They had black Union troops fighting along side white soldiers. I thought black troops only fought in segregated units until 1948.
shareI believe you are correct. I don't think blacks and whites fought side by side in the Civil War. But, I do believe it was an integrated army during the American Revolution.
shareI have to see that part again, but during a battle and if troops are advancing, it is plausible that troops from their different units may co-mingle, such as that charge.
That did happen in the Battle of San Juan Hill in the Spanish American War as the First USV Cavalry, better known as the "Rough Riders" fought side by side with the 10th US Cavalry, a Black Unit, of whom one of their officers was a 1st Lieutenant John J Pershing, later to become a General and command of the AEF during WWI. That is why Pershing receive the name of "Black Jack."
You're correct. The only white men who served with Colored Troops were the officers and their staff. Of course it's also highly unlikely that Gabriel (the black friend/runaway slave) would go from being a runaway slave to in uniform and with a gun and bayonette in a matter of days, and I won't even get into the "six sons and none of them feel bound by the Conscription Act/mouthing off to Federal purchasers/shewing the Home Guard off their land/the farm looking amazingly well kept in spite of the war and blockade and shortages/the family never seeming to think "men are getting killed all around the farm and cannons are heard daily, might be a good time to go visit our aunt in Maryland" improbabilities).
shareThere were a few Union soldiers of Chinese ancestry and nobody made a special unit for them, thus they were integrated into mostly white units. There were also Indians and mixed bloods who served in mostly white units. I think that there were a few special white units with highly abolitionist members that included a few black and part black soldiers - the many regiments of United States Colored Troops had the vast majority of black soldiers.
Remember there are always people, including sometimes military recruiters, who consider laws, rules, and regulations to be suggestions and not commandments.