Thanks for the added info. I think someone should jump into the NA and see if they can find more on the Brander reference.

Hope you are well.

tps

As you may remember from Will’s book, there were some artillery positions along the Confederate line southwest of Petersburg protecting the Boydton Plank Road that were called the “Free Negro Batteries.” The name apparently originated from the fact that some of Petersburg’s free men of color assisted in their construction. I do not know of a connection between them and Brander other than that Pegram’s Battalion, to which his battery belonged, was in the vicinity of Burgess Mills during part of the Petersburg Campaign.

Art Bergeron

I am one who believes that perhaps a small number did fight in the ranks, but large numbers, unmentioned by virtually everyone? No way.

However, I do want to share (in the hope someone with access with dig further) something I discovered in the National Archives in the mid-1990s. I don’t recall the exact location, but I think it was in the Compiled Service Records. I ran across a monthly return or some similar accounting for Brander’s Battery (ANV). It was Fall 1864, and if memory serves, it was October.

On the top of the return were these words: “Brander’s Free Negro Battery.”
(No joke.)

I told this to Bob Krick, and he said that would be rather amazing, but knowing me, he believed it and said he would look into it. I never heard about it again. I had copied it, but of course, can I find it now?

Brander’s Free Negro Battery? What does that mean? I don’t know. But that is what it said.

Perhaps someone close to the NA can check on it.

–tps