Confederates' 'slave hunt' in North a military disgrace

Pittsburg Post Gazette ^ | June 30, 2013 12:16 am | Frank Reeves

[donmeaker]

In June 1863, when Brig. Gen. Albert Jenkins' cavalry, in the vanguard of the Confederate army, galloped into Pennsylvania, its aim wasn't only to spy and steal supplies.

The soldiers were also determined, as historian Margaret Creighton notes, to round up African-Americans, whom the Confederates regarded as "contraband" that should be returned to "rightful" owners.

The "slave hunt," as contemporaries and later historians called this phase of the Confederate invasion, would last as long as Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia remained in Pennsylvania. It ended only when the defeated Southern troops retreated back to Virginia after the Battle of Gettysburg.

[Tau Food]

It was the Union armies that tagged slaves with the dehumanizing term “contraband.” Most of the slaves that were kidnapped by Union forces were force-marched to the North and were not permitted to return home. Unfortunately, very few could be rescued by Confederate forces.

[The_Media_never_lie]

It is also true that General Sherman, who married his sister, did not like black people and allowed 700 black camp followers to drown during his march to the sea.

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

FWIW, as a Canuck who feels priviledged to be able to post on this site, I have to ask one thing. On the eve of July 4th, a day of celebration of the founding of the United States, is this the best time to post an article that is sure to arouse old wounds and divisions?

In my country, that would be akin to posting an article on St. Jean Baptiste Day, in a French-language Quebec newspaper, concerning how marvelous a commander was General Wolfe and how badly he defeated the French. True or not, the timing would be questionable, to say the least.

Just my 2¢.

[John S Mosby]

Stuart, when he finally arrived, he was rebuked by Lee “Well, you’ve gotten here at last”.

Stuart was not engaged in slave hunting. He was caught on the wrong side of the Union Army after turning South at Aldie, VA and running smack into Howard, Reynolds, Sedgwick and Sickles units, was pushed further East, and could not turn back to be on the west side of the Union advance to screen Ewell on the right. If he had taken a direct mountain route, and not gone foraging- he would have met Ewell as ordered, and things would have been different up near Cashtown
.
This was the second screwup— Stuart had been surprised days earlier at Brandy Station, having earlier given a full dress review to Lee of his units. Surprised by Pleasonton, he just got away.

At Rockville, MD he captured a wagon train of 140 brand-new, fully loaded wagons and mule teams. The wagon train slowed Stuart’s advance. He had interpreted Lee’s orders as placing importance on gathering supplies. The army of N. VA was foraging, and under orders to pay (albeit with csa script) for things. The general idea of the campaign was to put the VA.army between the Union Army and Washington. As it was, Stuart came close enough on this run to Washington, to cause pursuit by two Union cavalry brigades. He later claimed if the horses hadn’t been so tired, he could have taken Lincoln prisoner. Cavalry braggadocio, but the idea was to strike fear in the capitol.

All in all with the communications of the day, he was first a fighter, and secondly an intel unit.

[John S Mosby]

You are quite correct, sir. The posters are self-appointed and self-righteous progressive types, obsessive about continuously grinding their screed on others.

Nevermind that the Southerners they love to poke at, have in large numbers over the many years, served in our armed forces with great distinction and courage, fighting and dying for our country in foreign lands— because they are the best fighters bar none.

It takes a Canadian to remind us of how great our country is, and to show what it means to be respectful of fellow countrymen. Thank you, sir.

[John S Mosby]

Yes indeed— it serves only their purpose to needle true Patriots as they remember their loved ones who gave all on foreign battlefields, and as they remember that it was their ancestors who gave us our Bill of Rights and Constitution.

[TLI]

Stewart WAS NOT SLAVE-HUNTING..

You are right, he really wasn't "slave hunting."

Went here... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_G._Jenkins and ran a search on the entire page for the word slave.

Zero results.

On a lighter note, if you want to enjoy a really good book, try "Rebel Raider: The Life of General John Hunt Morgan."

General John Morgan was an outstanding Confederate cavalry raider and as I recall led the deepest incursion into Union territory of the war.

The accounts of his raids, capture, subsequent escape from the Ohio Penitentiary, and eventual death during an encounter with Union cavalrymen would make a 2-3 hour adventure flick of epic proportions.

.

[BroJoeK]

ping

[0.E.O]

I really do not give a fig that blacks were once slaves

OK

[0.E.O]

It is also true that General Sherman, who married his sister, did not like black people and allowed 700 black camp followers to drown during his march to the sea.

Not really sure what Sherman has to do with all this but nothing in your post is factually correct. Sherman did not marry his sister. He married the daughter of the man who acted as his guardian after his father died. And while a number of freed blacks did drown at Ebenezer Creek trying to escape the rebel forces the number wasn't close to the figure you stated. Some drowned. Others were shot by the rebel soldiers under General Wheeler. The actual number of dead from both causes is unknown.

[0.E.O]

FWIW, as a Canuck who feels priviledged to be able to post on this site, I have to ask one thing. On the eve of July 4th, a day of celebration of the founding of the United States, is this the best time to post an article that is sure to arouse old wounds and divisions?

July 3rd is also the 150th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Gettysburg and there have been literally dozens of posts on that subject, including this one.

[0.E.O]

It was the Union armies that tagged slaves with the dehumanizing term “contraband.”

Yeah, the Southerners just called them "property". Sooooo much better.

Most of the slaves that were kidnapped by Union forces were force-marched to the North and were not permitted to return home. Unfortunately, very few could be rescued by Confederate forces.

LOL!!!! Every time I think I've seen the highest level of crazy that a neo-Reb can achieve, one of y'all comes along and proves me wrong.

[DManA]

It’s an important anniversary. 150 years. So there are lots of things being printed about it and people are talking about the subject.

[0.E.O]

Here is a very interesting site that compares the Confederate constitution with the real Constitution and notes all the differences. Link

[mac_truck]

Very informative post, thanks.

[Sherman Logan]

That’s verrry interesting.

Do you have a link to the entire speech or document?

[Sherman Logan]

Found it.

http://corematerials.homestead.com/files/jd63.pdf

This is one of the most fascinating things I've seen recently. Not only was the CSA not contemplating the freeing of slaves in 1863, they proclaimed the enslavement of all free blacks, including all they were able to capture when invading Union states.

In view of these facts, and conscientiously believing that the proper condition of the negro is slavery, or a complete subjection to the white man, and entertaining the belief that the day is not distant when the old Union will be restored with slavery nationally declared to be the proper condition of all of African descent

Not sure what Jeff meant by the bolded section. He seems to be saying the CSA would consider rejoining the Union if it just agreed to base itself on Negro slavery.

[matginzac]

I detect a bit of perversity in the posting of “slave hunters” article on the 3rd day of a horrific battle’s commemoration...
Didn’t sit well with me, I’m afraid....

[John S Mosby]

Not only perverse, but ridiculous inasmuch as by 1863 the army on maneuvers was concerned with feeding themselves and finding shoes, including the cavalry (short on horse feed). Hence the capturing of 140 loaded wagons by Stuart. Little to no focus on escaped slaves by that point and on “foreign soil”. Entire claim is silly.

[matginzac]

Totally true and anyone interested in the war’s history would know that and refrain from such a posting.
BTW, I have a gentleman living in my home with me who goes by the name Wade Hampton...named after the famous Confederate cavalry general from SC...my 88 yr old father!