Ulysses S. Grant to Edward O. C. Ord Letter
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Scope and Contents
This collection consists of a letter signed by General Ulysses S. Grant, written in the form of a telegram to Major General Edward O. C. Ord. The document is dated March 19, 1865, and sent from City Point, Virginia, during the final weeks of the American Civil War. In the message, Grant discusses the arrival of two to three thousand African American individuals accompanying General Philip H. Sheridan and issues orders regarding their transfer to Fort Monroe in Virigina for further processing and employment. Grant specifically instructs that able-bodied men be distributed and employed under the supervision of military authorities and that others be settled as deemed appropriate.
Dates
- Creation: 1965 March 19
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Due to the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to certain materials may require additional advance notice.
Conditions Governing Use
Researchers are responsible for using the materials in conformance with United States copyright law as well as any donor restrictions accompanying the materials. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright claimants in collection materials. Copyright for official University records is held by The University of Alabama. The library claims only physical ownership of many manuscript collections. Anyone wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of literary property rights or copyrights. Please contact Special Collections (archives@ua.edu) with questions regarding specific manuscript collections.
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Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals without the consent of those individuals may have legal implications, for which the University of Alabama assumes no responsibility.
Biographical / Historical
Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885) served as the commanding general of the Union Army during the American Civil War and later as the eighteenth President of the United States. By early 1865, Grant was headquartered at City Point, Virginia, overseeing the final campaigns against Confederate forces. As Union armies advanced through the South, thousands of formerly enslaved African Americans sought refuge and freedom by following Union troops. These individuals, often referred to as "contrabands of war," were increasingly employed by the Union Army in various capacities, including laborers, cooks, and teamsters.
The term "contraband of war" referred to formerly enslaved people who had escaped to Union lines and were considered property that could be confiscated from the Confederacy due to their role in the war effort. This term was initially used by General Benjamin Butler at Fort Monroe, Virginia, and it later became official Union policy.
Extent
.75 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The University of Alabama Libraries acquired the Ulysses S. Grant to Edward O. C. Ord Letter from William Reese Company in 2021.
Processing Information
Processed by Courtney Tutt, April 2025.
- Title
- Guide to the Ulysses S. Grant to Edward O. C. Ord Letter
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid created by Courtney Tutt, April 2025.
- Date
- April 2025
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the The University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections Repository