A Glimpse at History

As late in the war as February of 1865, and the Southern Army is basically starving, a young Black Writer by the name of Thomas Morris Chester pens a few lines about what he witnessed at the cornfield on the Boulware plantation. He talked about how in between the Union and Reb lines, there was a cornfield and the Union Army watched as the Rebs went into the cornfield and ate the hard, bug infested corn for lack of anything else. They, the Union pickett lines, inturn, invited the Rebs into the Union lines where they were able to witness the colored troops eat fresh beef and soft wheat bread. They were asked to return to the Union at that point, and they would also be able to eat as heartily. They were then permitted to decide for themselves if they would return to their rebellious camps unharmed or desert. All commented that they would love to return to the Union, but did not wish to desert, but would “cheerfully give in their adhesion when the Southern people yeilded.” They then turned and return to their camp, “where the magnanimity of Major Hart…and the disposition of our colored troops to recieve them on deserting, were, no doubt, duly discussed.” 

Starving, cold and already inclined to return to the Union, they remained faithful Rebels. What is it about honor, faith, and loyalty that we as a society to not possess as a whole any longer? I think this opens a discussion about the “IT” factor. They had “IT” and we don’t! What do you think?

Filed under: Civil War Blogs, War of 1812 by Savannah Meade