[From the American Press letters to the editor column, Page B7, Nov. 29, 2020] 

Troop numbers well documented

In his Aug. 16, 2020, letter, Mr. Brandon Shoumaker again states there is no evidence of Black Confederate soldiers. He insinuates that any evidence from a past commander of the S.C.V. must obviously be false, and even “hints” that if from a book by Ervin (not Erwin as was stated) L. Jordan, it also can’t be believed or trusted. He failed to tell you that Ervin J. Jordan Jr. is a professor and research archivist at the University of Virginia. He has published numerous books and articles, given lectures and taught workshops on the War Between the States and African American history. He has appeared on television several times as a consulting historian in matters of African American history and genealogy; lectures at conferences, university and events with some being televised on C-SPAN. He has been awarded for his research and he is also Black.

It seems it wasn’t accepted that Frederick Douglas, Horace Greeley, newspapers, and others did state seeing many Black Confederate soldiers; or other sources listed such as “The Official Record.” So, let’s try this ... Jackson’s occupation of Frederick, Md., in 1862: “Over 3,000 Negroes must be included in this number of Confederate troops. 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 the Negroes were seen to have arms; rifles, muskets, sabers, bowie-knives, dirks, etc. ... and were manifestly an integral portion of the Southern Confederate Army.”

Major General Edwin O.C. Ord, commander of the Army of the James, reported “the presence of five ‘Afro Confederate’ regiments near Petersburg” in March of 1865 (a minimum of 2,000 troops in 1865).

An existing telegram from New Orleans dated Nov. 23, 1861, notes the review by Gov. Overton Moore of over 28,000 troops; and that one regiment comprised “1,400 colored men.” The New Orleans Picayune, referring to another review held Feb. 9, 1862, says: “We must also pay a deserved compliment to the companies of free colored me, all very well drilled and comfortably equipped.”

This is at minimum 6,400 Black Confederate soldiers in only three citations; with two being from U.S. officers. Space prevents listing many more, but it makes one ask why a “research specialist” employed by taxpayers at a public library can’t find this evidence? Could it be it just doesn’t fit the narrative?

Another assertion was that the CSA didn’t consider recruiting Blacks until 1864. That was the CSA Government discussing automatically “freeing any slave who volunteered.” Over 90 percent of all Confederate troops were state troops that remained under state control. Those governors could, and did, enlist Blacks within months of the war beginning; and there is proof of Black regiments and integrated ones, existing in Tennessee and Georgia as soon as two weeks after Fort Sumter fell. The famed Richmond Howitzers fought at 1st Manassas, the very first battle, with their No. 2 gun manned by Blacks, alongside two Black regiments of the Confederate Infantry.

The very first military monument in the U.S. that honors an African American solider is the Confederate monument at Arlington National Cemetery. Designed in 1941 by Moses Ezekiel, a Jewish Confederate who wanted to correctly portray the makeup of the Confederate Army.

I must cede one point to Mr. Shoumaker, however. I was informed by a reader that the information most often attributed to Dr. Leonard Hayes III is in fact not; it was from his father of the same name, and also a former professor at Southern University.

I do not plan to continue a running argument over this misinformation and I also do not plan to become Mr. Shoumaker’s full-time “fact checker.” It is important to recognize when to stop arguing with some people and simply let them be wrong. Let the readers, if interested, do their own real research and decide. I am reminded of the words in Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because they have rejected knowledge.”

Gordon D. Simmons

Lake Charles