Dear AfriGeneas Military Researchers:

As many of you know, January 1, 2011 begins the four year commemoration of the Civil War.

As a descendent of a soldier in the US Colored Troops, and a proud member of the DAUGHTERS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR, this four year commemoration is of special interest to me.

On the AfriGeneas Writers Forum, I posted a poem dedicated to the Civil War black contrabands who were contributors to the Union Army's defeat of the confederacy.

Please click on the link below:

http://www.afrigeneas.com/forum-writers/index.cgi/page/1/md/read/id/4011/sbj/the-pacific-appeal-newspaper-1862-poems/

To learn more about the Black Contrabands in the Civil War, please click on the main link below. It will take you to Bennie McRae Jr, Civil War page. For many years, McRae, the legendary historian on the US Colored Troops was the Manager of the AfriGeneas Military Forum.

How many of our ancestors were Black Contrabands?

Enjoy!

K Wyer Lane