African Americans in the war between the States

In June 1861, Tennessee became the first state in the South to allow the use of African American soldiers. The governor authorized the enrollment of those between the ages of 15-50 and to receive the same rations and clothing as white soldiers. Black soldiers started appearing in Tennessee regiments by September of that same year. Nobody really knows how many blacks actually served in the Confederacy.

A Union officer noted in his diary shortly before the Battle of Sharpsburg: “Wednesday, September 10: At 4 o’clock this morning the Rebel army began to move from our town, (Fredrick, MD), Jackson’s forces taking the advance. The movement continued until 8 o’clock pm, occupying 16 hours. The most liberal calculation could not give them more than 64,000 men. Over 3,000 African American men must be included in this number. These were clad in all kinds of uniforms, not only in cast-off or captured United States uniforms, but in coats with Southern buttons, State buttons, etc. These were shabby, but not shabbier or seedier than those worn by white men in the rebel ranks. Most of them had arms, rifles, muskets, sabers, bowie-knives, dirks, etc. They were supplied with knapsacks, haversacks, canteens, etc and they were an integral portion of the Southern Confederate army. They were seen riding on horses and mules, driving wagons, riding on caissons, in ambulances, with the staff of generals and mixing it up with all the Rebel horde.” (Union Sanitation Commission Inspector Dr. Louis Steiner, Sept. 1862.)

In a letter dated 27 March 1865, Lt. Col. Charles Marshall wrote a letter to Lt. Gen. Ewell stating “harshness and contemptuous or offensive language or conduct to them {black soldiers} must be forbidden and they should forget as soon as possible that they were regarded as menials”.

Four African American Confederate soldiers were captured at Fort Fisher when it fell to Union troops in January 1865. (Taken from North Carolina Troops, Volume I).

Charles Dempsey, Private, Company F, 36th NC Regiment. Captured at Ft. Fisher and confined at Point Lookout, MD; until paroled and exchanged at Coxes Landing, Va. 14-15 Feb 1865.

Henry Dempsey, Private, Company F, 36th NC Regiment. Captured at Ft. Fisher and confined at Point Lookout, MD; until paroled at Coxes Landing, Va. 14-15 Feb 1865.

J. Doyle, Private, Company E, 40th NC Regiment. Captured at Ft. Fisher and confined at Point Lookout, MD; until paroled at Boulware’s Wharf, Va. On 16 Mar 1865.

Daniel Herring, Cook, Company F, 36th NC Regiment. Captured at Ft. Fisher, and confined at Point Lookout, MD; until released after taking Oath of Allegiance June 19, 1865. (The only one of the 4 to sign the Oath.)