General Henry H. Lockwood attempts to break up the abusive apprenticeship system on the Eastern Shore, but is countermanded by headquarters

General Henry H. Lockwood attempts to break up the abusive apprenticeship system on the Eastern Shore, but is countermanded by headquarters

Extract from Samuel B. Lawrence (AAG 8th AC) to Henry H. Lockwood (Comdg. 3rd sep brig) from Special Order No. 112 breaking up the widely abused apprentice system that bound formerly enslaved children to their former enslavers against the wishes of their parents. Includes copy of a telegram suspending that order, which left the apprenticeship system in place, as well as Lockwood's reply in protest of the decision.

12/2/1864

Eastern Shore, MD

Headquarters of the Middle Department to the Commander of the Third Separate Brigade; Headquarters to the Commander; and the Commander to the Commander of the Middle Department


Head Quarters, Middle Department, 8th Army Corps,
Baltimore, December 2d 1864
General,
x (extract) x x x

He will give special attention to Par. 1. of S.O. No 112, Current Series these Hd. Qrs, and break up the practice now prevalent of apprenticing young negroes, without the consent of their parents, to their former masters. If necessary, he will not hesitate to arrest all masters who refuse liberty to such apprentices, or withold them from their parents, and keep them in custody until they consent to such liberation— In case the parents of apprentices are not able to support them, and they desire it, he will send them to Baltimore, to the care of Lt. Col. W. E. W. Ross 31st U.S.C.T., in charge of Freedman’s Bureau. He will endeavor to keep families together as far as possible: but at the same time use his influence to discourage emigration for the present, and only send to Baltimore those who cannot find homes, occupation and labor where they now are—
x x x x
(over)
I am General Very Respectfully Your Obedient Servant
(S) Saml: B. Lawrence
A.A.G.
To Brig: Genl: H H Lockwood
Com’dg 3d Sep. Brigade
A true copy:
Saml B Lawrence
Asst: Adjt: Genl:


[Endorsement] Head Quarters Middle Dep’t
8th Army Corps,
Baltimore Md. Dec. 8/1864
Extract of letter from these Head Quarters to Brig. Genl. Lockwood—Dec 2nd 1864, respectfully furnished—to
—Brig. Genl Lockwood who is hereby directo not to proceed under the instructions herein contained until further orders. By Command of Major Genl. Wallace
Saml B Lawrence
A.A. Genl.



[More?] [Baltimore]
Dec. 9th 1864
Brig. Gen. Lockwood
Salisbury Md.
That part of your instructions relating to negroes has been countermand. I will send the papers to Cambridge tomorrow.
James C. Mullikin
Lt. & A.A.A.G.



10 Salisbury Md
Dec 11 [1864]
Maj Gen. Wallace
Just arrived here from below find a telegram from Lt. [Mulliken] saying that orders have gone to me. Cambridge Countermanding my instructions so far as relates to the negroes. Presuming that this refers to the subject of the recent apprenticeship in these Counties I beg leave to submit a few remarks it is impossible to convey to you by telegraph any idea of the hundreds of abuses that have come to my knowledge of this system I have knowledge of cases where
lads of sixteen 16 & Eighteen 18 have been bound out & than hired to their fathers who are prosperous farmers for ten 10 and twelve 12 dollars a month both you and I are put in false position here by stopping short now, I dont think that any one can visit these Counties as I have done without seeing the importance of stopping this wholesale perversion of
what designed to be a humane law I will leave for Cambridge tomorrow & desire to hear from you by telegraph tonight
Genl Lockwood

170 Col. 715


Saml: B. Lawrence to Brig: Genl: H H Lockwood, 2 Dec. 1864, M-841 1864, Letters Received, ser. 4921, 3rd Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps, RG 393 Pt. 2 No. 319 [C-4118]; Lt. James C. Mullikin to Brig. Gen. Lockwood, 9 Dec. 1864, vol 69 8AC, p. 102, Press Copies of Telegrams Sent, ser. 2334, Middle Dept. & 8th Army Corps, RG 393 Pt. 1 [C-4118]; Genl Lockwood to Maj Gen. Wallace, 11 Dec. [1864], vol. 65/89 8 AC, pp. 62-64, Press Copies of Telegrams Received, ser. 2345, Middle Dept. & 8th Army Corps, RG 393 Pt. 1 [C-8922]. According to a letter from General Lockwood’s adjutant, William M. Boone, to Black minister John Dennis, the order from General Wallace that empowered him to break up the apprenticeship system had been countermanded by the Secretary of War. (Wm. M. Boone to Jno. Dennis, 26 June 1865, vol. 94/178 8AC, p. 414, Lettters Sent, ser. 4916, 3rd Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps, RG 393 Pt. 2 No. 319 [C-8895].) A published series of communications on apprenticeship related to this case may be found in Freedom, ser. 1, vol. 2, pp. 522-528.