"Contraband" Camp
1865
Add to Favorites:
Add all page(s) of this document to activity:
This photograph shows a "contraband" camp in Richmond, Virginia. During the early months of the Civil War in August of 1861, Congress passed, and President Lincoln signed, the First Confiscation Act. It stated that the Union could seize and confiscate property used in the Confederate war effort – including enslaved people. The Union Army set up camps to provide relief, including shelter, rations, clothing, medical attention, education, and even employment. The term ''contraband''— property confiscated in war—was given to enslaved people who escaped, or were freed as the Union Army advanced.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer.
National Archives Identifier: 524494
Full Citation: Photograph 111-B-75; Contraband camp, Richmond, VA; 1865; Mathew Brady Photographs of Civil War-Era Personalities and Scenes, 1921 - 1940; Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, Record Group 111; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/contraband-camp-richmond-va, October 13, 2024]Activities that use this document
- The Civil War: Commemorate or Celebrate?
Created by the National Archives Education Team
Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
