Lincoln
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Nov 24, 2024
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Uploaded by afaq567
As a subordinate officer under General Benjamin Franklin Butler, I advocated for
President Lincoln to treat runaway slaves as "contraband of war" and provide them shelter and
assistance during the American Civil War. In addition to meeting military needs, this strategy
also has political implications. Labelling them as "contraband," we recognize their humanity and
the strategic benefit they provide to the Confederate war effort. This exemplifies the Union's
dedication to justice and compassion while weakening the enemy's labour force. A movement in
public opinion toward emancipation may coincide with the legalization of slave deserters as
"contraband of war," which would aid Union soldiers (Ransom).
My message to President Lincoln will explain the current crisis's context and the larger
picture. In 1861, the United States of America erupted into a bloody conflict for slavery and state
sovereignty. Many enslaved people fled the harshness of the Confederacy and sought safety in
the Union's territory as the war dragged on. This uncharted territory called for careful
consideration and a deliberate strategy. The Civil War was pivotal in American history because it
marked the climax of long-simmering tensions between the North and the South. The issue of
slavery was central to the competing ideologies that triggered the Civil War in the United States.
As the war progressed, enslaved people began to see the Union army as a possible liberation
from slavery. The government and the military needed to act quickly to cope with the flood of
fugitive slaves (Hummel). Lincoln had to make a tough choice about what to do with these
runaway slaves. Do we consider them accessible and safe human beings or property that belongs
back in the Confederacy? We required a systematic approach if we were going to solve this
problem. The idea of treating enslaved people as "contraband of war" evolved as the
Confederacy realized their usefulness to the war effort, opening the door for historical events like
the Emancipation Proclamation.
I argue that the choice to label formerly enslaved people as "contraband of war" indicates
the period's dynamic and quick social transformations. The term "contraband" originally referred
to looted enemy goods that were not expected to be returned but has now grown to signify
anything that is against the law. When this idea was extended to enslaved people, they became
objects and potential combatants.
I base my research on firsthand recollections and documents, such as diaries, letters, and
official records. I could fill in the gaps in my knowledge using well-researched secondary
sources. By contrasting these accounts, I want to understand better how the war transformed
Americans' views of enslaved people from inanimate objects to active participants in the conflict.
In order to back up my claims, I will analyze critical passages of the sources used to build
the body of evidence. First, I will explain how the Union army benefited by labelling runaway
slaves as "contraband of war," while the Confederate states' ability to put them to work was
limited. The Union gained strength, while their foes were weakened by their decision to treat
escaped enslaved people as contraband. The Union's military superiority was increased, and the
Confederacy's workforce was disrupted, clearing the path for a Union victory.
Moral and humanitarian concerns also played a role in aiding runaway slaves. Enslavers
and military leaders alike often considered protecting runaway slaves an opportunity to free
those people. Supporting the abolitionist cause was seen more as a morally and militarily wise
choice among Union soldiers (Wright). By providing safety for refugees, the Union Army
demonstrated its commitment to justice and human rights principles, which boosted morale and
public support for the war effort.
Third, I want to stress how this strategy impacted public opinion and subsequent political
developments. The Union army's efforts to rescue and shelter fleeing slaves sparked widespread
support in the North and restored the moral meaning of the Union's mission.
One more point: the "contraband of war" concept was crucial and ultimately changed the
path of history. The Emancipation Proclamation, delivered by President Lincoln in 1863,
essentially abolished slavery across the Confederacy. The precedent created by the legal
classification of runaway slaves as "contraband" rather than property paved the route for their
eventual full human rights recognition.
Lincoln would be acting honorably and boosting the political and military standing of the
Union by taking this step. To abolish slavery and create a more equitable and peaceful society,
emancipation is a necessary first step.
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Works Cited
Hummel, Jeffrey. “Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men: A History of the American Civil
War.”
Google
Books
,
Open
Court,
2013,
books.google.com.pk/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=XHiXAgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR29&dq=slaves+in+American+Civil+
War&ots=tnrLbx0XrY&sig=YyuANxeDmBmmhFSqOkAqnkUTnBU&redir_esc=y#v=o
nepage&q=slaves%20in%20American%20Civil%20War&f=false. Accessed 29 July
2023.
Ransom, Roger L. “Conflict and Compromise: The Political Economy of Slavery, Emancipation
and the American Civil War.”
Google Books
, Cambridge University Press, 1989,
books.google.com.pk/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=SOEdtuzB9HUC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=slaves+in+American+Civil+Wa
r&ots=dkjyKbRa20&sig=bCrgoQDExXmWqpjzulM9psqM5uQ&redir_esc=y. Accessed
29 July 2023.
Wright, Gavin. “Slavery and American Economic Development.”
Google Books
, LSU Press,
2006,
books.google.com/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=k_ZJrhZ2coEC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=slaves+in+American+Civil+War
&ots=_mAWaxT5lo&sig=QcXYLItbj8d57dH6-irFFx1rjD8. Accessed 29 July 2023.