Question

According to this account, what was the reaction of slaves to the arrival of the Union forces? What did the Union forces do with the slaves? For Lunt, did the strategy of total war work as planned?

Answer 1

Enslaved people sought refuge with Union forces, who initially returned them. However, General Benjamin Butler put them to work for the Union cause. As the war progressed, more enslaved people fled to the Union and a standard policy on handling them was implemented.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the account, when the Union forces arrived, enslaved people initially sought refuge at Union forts and camps. At first, Union leaders returned the slaves in accordance with the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. However, General Benjamin Butler decided to put the slaves to work for the Union cause. As the war progressed, more enslaved people, referred to as 'contrabands of war,' continued to flee to Union lines. Eventually, the Lincoln administration adopted a standard policy on handling runaway slaves.