Final answer:
General David Hunter ordered slavery abolished in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina on May 9, 1862, but this was rescinded by President Lincoln. The formal abolition of slavery in the United States was achieved with the Emancipation Proclamation and the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment in December 1865.
Step-by-step explanation:
General David Hunter issued an order on May 9, 1862, declaring slavery abolished in the area under his command, which included Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. However, this order was rescinded by President Abraham Lincoln, who believed that the decision to abolish slavery was a governmental one and needed to be done through the proper legislative channels. The official path to ending slavery began with measures like the Confiscation Acts and the abolition of slavery in Washington, DC. Thirteenth Amendment in early 1865, which was ratified in December 1865, formally abolishing slavery throughout the United States.