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Henrietta Emory explains that she is too poor to provide evidence in her pension case
Contains a series of petitions from Henrietta Emory (wife of deceased James Emory) to various claims agents requesting assistance obtaining the back pay and pension due her upon the death of her husband. She spells out the difficulty that many Black…
Free Black pastor Benjman Howard reports on having been arrested and sold by the state of Maryland for preaching
Benjman Howard, apparently intended for D.C. Assistant Commissioner C. H. Howard, reporting that he had been a preacher in Annapolis and bought a house there in 1857. Was arrested in 1862 for preaching and jailed until Feb. 1863 when he was sold away…
Theresa Duffin reports that her former enslaver beat her after she argued with his wife and that they refuse to return her property
Affidavit of Theresa Duffin reporting that she had a run-in with her enslaver's wife in 1863 for which he severely beat her; she complained to the authorities & they promptly lodged her in jail; the enslaver got her out & told her that if she didn't…
Jane Uncles testifies that her formerly enslaved daughter was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for defending herself during a beating by her enslaver
Affidavit of Jane Uncles, who says that in 1863 her 15 year old daughter was convicted of striking her mistress & sentenced to 10 years in prison; Uncles says that her daughter defended herself from the beating which her enslaver was in the…
Black Surgeon Alexander Augusta writes to Senator Henry Wilson regarding his low pay as a Black soldier despite holding the rank of major
Dr. Alexander T. Augusta to Sec. of War--Surgeon Alexander T. Augusta was in the army nearly one year until he was transferred to Baltimore, MD. At his new post the paymaster insisted that he was to get $7 month, just as all Black troops do. He wrote…
Black drummer boy Reason Brown petitions for furlough to visit his family in Maryland
Reason Brown to the Sec. of War Brown is a 14 yr old drummer boy. He has been in the army for 14 months, has applied 3 times for a furlough and cannot get one. He wants to visit family in MD-officers tell him he is too young to want to visit his…
White officials in Queen Anne's County challenge the recruitment of free people of color as temporary slaves
William T. Chamgbers to Col. William Birney reporting arrest of Col. J.P. Creager for recruiting among free people of color on the grounds that "when a free colored man hires himself for a year, or short period of time, he is a slave for the length…
A Black recruiter explains that enslaved Marylanders want to join the Union Army, but only if they are paid and treated equitably
G.A. Hackett to Col. Lawrence (AAG) relating his experiences in recruiting Black soldiers (slave and free) in and around the area of Middle River, Baltimore County. Following up on Gen. Wallace’s advice that recruiting expeditions should take place…
Maryland Governor Augustus Bradford complains to Lincoln about the liberation of enslaved prisoners from jail in Prince George's County
A.W. Bradford to Lincoln complains that a troop of colored soldiers committed an outrage in Prince Georges County by freeing prisoners from the county jail. Bradford asks Lincoln to have those guilty of this outraged punished and orders issued to…