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(SLAVERY AND ABOLITION—
PHOTOGRAPHY.)
Pair of Contrabands
(supplied title).
Carte-de-visite albumen
photograph of a pair of rather disheveled
slaves, “contrabands,” that were liberated
by Union troops in and around New
Orleans; fine scratch about midway across
the figure on the right.
Baton Rouge, LA: McPherson & Oliver,
circa 1862-3
[1,500/2,500]
A RARE AND FAMOUS IMAGE OF TWO
SLAVES IN DEPLORABLE STRAITS
,
their cloth-
ing in tatters. They were more than likely part
of the thousands liberated by General
Benjamin Butler when his troops seized New
Orleans from Confederate defenders. When
Butler asked Washington what to do with the
mass of humanity now under his charge, he
was told to regard them as “Contraband of
War.” They were thence forward referred to as
“Contrabands.”