[x]

... Yes they were slaves but they did not have to fight. In fact for most of the war it was officially forbidden to arm the slaves. Most slaves in the front came as body servants to officers and enlisted white solders. There are more than a few accounts of the master running away while the "body servant" slave stayed and fought. They were free to return home when the master deserted but most chose to stay and serve. The article seems to imply the officers were behind arming the slaves and it is true for the people he cites but many officers did not approve, but the white enlisted men would cover for the Black slave who wanted to stay and fight. When the officer was around the slave would pretend to be about his business, cleaning weapons etc. but when the fighting started he would join his comrades.

If you have evidence of that, post it. Otherwise the more likely interpretation is that "cleaning weapons etc." was the slave's work, whether on not he on occasion picked up a gun.

There is much testament from Union solders caught by surprise by a slave fighting for his country, The SOUTH.

Again, if you have evidence of Union troops coming upon Blacks and being fired upon them, then post it. There are stories of Northerners taking navvys and sappers digging trenches for combat soldiers. That was a plausible mistake. There are also stories of Union troops being pinned down by snipers whom they took to be Black. The problem is that in the darkness and chaos and from a distance it would be hard to tell just what the race of a sniper was.

[Mark in the Old South]

Re: "If you have evidence of that, post it."
and Re: "Again, if you have evidence of Union troops coming upon Blacks and being fired upon them, then post it."

From post #28 please see it for more details. Hear is a snip:
There is a good book on the subject written by a black professor at the University of Virginia by the name of Jordan. His book is Afro Americans and Black Confederates in Civil War Virginia. I am pretty sure it is still in print. His book was limited to the 4 years of the war and just in Virgina but what a gold mine. Lot of fascinating stories dealing with all aspects of slave life. He was trying to figure out why a slave would fight for the South.

His conclusion? It was their country same as the white man.