Union Army Stops Returning Fugitive Slaves
The federal government ordered all Union army officers to stop returning fugitive slaves to their owners, effectively nullifying the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 on the ground. This directive shifted the war's moral framework from preserving the Union alone to dismantling slavery, clearing the political path for Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation nine months later.
March 13, 1862
164 years ago
Key Figures & Places
United States
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American Civil War
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Emancipation Proclamation
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Union (American Civil War)
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Federal government of the United States
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Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
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Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
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Act Prohibiting the Return of Slaves
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United States Congress
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Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
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Emancipation Proclamation
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American Civil War
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Southern United States
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Negro Soldier Bill
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African American
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Confederate States Army
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Confederate
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