Tag: grey

Flag of the 1st Cherokee Mounted Rifles. (Image Courtesy of Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield; WICR 30118)

CSA: How Jefferson Davis Offered “Freedom” to the Native Americans! (2.12.2025)

Indeed, the voluntary and determined presence of Indians in the Confederate Infantry defied all Northern attempts to paint the South as culturally backward. The North had never succeeded in convincing the Indians to be happy about their own genocide – but here was the Confederate South treating the Indians as fellow “human-beings” – and making way for their warriors to serve alongside White Men in the frontlines. On the official front, the Confederacy formed a specific Indian Regiment led by General Albert Pike. During the Civil War, he commanded the Confederacy’s Indian Territory, and raised troops in this area – and exercised Field Command in at least one battle (although Watson mentions his name – and Indian troops – a number of times). After the South lost the Civil War – the North simply carried-on its pre-war policy of genocide – depicting the Indians as “savages” and wiping their pro-Confederate struggle from the history books.

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last csa casuality

CSA: On How President Jefferson Davis Changed His Opinion on Arming Southern Slaves! (15.11.2025)

Something of an oddity for a man who is often demonised in modern discourse as being the “defender of slavery”. Be that as it may, free Black men did exist in the South – and chose to join the Confederate Army – as free men. As the war wore-on – and the number of the White male population dwindled – it became ever apparent that the only resource the South possessed was its population of Black (male) slaves. General Pat Cleburne (the Irish-British volunteer killed at Franklin during late 1864) had suggested to Davis that the slaves be “freed” and conscripted into the Confederate Army. At the time, the conservative elements of the Confederate Congress refused to consider this idea. Following the Battle of Franklin (30.11.1864) and the huge casualties suffered by the Confederacy – Jefferson Davies decided to exercise his executive power and authorise 40,000 slaves to be co-opted into the Confederate Army to form Labour and Guarding Corps to free-up White soldiers for frontline duty. However, with the Confederate defeat at the Battle of Nashville (16.12.1864) – Davis stated that all slaves should now be freed and recruited into the Confederate Army – BEFORE the Union could get a chance to liberate them – and use these men against the South!

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Major General Patrick R. Cleburne leading his men against Federal breastworks, Battle of Franklin, 30 November 1864!

CSA: The Magnificent Confederate Army of Tennessee Attack [30.11.1864] at the Battle of Franklin! (21.10.2025)

The Confederate Army had deployed in an almost Parade Ground formation… As far as the eye could see, the ranks of butternut and grey extended across the gently undulating farm-land. The men were gaunt, many looked like they had been starved – wrote a soldier – and they stood in tattered ranks with their bayonets already fixed on their imported Enfields, Austrians, and captured Springfield rifle-muskets. Their uniforms were threadbare and worn, with many wearing captured Federal clothing. Some had no coats or shoes, and in their haversack, they carried mostly sugarcane and hickory nuts. Nearly all were ragged and dirty. They looked more like a band of robbers than soldiers thought one Federal Private – who saw some captured prisoners. Another Union soldier noted that the Rebels ‘rob our dead because they have nothing to wear – especially for our shoes and coats. They still retained their droopy-felt hats – which gives them a hasty look.’  They are all that the Confederacy could muster – what was left of the hardened spirit of the middle-South. Yet their ragged appearance belied their ultimate worth.

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Irish Confederates - "nd Battle of Sabine Pass!

CSA: Second Battle of Sabine Pass [8.9.1863] – The Irish-Confederate “Thermopylae” in Texas! (8.6.2025)

US anti-intellectualism is like a very stupid version of Christian theology that arbitrarily separates the world in a childish “good” and “evil” – with everything “good” being whatever US foreign policy happens to be – and everything “bad” that which opposes it. Since 1945 to present, the US Military has killed 30 million people around the world (in the name of “peace”) – enforcing its ideology of predatory capitalism. Today, President Trump has usurped the power of the State Governor of LA – enacting a post-Civil War law that cedes all State power over its local military to the Federal President – a move designed to prevent resistance to Federal policies and to stop any threat of secession. In this instance, Trump’s overtly “racist” policies are triggering mass protests and uprisings amongst the general population. When the Confederacy lost the Civil War – the States lost their individual freedom and this has allowed a Neo-Nazi President to enact a racist “Federal” reign of terror upon the American people!

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Battle of Gettysburg - Painting by Paul Philippoteaux

CSA: Confederate Army Uniforms, Hats, Ranks & Badges c. 1861! (27.4.2025)

Sometimes, CSA Units proudly wore “Blue” – whilst certain Union Units proudly wore “Grey”. Both sides also possessed Units that dressed (and acted) like English Red-Coats – a designation that then sent shudders through most people due to the reputation the Red-Coats possessed – namely that of strict discipline and ruthless close-quarter-fighting (all wounded were bayoneted as an act of compassion – due to the lack of any reliable medical treatment). English Red-Coats would march indifferently into enemy-fire – safe in the belief that once the distance was closed – the enemy would pay the price. The CSA Units attempted to replicate this attitude and make the Union pay for the damage its forces inflicted upon the Southern States.

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Dead Confederate sharpshooters of Hood's Division among the rocks in Devil's Den in front of Little Round Top.

CSA: Remembering the Bravery of “Irish” Company “K” – 15th Alabama – Little Round-Top [2.7.1863] – Gettysburg! (3.4.2025)

The weather was hot – and the Confederates had to advance over open ground before storming an inclined slope (in the form of a steep hill) – with the intention of sweeping the Federals off its top and consolidating the victory. The previous day had seen the Confederates sweep the Federals out of West and Central Gettysburg – and into the hills to its East. Washington was just 80 miles to the South – and legend has it that Lincoln was packing his belongings to flee! I have audio-typed part of a chapter from Stephen Sears’ book – carefully reproducing the text from an Audible edition (in my native British English). This provides a general background to the battle – but does not mention the Irish specifically – other than one or two fighting for the Union. For the story of “Company K” of the 15th Alabama Regiment of the Confederate States of America (CSA) – we must turn to the excellent work of Phillip Thomas Tucker – who has produced an excellent book examining the contribution to the Confederate cause made by the Irish!

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