Before the Emancipation Proclamation of January
1, 1863, questions arose concerning the legal
status and the practical treatment of slaves who
escaped across Union military lines. The
Confederacy insisted that the Union abide by the
Fugitive Slave Act and return the slaves to their
masters. In May 1861 Union General Benjamin Butler
refused to comply, and labeled the runaway slaves,
whom the Confederacy considered to be property, as
"contraband of war" (i.e., seized
property). But for nearly a year there was no
official policy; consequently, some Union
commanders offered shelter to fugitive slaves,
while others turned them away. In March 1862
Congress prohibited, under threat of
court-martial, the return of slaves to their
masters.
In conquered areas of South Carolina, agents of
the federal government were sent to supervise
labor at camps constructed for the contrabands.
The federal government wanted to ensure that the
cotton crop would be harvested and shipped to
Northern textile factories. The illustration
depicts contrabands from the southeastern section
of South Carolina relaxing (the men and children)
or doing chores (most of the women) after a long,
hard day of work.
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