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Civil War | Emancipation | 3

American History Tellers

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The Battle of Fort Monroe

On May 24, 1861, Union Major General Benjamin Butler refused to return three enslaved men to their owner. The events at Fort Monroe sparked a national debate over emancipation. Enslaved people made up half of the South's labor force. Freeing them would deprive the Confederate war machine of its manpower. Most Republicans wanted to see slavery end, but disagreed on how to do it.

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