Thanks for taking the time to write. I would love to hear about examples of individual black soldiers that you’ve identified based on wartime evidence, including the muster rolls. Please keep in mind that postwar photographs are not evidence that individual black men served as soldiers. In fact, it is probably the case that most of them were present as slaves or were impressed by the state government. As I’ve noted before many slaves traveled with their owners and were allowed to purchase uniforms. This, of course, did not change their status. The postwar reunion photographs are fascinating documentation, but they tell us much more about race relations and how the war was being remembered as opposed to the status of these men during the war. If you have evidence of black soldiers in the Confederate army than I must assume that you have identified them on muster rolls.

Thanks again for taking the time to comment.