In Washington, D.C. today U. S. Senator John B. Henderson of Missouri submits a joint resolution for a constitutional amendment abolishing slavery. Although the legislation does not pass this year, Henderson’s resolution signifies the momentum of the movement toward the enactment of the Thirteenth Amendment and the abolishing of slavery on February 1, 1865. Meanwhile,…
Prior to the war, “Lee Town” in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa became a refuge for escaped slaves fleeing from Missouri, as well as slaves freed by Missouri slave owners who came to oppose the peculiar institution. The Underground Railroad was nearby. Some freedman passed through Lee Town; others, finding protection, stayed. Soon after the Civil War…
The coastal town of Fernandina, Florida has been occupied by Union forces since March 1862. The capture of the town had proven surprisingly easy. Despite the area’s heavy fortifications, the Confederates had abandoned the city without a fight. Fort Clinch, guarding the entrance to Fernandina but deserted upon the approach of Union naval forces, was…