Civil War anniversary: first escaped slave to take up arms against Confederacy
By Sean McLachian
2:00 p.m. EST, June 10, 2011
As the nation commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Civil War
over the next four years, there'll be a lot of mentions of "firsts".
Here at Gadling we've already covered first land battle of the Civil
War and the first significant battle of the Civil War. One lesser-known
but significant anniversary is happening today.
By June of 1861 there had been very little fighting. Both sides were
preparing for their first campaigns and securing important bases. One
important Union foothold was Fort Monroe on the tip of the Virginia
Peninsula. From there it would be possible to launch a second front
against the rebellious state.
The Confederates wanted to take it. At the moment they didn't have the
strength to assault the well-defended fort, so a force of 1,200 men kept
a close watch on it from a few miles away at Big Bethel Church and Little
Bethel Church.
Union commander Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler decided to push the Confederates
back from these positions and sent 2,500 men on the night of June 9 to get
in position for a predawn attack on Little Bethel. The area had already been
scouted by George Scott, a runaway slave hired by the army as a guide. Butler
wrote in his orders, "George Scott to have a shooting iron." This is the first
known instance of a black man being legally allowed to take up arms against the
South.
A night march was not a good idea for inexperienced soldiers. One group fired
on another thinking they were rebels. Two men were killed and 19 wounded. The
friendly fire also alerted the Confederates at Little Bethel, who withdrew to
Big Bethel where the rest of the rebel army prepared a warm reception for the
Yankees. They were dug in at a strong position overlooking the bridge over Big
Bethel Creek.
Despite the loss of surprise, the Union troops forged ahead and came upon the
bridge early in the morning. They crossed the creek at two points but fell back
under heavy fire from the entrenchments. Deciding another attempt would be
fruitless, they returned to Fort Monroe. The Union side lost 18 killed, 53 wounded,
and 5 missing. The Confederates lost one killed and 7 wounded.
There's no record of whether George Scott actually participated in the fighting,
but the fact that he was legally allowed to carry a weapon was significant. It
wasn't the first time black men had done so, however. Over in Kansas, abolitionist
senator Jim Lane raided Missouri farms to kill slave owners and free slaves. At
least one report mentions that some armed black men rode with him. Senator Lane
was acting beyond the law but didn't care.
It would be some time before black units were formed and used in battle. Most
African-Americans in the army were used for manual labor. The First Kansas
Colored Volunteers was the first black unit of the American army to see battle
when it defeated rebel guerrillas at Island Mound, Missouri, on 29 October 1862.
At this point it was an illegal unit run by none other than Senator Jim Lane,
but it eventually got recognition as a Union army regiment.
Like all too many Civil War battlefields, the site of Big Bethel is not well
preserved and much of it has been built over. The Raleigh Civil War Round
Table is currently trying save what's left. Civil War Round Tables are found
all over the U.S. and are often at the forefront of local research and
preservation. If you want to learn more about the war in your area, joining
the local Round Table is a great way to start.
The Hampton History Museum will be commemorating the battle tomorrow with the
dedication of a monument to the Union soldiers who fought and died as well as
a wreath laying at the monument of the Confederate soldier who died.
Thanks to the Civil War Daily Gazette for reminding me of this important
anniversary. This blog gives daily coverage of the war and makes for great
reading for anyone interested in this historic conflict.
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