| Location | Baltimore, Maryland and Talbot County, Maryland |
|---|---|
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Names Mentioned | – |
| Date | September 11, 1863 |
| Document Title | Governor August W. Bradford to Postmaster General Montgomery Blair |
| Document Description | In this letter, Governor Augustus W. Bradford complains to the Postmaster General Montgomery Blair about the practice of enslaved Marylanders opting to free themselves through Union military service. He notes that many of these enlistees are from the Eastern Shore and describes the complaint of four Talbot County slaveowners who he identified as loyal to the Union cause. He asks the Postmaster General to put a stop to the practice of recruiting enslaved Marylanders, and begs him to prevent a black regiment from being stationed in Talbot county, stating it would add “insult to injury." (From Free At Last, 341-344.) |
| Transcription |
Baltimore [Md.] Sep. 11 1863 My Dear Judge. Whilst the progress of our army every where just now is calculated to fill us with joy & hope I can not enjoy it as I would like, witnessing as I do the excitement and alarm existing here from what may almost be called the kidnapping of our slaves. It sometimes really almost seems that there is a determination somewhere to get up if possible, something of a Civil War in Maryld. just as we are about to subdue it every where else. I went to Washington two weeks ago on this subject and regretted that you were absent. I had an earnest Conversation with the President and Mr [Edward M.] Stanton [the Secretary of War], but I fear to little purpose, for though they both declared that the enlistment of slaves had not been determined on and no one had been authorized to enlist them, the practice not only continues but seems from what I see and hear to be every day increasing. They are being sent over from the Eastern Shore by scores and some of the best & most loyal men are among the sufferers. I will not trouble you with many details, but refer only to the last Committee which waited on me yesterday.— They were four Gentlemen from St Michaels District in Talbot County, represented to me as of undoubted loyalty. The District itself, as perhaps you know, is notorious throughout the Shore for its early and inflexible loyalty. They said that a few days ago they went on board the Steamer when she was about to leave her landing, to see if their Slaves were not on board. They found a large number of slaves from the County huddled together in the Bow of the Boat armed with uplifted Clubs prepared to resist any close inspection. One of these gentlemen—and in his relation he was very calm & dispassionate—approached the officer having them in charge & told him that he had come merely to ascertain whether his Slave was among those on board—and respectfully asked to be allowed merely to see whether he was there told him at same time that if he found him, he had no idea of demanding him, or interfering with the officer’s possession of him or interfering in the slightest manner with his purpose. That he merely wanted to be able to identify his negro, that he might have some proof of him being taken by the Government in case it should think proper to pay for such— And this request was denied.— Now my dear Judge is it not almost a mockery to talk of paying loyal owners any thing, if the Contraband Camps are closed against them, and their negroes after being taken by the recruiting officers are at the very threshold of their own homes suffered to crouch together, conceal themselves from the possibility of identification, to club off their owners who make any such attempt, and then carried off before their face to— no one knows where? I understand that the President & Secretary of War will say that such recruiting is unauthorized— Then why in God's name permit it? It seems to me to be most obviously due not only to the Citizen but to the Government itself that some open and positive stand should be taken on the subject and that nothing should be suffered to be done indirectly that is not directly ordered. Let the practice be openly recognized or openly repudiated.— And let such recruiting either be expressly ordered or positively forbidden— I write to you with freedom on this subject and as to a Marylander understanding our Condition and capable of appreciating the effects of such proceedings in such a community— I beseech you to stop them, if it be possible. You can hardly estimate the danger we are Suffering.— These complaints come not from the Secessionists or the Democrats—they are comparatively quiet, and I doubt not are Chuckling in their hearts over the practice, But our most loyal men, men who are willing and anxious to sustain the Government—Aye to sustain the Republican party sooner than again put themselves in the grasp of the Democracy.— But I tell you, and mark my prediction—if these practices are not speedily stopped we are given over in spite of all we can do, once more to the Democratic rule.— As things are now going nothing but Bayonets at the breast of the people can prevent it. I have gone farther into the matter than I intended.— if you can by any possibility have a stop put to this slave enlistment—let me beg you to do it. I sat down to write you chiefly about a Supplemental matter.— These gentlemen whom I saw last evening said to me: "We have come to you Governor at this time not so much to get pay for our slaves—if the Government stands in need of them let it have them; but we have come earnestly to entreat that a negro regiment which they threaten to bring down from Baltimore and quarter in our neighbourhood may not be allowed to come. Our people are in a state of utter Consternation at the propect of such a thing.— Whilst we are willing that the Government shall take from us any thing it needs, for God's sake let it not suffer us to be pillaged by a Regiment of negroes." I give you Judge the language as nearly as I can of one of the Committee—a plain straightforward, sensible, loyal Farmer. I wish you could have heard him. And can not this poor boon at least be granted? Can not this Regiment be kept where it is? or must it without the shadow of necessity be sent across the Bay only to further inflame, terrify and disgust our Citizens? TruIy this would seem to be adding insult to injury.— Will you my dear Sir, see the President and if you can do nothing else, keep at least this negro Regiment at home. Yours very Truly A W Bradford |
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[Author (if known)], Documents from the Freedmen and Southern Society Project, [Date (if known)], Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva’s Black History, Nabb Research Center, Salisbury University.
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