Details
[AFRICAN AMERICANS] NAGLEE, Henry M. (1815-1886), General, U. S. Army. ALS ("Henry M. Naglee") to Lt. Col. C. C. Suydan, Yorktown, 24 December 1862. 2 pages, 4to., with endorsements of Naglee and Suydan on verso. -- HAYS, Alexander (1819-1864), General, U. S. Army. ALS ("Alex. Hays") to Col. Robert Johnson, Head Quarters, 3d Brigade, Caseys Division, Centreville, 29 March [1863]. 1 page, 8vo., ruled paper, mounted. -- FRY, Speed Smith (1817-1892), General, U. S. Army. ALS ("Speed S. Fry") to Mr. Gillis, Jessamine Co., Ky., 8 December 1863. 1 page, 8vo., on stationery of Headquarters Camp Nelson. -- PLEASANTON, Alfred (1824-1897), General, U. S. Army. ALS ("A. Pleasanton") to Gen. R. B. Marcy, Haxall's 13 August [1862]. 2 pp., 8vo., tipped to a larger sheet.
EXPLOITING "CONTRABANDS" FOR THE UNION WAR EFFORT
"For the second time," Naglee complains, "the contrabands working under my directions have been taken away. May I respectfully request to be informed whether this has been done by the direction of Genl. Keyes." Naglee adds that there were 20 black people "under Capt. Davis" doing "the most important work to be done." Both the Union government and the Army fumbled in trying to deal with the thousands of black Americans who fled their estates and became refugees in the Union battle camps.
The refugees were no longer slaves, but not quite free either. The status of ex-slaves was particularly a problem in border states like Kentucky, where Washington wanted to massage slaveowners and prevent them from joining the Confederacy. Fry's post-Emancipation Proclamation letter of introduction for "Mr. Postlewait, agent for collecting negroes in Fayette County," has an intriguing ambiguity. "He wishes to see you on business connected with his agency." What was the purpose of this "collecting," to administer relief to freedmen or to return them to their masters? In Kentucky, either option was possible.
African Americans, whether ex-slaves or freedmen, were also an important source of military intelligence. General Hays in his 1863 letter passes along the testimony of "a colored man...just come to our lines, who reports that Bull Run bridge on the Centreville & Warrenton Turnpike is burning." Pleasanton tells Gen. Marcy that "the regiment now on [Malvern] Hill is a Virginia one & it is said not as good as that which has left. This information comes thro' a contraband of Ladd's....It is said the rebels have moved a considerable force to Hanover....This also comes thro' contraband." Together four items. (4)
EXPLOITING "CONTRABANDS" FOR THE UNION WAR EFFORT
"For the second time," Naglee complains, "the contrabands working under my directions have been taken away. May I respectfully request to be informed whether this has been done by the direction of Genl. Keyes." Naglee adds that there were 20 black people "under Capt. Davis" doing "the most important work to be done." Both the Union government and the Army fumbled in trying to deal with the thousands of black Americans who fled their estates and became refugees in the Union battle camps.
The refugees were no longer slaves, but not quite free either. The status of ex-slaves was particularly a problem in border states like Kentucky, where Washington wanted to massage slaveowners and prevent them from joining the Confederacy. Fry's post-Emancipation Proclamation letter of introduction for "Mr. Postlewait, agent for collecting negroes in Fayette County," has an intriguing ambiguity. "He wishes to see you on business connected with his agency." What was the purpose of this "collecting," to administer relief to freedmen or to return them to their masters? In Kentucky, either option was possible.
African Americans, whether ex-slaves or freedmen, were also an important source of military intelligence. General Hays in his 1863 letter passes along the testimony of "a colored man...just come to our lines, who reports that Bull Run bridge on the Centreville & Warrenton Turnpike is burning." Pleasanton tells Gen. Marcy that "the regiment now on [Malvern] Hill is a Virginia one & it is said not as good as that which has left. This information comes thro' a contraband of Ladd's....It is said the rebels have moved a considerable force to Hanover....This also comes thro' contraband." Together four items. (4)