Robert E. Lee's Orderly: A Modern Black Man's Confederate Journey

A descendant of a slave, Al Arnold, tells his journey of embracing his Confederate heritage. His ancestor, Turner Hall, Jr., a Black Confederate, served as a body servant for two Confederate soldiers and an orderly for General Robert E. Lee. Turner Hall, Jr. returned to Okolona, Mississippi after the Civil War. Hall served a prominent family in that community for five generations. His life's journey eventually led him to Hugo, Oklahoma where he established himself as the town's most distinguished citizen receiving acclaim from Black and White citizens alike for his service. In 1938, his journey continued to Pennsylvania as the last Civil War veteran from his community to attend the final Civil War veteran reunion, as a Black Confederate. He also traveled to New York City and was interviewed by the national talk radio show, "We, The People" in 1940.

One hundred and three years after the Civil War, Hall's great-great grandson, Al Arnold, was born in Okolona, Mississippi. Raised in North Mississippi, Al would later discover the history of his ancestor and began an eight year journey of why, how and for what reasons his ancestor served the Confederate armies? To his amazement, Al discovered that seventy two years after the Civil war, his ancestor was a proud Confederate and held in his possession a cherished gift from the Confederate Civil War general, Nathan Bedford Forrest. Al's personal research discovered that his ancestor was owned by Forrest and was enthusiastically warm toward the general and his service to the Confederate armies. This amazing connection to two famous Confederate generals awakened a new perception of curiosity about Confederate heritage in Al and challenged his traditional thoughts. He grew to accept his heritage and now embraces it with a desire to see African Americans embrace Confederate heritage instead of rejecting it on the notion of modern ideology. This is a deep personal journey of faith, heritage, race and family wrapped around the grace of God through the eyes and honest thoughts of a modern black man. Al tells the story of Turner Hall, Jr., his personal Confederate journey and how family and faith has brought harmony to his new found heritage. Arnold argues for the revitalization of the lost Black history of the Civil War era. He bestows dignity and honor on his Confederate ancestor and challenges the traditional thoughts of modern African Americans. Arnold rests in his faith as the uniting force that reconciles our colorful past to our bright future.

Author: Al Arnold
Publisher: Orderlyforlee
Published: 10/15/2015
Pages: 144
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.38lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.31d
ISBN: 9780692545409

About the Author
Arnold, Al: - Al is a physical therapist that lives in Madison Mississippi. He grew up in the Northeast Mississippi region graduating from Shannon High School in 1986. Al lived in the small town of Verona during his youth years. He attended Jackson State University and graduated Magna Cum-Laude from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Physical Therapy in 1991. Al was voted most outstanding student by the faculty at UMMC and currently works in the home health industry in the Jackson metropolitan area. He came to the knowledge of his Confederate ancestor in 2008. He started to search for an understanding of why, how, what and when did his great-great grandfather serve during the Civil War. His journey has led him to embrace his Confederate heritage and the roles of slaves in the Civil War. He is a member of the Civil War Roundtable in Jackson, MS. He has a desire to see more African Americans study the Civil War and their connections to this vital part of America's history. To this aim, he has written this book. He believes the Civil War history is Black history. Al is married to his wife, Tamiko, of 24 years. They have three kids, AJ, Alden and Asa. As a Christian, Al holds firmly to faith in Jesus Christ alone as the only hope for humanity in salvation, forgiveness, oneness, and love. He is an ordained Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America where he attends a multi-ethnic church in Jackson, MS. Al loves Bluegrass and Country music. A country boy who loves backyard gardening, cooking, squirrel hunting, studying the Civil War, Church history and old people.Pickett, Otis Westbrook: - Otis W. Pickett holds a Ph.D. in U.S. History from The University of Mississippi; an M.A. in History from the College of Charleston and The Citadel; an M.A.T.S. in Theological Studies from Covenant Theological Seminary; and a B.A. in History from Clemson University. Currently an Assistant Professor of History and Political Science at Mississippi College, Otis directs the B.S.Ed. program in Secondary Social Studies Education and the M.Ed. Program in Social Studies Education. He also teaches classes in Southern Religious History; Civil War History; U.S. History; Mississippi History; Geography; and an interdisciplinary course in the History and Literature of the New South (with Dr. J.B. Potts in the English Department). Otis' research focuses on nineteenth-century missionaries to enslaved peoples in South Carolina and to the Choctaw and Chickasaw in Mississippi. He is also interested in the history of education, racial reconciliation and incarceration in the U.S. South. He is the co-founder, with Dr. Patrick Alexander from The University of Mississippi, of the Mississippi Prison to College Pipeline Program, which offers for-credit college courses to pre-release incarcerated students at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman.

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