Comments on: “Black Confederate” at Bull Run

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 01 May 2009 13:28:15 +0000

There is probably some to that, look at this link.

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1863/battle-of-fredericksburg.htm

By: A story about Henry Berry Lowry, “a free man of color” in the Civil War « Cenantua’s Blog

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:30:08 +0000

[...] North Carolina, Robeson County, Too Long Forgotten by cenantua Some may recall that I mentioned Henry “Dad” Brown in Harry’s Bull Runnings Blog, but I cannot emphasize enough that Brown’s story is actually a reflection of but one element [...]

By: A story about Henry Berry Lowrie, a free man of color « Cenantua’s Blog

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:29:12 +0000

By: cenantua

cenantua — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:27:02 +0000

Yes, same law in Virginia, but as you indicate, it still happened.

By: Michael C. Hardy

Michael C. Hardy — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:23:33 +0000

Harry – sorry about using the wrong reply button – I do not catch that until I had hit the send button.

Cenantua – to make a long story short, the Cozzenses claimed (at least in 1861) to be melungeons. The extended family also married white women, and after the war, William Henry Cozzens moved a couple of counties south and married the widow of a Confederate soldier . I’m not sure about Virginia, but in North Carolina, it was against the law for a free person of color to married a white person, even though it obviously happened.

In 1870, William History is listed as being white on the census. Same is true for Clark in the 1900 census.

By: cenantua

cenantua — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:48:58 +0000

I wonder why the change in identity. Sometimes it’s just the laziness or perspective of the census-taker interjected into his recordings. In 1850, one of my third great-grandfathers (in the Shenandoah Valley) and his siblings were listed as mulatto, while their mother retained the identity as a white. In 1860, they were white again, but then, they had also moved back to a white community, from the black community (and household which was headed by a black man) in which they resided in 1850. It’s even more interesting that they went on to serve in the Confederate army, though they were in the army only through Oct. 1862. – Robert

By: Michael C. Hardy

Michael C. Hardy — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:43:49 +0000

In 1850 they were listed as “negroes”, in 1860, as “mulattos” .

Regards,
Michael

By: Harry Smeltzer

Harry Smeltzer — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:27:38 +0000

If we all use the reply button at the bottom of the comments to which we are responding, the comments will thread and be a lot easier to follow. Michael, I believe you are responding to Robert’s comments here.

By: cenantua

cenantua — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:21:20 +0000

Michael,

Were the Cossens brothers listed in the 1860 census? If so, how were they listed racially?

Robert (cenantua)

By: Michael C. Hardy

Michael C. Hardy — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:17:10 +0000

Harry – Franklin Cossens and his brother William Henry Cozzens both have service records. They had a brother, Clark Cozzens who was in Company K, 6th North Carolina Cavalry. Interestingly, nothing on the compiled service records for Franklin and William mention anything about race. William’s service record list his complexion as dark, his hair black, and eyes are brown. Clark Cozzens CSR does not contain any information regarding his race or complexion. He deserted and went home, was captured and sent to Louisville, where he took the Oath. Franklin was killed, and William served from 1861 until captured in April 1865. He later got a pension.

I know that there are other stories about black North Carolina Confederates. I’ve not really research any of those other stories. I do not believe that there were 50,000 black Confederate soldiers. However, the county that the Cozzens’ came from had both the smallest slave population and the smallest free black population in the entire state of North Carolina in 1860. If we can have two (Clark lived elsewhere) legitimate black Confederates from that county, well, how about other counties that have greater populations? Was it easier for non-whites to enlist in rural counties? Was there something it the Cozzens’ genetic makeup that made it easier to enlist (which I think is true)?

So many questions, so little time.