Lincoln's Proclamation-- Part 1

From the February 3, 2013, Chicago Tribune "A Taste of Freedom" by Ron Grossman.

Everyone knew about it going into effect New Year's Day 1963.  It was Abraham Lincoln's Executive Oder freeing Confederate slaves and it triggered a mas movement of slaves in Confederate-held states to leave their plantations.  Actually, this migration had been going since the onset of the war and had caused problems for Union generals suddenly saddled with thousands of slaves.

What were they to be considered?  Were they still slaves or, as General Butler determined, contraband of war (and something to be kept)?  But as Frederick Douglas pointed out, the Proclamation was essentially much to do about nothing.  It did not free slaves in Union-held territories or the border states.

By January 16th, the Chicago Tribune was reporting Virginia's slaves were on the move: "In farm wagons, in coaches, on horseback, afoot and in buggies with valuable property, in every case, this second movement from Egypt to the promised land fills the highways and the woods."

On the Move.  --Old Secesh