Six Anti-Slavery Covers Depicting Ft. Monroe Doctrine & Pro-Union Propaganda

A group of six anti-slavery blank mail covers. All measuring approximately 5.675" x 3.125", N.p., ca. 1860s. The six envelopes depict numerous scenes of Union sympathy and anti-Confederate propaganda, including two representing General Butler's "contraband" decision, also known as the "Fort Monroe Doctrine". Other scenes include slave shackles labeled as "Confederate Bonds", a slave identified as "The Innocent Cause of the War", and a minstrel celebrating his escape from the South. The group has varying degrees of toning and soiling. Overall very fine. Please refer to the photographs for further condition information.

1. "Confederate Bonds" - slave shackles.
2. "The Innocent Cause of the War" - a young black man is depicted as the innocent party.
3. "John Bull's Sympathy" - an enslaved man about to be whipped begs help while "John Bull," the personification of England, sits comfortably on a bale of Confederate cotton.
4. "Fort Monroe's Contraband" - a group of slaves are shown fleeing from their plantation owners toward Fort Monroe.
5. "One of the F.F. V's after his Contraband" - General Butler is shown fending off a slave owner and his dog. Captioned "General Butler 'can't see it'."
6. "I'm Glad I'm not in Dixie" - A young black man dressed in minstrel clothing is seemingly dancing for joy.

On May 27, 1861, Major General Benjamin Butler made his famous "contraband" decision, or "Fort Monroe Doctrine", declaring that any enslaved men who reached Union lines would be considered "contraband of war" and would not be returned to bondage. Prior to this, the Union had generally enforced the Fugitive Slave Act, returning escaped slaves to their owners. Butler's order resulted in thousands of slaves fleeing to Union lines around Fort Monroe, which came to be known as "Freedom's Fortress". Many contrabands were employed by the Union Army in supportive roles such as cooks, wagon drivers, and laborers until January 1863, when the United States Colored Troops were formed.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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