Letter from Brigadier General W. Sooy Smith
3/27/1863
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After the Emancipation Proclamation, the stream of enslaved people running to freedom swelled to a flood. Brigadier General W. Sooy Smith, who commanded Union troops in Tennessee, faced a dilemma. Men loyal to the Union wanted their property returned. But Smith’s orders were to refuse such requests.
This letter from Smith to the Commander of the 1st Division of the 16th Army Corps asks how to avoid “the charge of furnishing Asylum to the Servants of loyal men.” The War Department usually advised that runaways be employed by the Army.
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HEAD-QUARTERS, 1st DIVISION, 16th ARMY CORPS.
Lagrange, Tenn., March 27th 1863.
Lieut Col Binnmore A.A.Genl.
Ch of Genl Hurlbuts Staff
Sir,
I wrote a few days ago asking instructions with regard to the large number of contrabands now finding their way into our Camps- The evil is a most perplexing one. Whole families of them are stampeding and leaving their masters, and I am applied to daily for the return of those belonging to loyal Masters. I know that our General Orders do not permit me to yield to such applications: but something should be done to shield our service from the charge of furnishing an Asylum to the Servants of loyal men living in districts not affected by the emancipation proclamation.
Very respectfully,
Your obedt Servt.
Wm Sooy Smith Brig Gen
Comdg 1st Div
1581. [on left]
S. C 233 [in middle]
1863 [on right]
[above all underlined in red]
Lagrange Tenn
27 March 1863.
[underlined in red]
Smith W.S.
Brig General.
[red line]
States that large number of contrabands are continually coming in and leaving Loyal Masters - thinks some steps should be taken to shield the service from becoming an asylum to Loyal men's servants.
[in red]
Letter Books. P. 87.11 191 [over other writing]
This primary source comes from the Records of U.S. Army Continental Commands.
National Archives Identifier:
4662544Full Citation: Letter from Brigadier General W. Sooy Smith to the Commander of the 1st Division of the 16th Army Corps; 3/27/1863; 1581; Letters Received, 1863 - 1865; Records of U.S. Army Continental Commands, Record Group 393; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/letter-from-brigadier-general-w-sooy-smith, April 19, 2024]