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Mystery surrounds black Confederate veteran
meridianstar ^ | 24-November-2007 | Brian Livingston

Posted on 12/08/2007 10:54:00 PM PST by stainlessbanner

The life of Ike Pringle has become a sort of enigma for local historians who are trying to figure out exactly what role the slave played in the American Civil War.

Born in May, 1841, Isaac, or Ike as he was better known, was owned by the Pringle family that lived and owned land around Vimville. Ike took on the name of his owners and was forever called Ike Pringle.

At an early age he was given to the grandson of the family, Frank Pringle. Not that far apart in age, the two basically grew up together until the Civil War began. At that time, Frank Pringle joined the 24th Mississippi. Ike Pringle followed him into service. Some say Ike Pringle followed on his own accord and out of obligation to Frank Pringle.

Both men survived the war and were in Atlanta when the last cannons fell silent. From that moment on, Ike Pringle was a free man. Frank Pringle gave him his freedom there and moved to Pensacola, Fla., according to records. But Ike Pringle decided to return home to Vimville.

In the years following the war, Ike Pringle built up a farm on 80 acres that originally belonged to the Pringle family. He eventually sold the land but even as he married several times raising a family while keeping up the farm, Ike Pringle routinely attended Confederate soldier reunions as a veteran. It has been noted that Ike Pringle was never wounded nor have any documentations been discovered to suggest he was a combatant or was always kept in the rear area.

Some historians would suggest Ike Pringle was indeed kept in the rear areas to care for Frank Pringle’s belongings and to serve his owner any way possible during the fighting. But the fact he was allowed to attend numerous Confederate soldiers reunions, such as the one in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1937, which shows him pictured with a group of other white soldiers, seems to tell the viewer he was at the very least accepted near the battlefield in some form or fashion.

A narrative written by Ike Pringle in 1937 said he had traveled to many such reunions. A photo taken on the front steps of the Lauderdale County Court House in October 1933 with the Walthal Camp of Confederate Veterans only reinforces the fact he was a member of Confederate organizations. Ike Pringle also appears in a photo of another such gathering in 1925.

Ike Pringle died on Feb. 28, 1938. No grave marker has been found for him in a nondescript cemetery in Lauderdale County although more recent stones have been found with other people named Pringle.

So what was the role Ike Pringle played in the Civil War?

Many of the details are still unknown at this time but whatever his role was, it was enough for the State of Mississippi to grant Ike Pringle a pension in 1920 for being a member of the Confederate army during the Civil War.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Mississippi
KEYWORDS: blackconfederates; confederate; dixie; ms; veteran
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1 posted on 12/08/2007 10:54:00 PM PST by stainlessbanner
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To: snuffy smiff; slow5poh; EdReform; TheZMan; Texas Mulerider; Oorang; freedomfiter2; ...

Dixie*ping


2 posted on 12/08/2007 10:54:18 PM PST by stainlessbanner
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To: stainlessbanner

Those of us who are native to Dixie find nothing unusual about this story. Its only the politically correct crowd that will tell us this isnt possible or that Ike was forced to follow his master and friend.

Southern history is a wonderful thing when told honestly. We dont get that very often.


3 posted on 12/08/2007 10:58:07 PM PST by Bulldawg Fan (Victory is the last thing Murtha and his fellow Defeatists want.)
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To: stainlessbanner

Seems to me the very fact that Mr. Pringle continued to attend these reunions means that he WANTED to be considered a Confederate vet. At that point, his actual service doesn’t really matter too much, does it?


4 posted on 12/08/2007 11:01:30 PM PST by Mobile Vulgus
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To: stainlessbanner; snuffy smiff; slow5poh; EdReform; TheZMan; Texas Mulerider; Oorang; ...

Wasn’t this a Dave Chappelle Show skit, but with the white hoods, etc.?


5 posted on 12/08/2007 11:01:55 PM PST by ProCivitas (Pro-America = Pro-Family + Fair Trade = Duncan Hunter. www.gohunter08.com)
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To: stainlessbanner

I was born in MS but where is that place?


6 posted on 12/08/2007 11:02:01 PM PST by MamaB
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To: ProCivitas
Clayton Bigsby
7 posted on 12/08/2007 11:13:22 PM PST by TxCopper
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To: stainlessbanner

Thanks for the ping SB


8 posted on 12/08/2007 11:14:15 PM PST by StoneWall Brigade ('A nation which dose not remember what it was yesterday does not know where it is today... R.E. Lee)
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To: stainlessbanner
Black Men say Rebel flag flies for freedom
9 posted on 12/08/2007 11:18:52 PM PST by South40 (Amnesty for ILLEGALS is a slap in the face to the USBP!)
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To: Bulldawg Fan
Its only the politically correct crowd that will tell us this isnt possible or that Ike was forced to follow his master and friend.

Slaves had to do what their masters told them to do under the threat of punishment or sale- do you really think Ike could have said "No, I rather stay behind" without consequences?

10 posted on 12/08/2007 11:21:10 PM PST by LWalk18
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To: stainlessbanner
Where I live the Civil War was once commonly referred to as “The War of Northern Aggression.” Many in the South did not, understandably, see the war in a broad political perspective but only as a deadly force that appeared out of the north and ravaged their lives.
11 posted on 12/08/2007 11:22:31 PM PST by Brad from Tennessee ("A politician can't give you anything he hasn't first stolen from you.")
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To: stainlessbanner

Though I’m WAY too far North to be from Dixie, I’d be most obliged if you’d include me on your Dixie pinglist.

Many thanks, a Canadian Southron in spirit.


12 posted on 12/08/2007 11:23:46 PM PST by Don W ( Police were called to a day care where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.)
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To: MamaB
Vimville is about 12 miles due east of Meridian just off Highway 19.
13 posted on 12/08/2007 11:26:59 PM PST by Brad from Tennessee ("A politician can't give you anything he hasn't first stolen from you.")
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To: LWalk18
Slaves had to do what their masters told them to do under the threat of punishment or sale- do you really think Ike could have said "No, I rather stay behind" without consequences?

Don't you think it's kind of odd though that Ike would have attended so many Confederate reunions of his own free will?
14 posted on 12/08/2007 11:44:30 PM PST by dbehsman (Libertarians make poor humanitarians.)
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To: Bulldawg Fan

The fact that a MS newspaper published the story indicates that even Mississippians would find it newsworthy.


15 posted on 12/08/2007 11:45:53 PM PST by herecomesthesun ("...and that’s what I’m going to try to do as President again...")
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To: Bulldawg Fan
One of my coworkers is a black man (whatever you do, don't call David an African-American or you'll end up hearing his tirade about how he's from Mississippi, not Africa) from a small town in rural Mississippi and he is proud of the fact that his great-great-great-grandfather served in the Confederate Army.

David has a big rebel flag hanging in the back window of his pickup and loves to see the shocked expressions on bystanders faces when they see him driving around town.

16 posted on 12/09/2007 12:02:21 AM PST by Stonewall Jackson (The Hunt for FRed November. 11/04/08)
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To: Stonewall Jackson

bump


17 posted on 12/09/2007 12:13:32 AM PST by smug (Free Ramos and Compean:)
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To: Stonewall Jackson

Sounds like a wonderful man


18 posted on 12/09/2007 12:25:46 AM PST by StoneWall Brigade ('A nation which dose not remember what it was yesterday does not know where it is today... R.E. Lee)
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To: stainlessbanner
...which shows him pictured with a group of other white soldiers,...

By 1937 Mr. Pringle had turned white? Otherwise an interesting story.

19 posted on 12/09/2007 3:43:55 AM PST by FreePaul
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To: stainlessbanner

20 posted on 12/09/2007 4:25:01 AM PST by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
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