Description
A squad of 20 contrabands passed through here (Kansas City, Missouri) yesterday, on their way from Lexington to Wyandot (Wyandotte), were they were going to join the volunteer service. They were all well armed, and were not molested on the road. The families of several were with them, and from conversation with them, they proved to be rather "intelligent contrabands."
(Researcher’s note: In May 1861 “At Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia, Union Maj. General Benjamin Butler refused to send three fugitives back into the bonds of slavery. He classified the escaping slaves as contraband of war. This term meant that once the fleeing slaves crossed Union army lines, they were classified as property. All enemy property that fell into Union hands constituted contraband and would not be returned.
Because of Butler's actions, a federal policy was instituted on August 6, 1861 - fugitive slaves were declared to be "contraband of war" if their labor had been used to aid the Confederacy in anyway. If found to be contraband, they were declared free.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/living-contraband-former-slaves-in-the-nation-s-capital-during-the-civil-war.htm)Date(s) of Creation
11/14/1863
