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Birthplace of Freedom: Corinth Contraband Camp
There is a new park in Corinth, Mississippi which is part of Corinth Civil War Interperetive Center, A Unit of Shiloh National Military Park.
According to my brochure from the National Park Service, as the Union Army occupied Corinth, many African Americans who were fleeing Southern Plantations and farms and seeking freedom came to Corinth. General Greenville Dodge began to enlist the escaped slaves and formed the !st Alabama Infantry Regiment of African Descent, consisting of approximatley 1000 men, organized at Corinth on May 21, 1863. The contraband camp was home of the families of the African American men who marched off ot war. It began as a small tent city and rapidly grew into a small town with a church, hospital, homes, commisary. The American Missionary Association opened and operated a school for the children. The people ran a successsful cooperative with 400 acres of land which they raised cotton and vegetables. They sold their produce for a profit. According to the brochure they were paid for their work. As the federals left Corinth in 1864 the freedman followed the troops to Memphis, Tennessee. The 1st Alabama Infantry formed part of the 1st Colored Brigade of the federal Army of the Tennessee. The unit was redesignated the 55th U.S. Colored Troops on March 11, 1864.
The Contraband Park is a work in progress, but it is worth a visit. The monuments are a beautiful tribute to the first freedman in Corinth. If your former slave ancestors show up in Memphis, Tennessee, you want to explore the possibility they came from Northern Mississippi, Northern, Alabama or South West Tennesssee and and resided at the Contraband camp and followed their men of the 1st Alabama Infantry Regiment of African Descent and later the 55th U.S. Colored Troops.
According to my brochure from the National Park Service, as the Union Army occupied Corinth, many African Americans who were fleeing Southern Plantations and farms and seeking freedom came to Corinth. General Greenville Dodge began to enlist the escaped slaves and formed the !st Alabama Infantry Regiment of African Descent, consisting of approximatley 1000 men, organized at Corinth on May 21, 1863. The contraband camp was home of the families of the African American men who marched off ot war. It began as a small tent city and rapidly grew into a small town with a church, hospital, homes, commisary. The American Missionary Association opened and operated a school for the children. The people ran a successsful cooperative with 400 acres of land which they raised cotton and vegetables. They sold their produce for a profit. According to the brochure they were paid for their work. As the federals left Corinth in 1864 the freedman followed the troops to Memphis, Tennessee. The 1st Alabama Infantry formed part of the 1st Colored Brigade of the federal Army of the Tennessee. The unit was redesignated the 55th U.S. Colored Troops on March 11, 1864.
The Contraband Park is a work in progress, but it is worth a visit. The monuments are a beautiful tribute to the first freedman in Corinth. If your former slave ancestors show up in Memphis, Tennessee, you want to explore the possibility they came from Northern Mississippi, Northern, Alabama or South West Tennesssee and and resided at the Contraband camp and followed their men of the 1st Alabama Infantry Regiment of African Descent and later the 55th U.S. Colored Troops.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by George Geder on
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Hi Margaretann,
"If your former slave ancestors show up in Memphis, Tennessee, you want to explore the possibility they came from Northern Mississippi, Northern, Mississippi or South West Tennesssee and and resided at the Contraband camp and followed their men of the 1st Alabama Infantry Regiment of African Descent and later the 55th U.S. Colored Troops."
This is important information! And the pictures of the statues are wonderful!
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Bob,
This is fascinating. Do you have any pictures of your great grandfather?
Bob Franks said:Interesting information Margaretann. My great grandfather and his brothers (First Alabama Cavalry, Company C) were stationed there 1862-63. According to his pension records, he was treated in the hospital there on two different occasions for measles and pneumona and his brother died in the hospital there of measles, as that disease was rampant in the camp there. My great grandfather's family was moved with others to Memphis in December of 1863 where they boarded a riverboat for southern Illinois (possbly the Alton area) where they lived for 4 years before moving back south. -
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Permalink Reply by Angela Walton-Raji on
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How good to see a thread about contraband camps!
My ancestors were from Tippah County MS. A raid came through Ripley in about September 1864 and the men were eager to join the US Colored Troops and left. Well, some of the women folk followed them. One of my ancestors, who was a USCT widow, stated in her pension file that they were to be taken to Corinth, but it was quickly filled and they were diverted, and as she said, "they put us on a train and sent us to the Contraband Camp at President's Island." I have been trying to find out much about this camp and how it worked.
I know that Corinth was somewhat of a model contraband camp and well organized I have learned. But I have never seen these images of the memorial to the Corinth camp! I know that there was a measles outbreak and a good number died, there. But I am delighted to see that their is something memorializing the formerly enslaved people whose first taste of freedom they experienced at Corinth!
Thank you for sharing these images!!!
-Angela- -
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Permalink Reply by Margaretann on
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Angela,
I have more pictures on my facebook page. Add me as a friend: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/MargaretTull?ref=profile
There are 19 pictures posted about the Contraband Camp. I took them in May 2009 shortly after this park opened.
Angela Walton-Raji said:How good to see a thread about contraband camps!
My ancestors were from Tippah County MS. A raid came through Ripley in about September 1864 and the men were eager to join the US Colored Troops and left. Well, some of the women folk followed them. One of my ancestors, who was a USCT widow, stated in her pension file that they were to be taken to Corinth, but it was quickly filled and they were diverted, and as she said, "they put us on a train and sent us to the Contraband Camp at President's Island." I have been trying to find out much about this camp and how it worked.
I know that Corinth was somewhat of a model contraband camp and well organized I have learned. But I have never seen these images of the memorial to the Corinth camp! I know that there was a measles outbreak and a good number died, there. But I am delighted to see that their is something memorializing the formerly enslaved people whose first taste of freedom they experienced at Corinth!
Thank you for sharing these images!!!
-Angela- -
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I love this. What a treasure to have after so many years.
Bob Franks said:Unfortunately I don't George. I only have the horrific stories he and his wife told their younger children and grandchildren (my father being one) of their trip to and time in Corinth 1862-63, the trip to Memphis with other Southern Unionists and the riverboat journey up the Mississippi. My family also has his worn and tattered discharge from the First Alabama Cavalry that he kept with him until the day he died on December 27, 1911 in Mississippi.
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Permalink Reply by msualumni on
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Thank you so much for posting this, especially the attachments. My ancestors were from Hardin County, TN which is not far from Corinth. Some of my ancestors and many in their community joined the 55th USCT and I have been tracking that unit for many years now.
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You are welcome. I hope you will be able to visit the Contraband Camp if you make it to Savannah. It is well worth the visit as is the Corinth Civil War Interperetive Center, A Unit of Shiloh National Military Park. The folks at Shiloh have done an excellent job with both. The Interperetive Center also has visuals about the 1st Alabama Infantry of African Descent. I can't remember if the 55th U.S. Colored Troops are mentioned.
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