Description:

FIRST CONTRABAND CAMPS ARE ORGANIZED IN NEW ORLEANS
Historic content manuscript grouping of documents setting up the first "contraband" camps to organize liberated slaves into working groups for the purposes of building fortifications and working plantations for pay in Union-occupied Louisiana. The first item is a manuscript D.S by "Capt. Davis W. Bailey Capt. & Superintendent of Contrabands", of the 42nd Mass. Vols., 3pp. 4to., "Camp Parapet", Feb. 1, 1863 headed: "Regulations for Contraband Camp and Working Parties". It reads, in part: Corporal George H. Smith is appointed General Overseer at camp. It will be his duty to see that...detachments are quartered in the line of tents assigned to them...one from each squad is assigned as cook...that the men are up and have their rations in season to go to their work at the hour named ...that all the overseers are at camp ready to take charge of their detachments...and that none are left behind to loaf about the camp...All contrabands will be organized into squads of twenty-six to be placed under an intelligent man to be selected from the squad by the overseer...He will be called Boss and will not be required to labor...It will be the duty of the first overseer to see that the men are on the work...and see that the several Bosses make their squads do the proper amount of labor...keep a proper account of their time...and of all clothing received...Five detachments will form a Divisionand will be placed in charge of a Commissioned Officer or a Sergeant...the contrabands will not be permitted to leave camp...". Also included is a list of contraband slaves resident at the camp, 3pp. legal folio, headed: "List of Wives and Children moved from Greenville Colony to Colony #4 belonging to Contrabands at work on Fortifications". Listed are the names of about 70 males slaves, the names of their immediate family members, and the dates those family members were moved to the contraband camp between Mar. 10 and Apr 2, 1863. The list is signed by Cpl. C. M. Marden. Overall very good condition. Captain Leonard of the 42nd Mass. used these contrabands to construct a redoubt at Camp Parapet, and actually organized a colored regiment (largely officered by men from the 42d Mass.) and known as the 1st Louisiana Engineers. Some of the freed slaves listed no doubt became members of that regiment. However, after following the army as "contrabands", many liberated slaves found their living conditions little improved, as contraband camps tended to be crowded and pestilential.

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December 16, 2010 11:00 AM EST
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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