Black Service in the Civil War-- Part 1: The Confiscation Act, Militia Act, Emancipation Proclamation and Bureau of Colored Troops

 From the Feb. 23, 2021, U.S. Army "African American service  and racial integration   in the U.S. military" by Dr. Paul-Thomas Ferguson.

I have written about earlier service during Colonial, American Revolution, War of 1812 and Indian Wars  in my Cooter's History Thing blog this past week.

During the Civil War, the Union established and maintained regiments of black soldiers.  This became possible in 1862 the Confiscation Act, which freed slaves of rebellious slaveholders, and the  Militia Act, which authorized the president to use former slaves as soldiers.

President Lincoln was initially reluctant to recruit black soldiers.  This changed in January 1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring freedom for all slaves in Confederate states.

The first black regiments to served during the war were made up of free men.    In May 1863,  the War Department established the Bureau of Colored Troops for  the purpose of recruiting black men.

--Old Secesh

Meanwhile in My Civil War Naval Blog, Running the Blockade: Shaw's Sword and the Junior Reserves and Confederate Conscription

The last week I have been writing about the discovery of Col. Robert Gould Shaw's sword in my Naval blog.  He, of course, was the commander of the famous 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the Union Army's first black regiment who performed so honorably at Fort Wagner in Charleston Harbor in 1863.

He was killed leading his men and his sword taken and later returned  to his family and then "lost" for many years until being found in a family member's attic.

Even though he was leading an Army regiment, I am writing about his sword in my naval blog because it involved a coastal fortification.

Yesterday, I also posted about the North Carolina Junior Reserves and Confederate conscription in the naval blog.  Even though this is primarily an army thing, since the Junior reserves were at Fort Fisher, I am writing about it there.

--Old Secesh

The Dials Obviously Didn't Much Like Capt. Hunter

A bit of raw emotion here in the letter (there was additional comments on the back side). These men who claim to be Unionists and not willing to fight for the Confederacy (western NC and eastern Tennessee were hotbeds of Unionists) say that they will kill Hunter if he comes looking for them again.

Plus, they are extremely upset that Hunter has issued an order to have them killed if found.

--Old Secesh

"i will put lead..."-- Part 2

"Capt Quill Hunter if yo ever hunt for us a gin i will put lead in yo god dam your hell fired soll yo have give the people orders to Shoot us down when they find us and if yo dont take your orders back i will Shoot yo If

"Sutch men as yo is christians of heaven i want to know who is the hippocrits of hell we have never done yo any harms for yo to hunt for us we will give yo something to hunt for heareafter here after when any body sees us i will know where to watch for yo the Secessions needent to degrudge what we steel for we are the United Staes Regulars

"Wils. Dial. Jim. Dial. Cal. Dial."

--Old Secesh

"...i will put lead in yo god dam your hell fired soll..."-- Part 1

I found this in the July 29, 2013, UNC Library This Day in the Civil War."

Quite interesting and showing a part of the war that is not usually reported. It was a letter dated July 29, 1863, from Wilse Dial, James Dial and Calvin Dial, three Unionists, probably in the mountains of Tennessee or North Carolina.

It is addressed to Captain Quil Hunter, possibly a Confederate conscription officer, threatening retaliation against attempts to find them. I lefty the spelling just as it was written.

--Old Secesh