Gosh, Higginson was a busy bee. He features largely in Charlotte Forten's account of work among SC freedpeople, and Emily Dickinson called him a friend.
Montgomery's experience in Bleeding Kansas seems to have been formative. Could that more generally be said about soldiers from Kansas and Missouri? Bloody Bill Anderson, and the James and Younger brothers, for example?
Busy indeed. That's a great question and I honestly don't have an answer for you. It certainly was for Montgomery and I suspect that it was the case for many others, but that's about all I can say for now. Thanks.
The comments are interesting. One of commenters points out that Shaw would have found attitudes about freedmen and slaves and liberating the enslaved very different in SC as opposed to what he saw in the Army of the Potomac. Call this a glimpse of the blindingly obvious but I am sure those differences existed across the various theaters of the War. The US troops did encounter different attitudes about abolition,freedmen and African-American soldiers depending on where they were. It would be interesting to look at diaries and letters and the like to understand how this might have impacted the soldiers. As I finish this I wonder if someone has
already done such an analysis and I am just late to the awareness
I recommend beginning with Chandra Manning's book WHAT THIS CRUEL WAR WAS OVER. Manning argues, among other things, that the turn among Union soldiers toward embracing emancipation as a wartime goal occurred much earlier than we've thought. Other historians, especially, Kristopher Teters have looked more closely at specific theaters of war. See his book, PRACTICAL LIBERATORS for a closer look at the War in the West.
Kevin, The phenomenon of US officers actively seeking out and liberating enslaved people was probably not something that Shaw witnessed while with the 2nd MA. Indeed, it was exceedingly uncommon anywhere in the Army of the Potomac. He must have been struck by the very different world he encountered in SC, intensified, no doubt, by the reality that by 1863, liberated men might become US soldiers (that seems to have been a something that affected officers in Potomac army little if at all, which is explicable in par by he fact that the the army did not receive its first USCTs till the spring of 1864). In any event, I sense that your work on Shaw is going to force all of us working on the relationship of armies and emancipation to reconsider a good many longstanding assumptions. We all look forward to it.
This is such an important point you are making and one that is absolutely essential to contextualizing Shaw's experience in the low country. Shaw certainly came into contact with enslaved people, especially in Virginia in 1862, but he was able to keep them at arms distance. Even his flirtation with the idea of recruiting Black men into the army in 1862 stopped with that of free Blacks born and raised in the North. What I wouldn't give right now to be able to sit down with you in person over a beer or two to talk about all of this.
I really appreciate the words of encouragement. Hope you and Sara are doing well.
Gosh, Higginson was a busy bee. He features largely in Charlotte Forten's account of work among SC freedpeople, and Emily Dickinson called him a friend.
Montgomery's experience in Bleeding Kansas seems to have been formative. Could that more generally be said about soldiers from Kansas and Missouri? Bloody Bill Anderson, and the James and Younger brothers, for example?
Busy indeed. That's a great question and I honestly don't have an answer for you. It certainly was for Montgomery and I suspect that it was the case for many others, but that's about all I can say for now. Thanks.
The comments are interesting. One of commenters points out that Shaw would have found attitudes about freedmen and slaves and liberating the enslaved very different in SC as opposed to what he saw in the Army of the Potomac. Call this a glimpse of the blindingly obvious but I am sure those differences existed across the various theaters of the War. The US troops did encounter different attitudes about abolition,freedmen and African-American soldiers depending on where they were. It would be interesting to look at diaries and letters and the like to understand how this might have impacted the soldiers. As I finish this I wonder if someone has
already done such an analysis and I am just late to the awareness
I recommend beginning with Chandra Manning's book WHAT THIS CRUEL WAR WAS OVER. Manning argues, among other things, that the turn among Union soldiers toward embracing emancipation as a wartime goal occurred much earlier than we've thought. Other historians, especially, Kristopher Teters have looked more closely at specific theaters of war. See his book, PRACTICAL LIBERATORS for a closer look at the War in the West.
Enjoyed this Kevin and it makes me wonder if you could suggest further reading(s) of Montgomery career. Looking forward to your book!
Hi James,
I highly recommend pre-ordering this new biography of Montgomery authored by Todd Mildfelt and David Schafter.
https://amzn.to/3s2V18O
Kevin, The phenomenon of US officers actively seeking out and liberating enslaved people was probably not something that Shaw witnessed while with the 2nd MA. Indeed, it was exceedingly uncommon anywhere in the Army of the Potomac. He must have been struck by the very different world he encountered in SC, intensified, no doubt, by the reality that by 1863, liberated men might become US soldiers (that seems to have been a something that affected officers in Potomac army little if at all, which is explicable in par by he fact that the the army did not receive its first USCTs till the spring of 1864). In any event, I sense that your work on Shaw is going to force all of us working on the relationship of armies and emancipation to reconsider a good many longstanding assumptions. We all look forward to it.
Great to hear from you, John.
This is such an important point you are making and one that is absolutely essential to contextualizing Shaw's experience in the low country. Shaw certainly came into contact with enslaved people, especially in Virginia in 1862, but he was able to keep them at arms distance. Even his flirtation with the idea of recruiting Black men into the army in 1862 stopped with that of free Blacks born and raised in the North. What I wouldn't give right now to be able to sit down with you in person over a beer or two to talk about all of this.
I really appreciate the words of encouragement. Hope you and Sara are doing well.
Excellent read, Kevin. Looking forward to more.
Thanks, Andy. Can't wait to have this project completed.
Excellent article thanks for posting really good read
Thanks, Chris. I appreciate the positive feedback.