Contraband question Flashcards
Topic sentence
Some historians such as Susan Mary Grant argue that the actions of contraband slaves forced Lincoln to make a decision about emancipation.
Evidence (background)
The issue of what to do with escaped slaves who arrived at Union lines (areas of the confederacy that they were occupying) became an apparent problem, due to the vast number of contraband slaves arriving at these lines. Grant therefore argues, that the slaves “frequently took matters into their own hands” and made their way through to Union lines. Initially, Lincoln tried to avoid this issues as under the 1850 fugitive slave law, the fugitives arriving at union lines should have been returned to their owner. Consequently, Lincoln ordered Generals that they must not allow fugitives within their lines in the first place, however the vast quantity of slaves escaping to union lines made this unsustainable. Some Generals such as General Butler took matters into their own hands
Evidence - Butler
In May 1861, General Butler declared that any slaves who came to his camps would be deemed as “contraband’s of war”, preventing them from being returned to the Confederacy. Lincoln showed his support of this decision by passing the First Confiscation Act in August 1861, an act which threatened any property used “for insurrectionary purposes” with confiscation. This showed that he was beginning to consider acting on emancipation through the pressure put on him from escaped slaves.
Evidence + counter analysis - Fremont
Additionally, in August 1861 General John Fremont issued a proclamation which freed all slaves of Confederate activists in Missouri, in an attempt to gain support from Radical Republicans.
However Lincoln opposed this as he didn’t want to alienate the Border states, warning Fremont that freeing the slaves of rebels would “alarm our Southern Union friends, and turn them against us – perhaps ruin our rather fair prospect for Kentucky.” Fremont disputed this and was removed from his position of command in Missouri following his actions.
Despite this, by 1862 it seemed to Lincoln that the allegiance of the Border States was reasonably secure, prompting him to be prepared to take action against slavery in the Confederacy which would ultimately deal with the issue of contraband slaves.
Evaluation
To evaluate, the actions of contraband slaves were vital in putting pressure on Lincoln to issue the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. The everlasting effort put on Union Generals by escaped slaves brought the issue of Slavery into plain sight as it convinced many Generals, and later on Lincoln, that firm action needed to be taken against slavery. Ultimately, Historians Robert F Engs argues that “the slaves freed themselves” as they saw the potential of the war for the abolition of slavery before Lincoln did. He also argues that by flooding Union military camps, salves forced the issue of emancipation on Union officials which placed the potential of Emancipation on Union war aims.
