The Right to Bear Arms
Rent from DeepDyve- The Right to Bear Arms
10,000 of Kentucky's 23,703 Black enlistees passed through Camp Nelson during the Civil War
If a colored man loved horses an freedomthere could be nothing more like heaventhen to steal away to Camp Nelson by moonlightan find himself serving as part a the 5th or 6th Cavalry.
We saw action in Lexington an Harrodsburg, was parta Burbridge's an Stoneman's raids into Virginia an helpedcapture Saltsville an destroy the salt works there.
For ten dollars a month, three less than white privates,we lost more men to disease then from rebel bulletsseeing as how white doctors would not serve with us.
In a hundred an sixty six black regiments we had usalmost a hundred black officers. None biggerthan captains but all a us much bigger than slaves.
After Gettysburg I heard the Confederate bosseswas considering giving colored men guns, but I reckonthey knew who they'd shoot first an thought better of it. [End Page 46]
Frank X Walker teaches in the University of Kentucky English Department and is Editor of PLUCK! The Journal of Affrilachian Arts and Culture. He is the author of four collections of poetry. His next release will be entitled I Dedicate This Ride: A Portrait of Isaac Murphy.
