pringle of Meridian,
Miss.: W.H. Slaughter of Culpepper, Va.: Simon Phillips of Birmingham,
Ala.: Professor Chambers of Winston, Ark.: Mat Gray of Huntsville, Ala.:
Henry Boldy of Chase, Ala.: Steve Arerhart of Rome, Ga.: Tom Baker of Tupelo,
Miss.: Bill Hood of Houston, Tex.: H.W. Weatherford of Arkansas, and there
are four or five others whose names have not been ascertained.
"Many more survivors of the slaves who fought with their masters
in the Civil war are still living, but where unable to attend the reunion
here. Nearly everyone of them is a former slave, and each is high in his
praise of his 'old master' way back 'befo de wah'."
|
| Macon Daily Telegraph, July 28, 1862
To All Whom it may Concern,
Know ye, That Charles Benger, a colored Musician of Captain Geo. S.
Jones' company, Macon Volunteers 2nd Ga battalion, who was enlisted the
1st day of May, one thousand eight hundred and sixty one, to serve one
year is hereby honorably discharged from the Army of the Confederate States.
Charlie is a patriotic and faithful negro, and deserves good treatment
at the hands of any and every Southerner.
Said Charlie Benger was born in Camden county in the State of Georgia,
is 68 years of age, 5 feel 11 inches high, black complexion, black eyes,
grey hair, and by occupation when enlisted a fifer.
Given at Petersburg, Va., this 22nd day of July, 1862.
Geo. S. Jones, Capt Macon Vol's
Charles J. Moffett, Capt. Com'd 2d Ga. Batt., Ga. Vols.
Transportation furnished in kind to Macon, Ga.
E.B. Branch, Capt. & A. Qr. M.I.C.S.
|
| A letter from John Hammonds (Camp Brown, Knoxville, Tennessee) to "Dear
Uncle", February 10, 1862. It appears in Forgotten Confederates
and is referenced to the "Special Collections Library, The University
of Tennessee, Knoxville":
"I seat myself to write you a few lines to inform you that I am
well hoping that those few lines may find you all well. I have nothing
of importance to write to you at this time. My company [1st East TN Cav.,
later designated 5th (McKenzie's) Cav.] is know [sic] station on Cumberland
Mountains. All but a few of us that was detailed to stay here to mind the
tents $ take care of some sick boys that we had sick here with the measels.
We will all leave here in the morning. We had a small chunk of a fight
with the Lincolnit[es] the 2 day of this instant. We killed six of them
& taken one prisoner & wounded ten more. Jack Thomas a colored
person that belongs to our company killed one of them..."
The information given on Jack[son] Thomas is referenced to the Compiled
Service Records, 5th TN Cavalry, Record Group 109, National Archives. It
shows that he enlisted at age 30 on November 13, 1861, at Clevland, TN.
He was captured at Big Creek on March 14, 1862, and died on May 14, 1863.
The Military Annals of Tennessee, Volume II, states that Jackson
Thomas was killed at Big Creek on March 14, 1862.
|
| THE PICTORIAL BOOK OF ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS OF THE REBELLION
(p. 319) by Frazer Kirkland, 1889. A collection of Grand Army of the Republic
(Union) bragging
NEGRO RIFLEMAN BROUGHT DOWN AT YORKTOWN
One of the best morning's work done at Yorktown was that of reducing
to a state of perfect inutility in this mundane sphere, a rebel negro rifleman,
who, through his skill as a marksman, had done more injury to our men than
any dozen of his white compeers, in the attempted labor of trimming off
the complement of Union sharpshooters. The latter had known him a long
time, had kept an eye on him, and lain in wait to pick him off. His habit
was to perch himself in a big tree, and, keeping himself hid behind the
body, annoy the Union men by firing upon them. He climbed the tree as usual
one morning, but in advance of the others coming out, and, smuggling himself
into his position, was anticipating his usual day of quietude. The Union
men might have killed him as he came out, but purposely avoided shooting,
so as not to alarm the others. His tree was about twenty rods from one
of the Union pits. When our men fired on the advancing rebel pickets, he
of course saw the fix he was in--that he was indeed and decidedly up a
tree.
"I say, big nigger," called out one of the Union soldiers,
"you better come down from there."
"What for?" returned the big nigger.
"I want you as prisoner,"
"Not as this chile knows of," replied the concealed Ethiop.
"Just as you say," replied our sharpshooter.
In about an hour the nigger poked his head out. Our man was on the lookout
for him; he had his rifle on the bead-line ready--pulled the trigger--whiz-z
went the bullet, down came the nigger. He was shot through the head.
|
| The Confederate Negro: Virginia's Craftsman and Military Laborers
"Nearly 180,000 Afro-Virginians served as noncombatant laborers.
They generally suffered poor rations and health care, shoddy clothing and
were frequently overworked. One suspects that many were not loyal to the
Confederacy or the Union but to themselves and their families. However,
indicative of black allegiance were those who volunteered or willingly
sought employment. Free black carpenters and blacksmiths were hired while
others were employed at mines, military hospitals, railroads and factories.
Three hundred and fifty Norfolk black volunteers were welcomed by the chief
engineer in charge of the city's defenses and efficiently constructed batteries
and earthworks. Seven hundred free blacks worked to erect Richmond defensive
works which stymied the advance of the Army of the Potomac in 1862. The
ability to earn fair wages... boosted the quality of life for free black
families and gave Afro-Virginians an ego boost and incentive to remain
true to the Old Dominion." |
