Emancipation of the Enslaved People at Bracketts
The Emancipation Proclamation was a presidential proclamation and executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. In a single stroke, it changed the federal legal status of more than 3 million enslaved people in the designated areas of the South from "slave" to "free". It had the practical effect that as soon as a slave escaped the control of the Confederate government, by running away or through advances of federal troops, the slave became legally free. Eventually it reached and liberated all of the designated slaves. It was issued as a war measure during the American Civil War, directed to all of the areas in rebellion and all segments of the executive branch (including the Army and Navy) of the United States.[1]
It proclaimed the freedom of slaves in ten states (excluding Tennessee).[2] Because it was issued under the President's war powers, it necessarily excluded areas not in rebellion - it applied to more than 3 million of the 4 million slaves at the time. The Proclamation was based on the president's constitutional authority as commander in chief of the armed forces;[3] it was not a law passed by Congress. The Proclamation also ordered that suitable persons among those freed could be enrolled into the paid service of United States' forces, and ordered the Union Army (and all segments of the Executive branch) to "recognize and maintain the freedom of" the ex-slaves.
The Proclamation did not compensate slave owners, did not outlaw slavery, and did not grant citizenship to the ex-slaves (called freedmen). It made the eradication of slavery an explicit war goal, in addition to the goal of reuniting the Union.[4]
On September 22 1862, Lincoln had issued a preliminary proclamation warning that he would order the emancipation of all slaves in any state that did not end its rebellion against the Union by January 1, 1863.[6] None of the Confederate states restored themselves to the Union, and Lincoln's order, signed and issued January 1, 1863, took effect.
The Proclamation lifted the spirits of African Americans both free and slave. It led many slaves to escape from their masters and get to Union lines to obtain their freedom.
The Emancipation Proclamation broadened the goals of the Civil War. While slavery had been a major issue that led to the war, Lincoln's only mission at the start of the war was to maintain the Union. The Proclamation made freeing the slaves an explicit goal of the Union war effort.
To ensure the abolition of slavery in all of the U.S., Lincoln pushed for passage of the Thirteenth Amendment. Congress passed it by the necessary two-thirds vote on January 31, 1865, and it was ratified by the states on December 6, 1865.
Booker T. Washington, as a boy of 9 in Virginia, remembered the day in early 1865.
As the great day drew nearer, there was more singing in the slave quarters than usual. It was bolder, had more ring, and lasted later into the night. Most of the verses of the plantation songs had some reference to freedom. ... Some man who seemed to be a stranger (a United States officer, I presume) made a little speech and then read a rather long paper—the Emancipation Proclamation, I think. After the reading we were told that we were all free, and could go when and where we pleased. My mother, who was standing by my side, leaned over and kissed her children, while tears of joy ran down her cheeks. She explained to us what it all meant, that this was the day for which she had been so long praying, but fearing that she would never live to see.Source: www.Wikipedia.com
~1865-1866 Those living at Bracketts after Emancipation (74 as of 4-27-16)
| Andrew Carter Ann Hughes Anne Tinsley,,,Mother was Anne Anthony Daniel with wife _________ Ben Braxton Ben Brooks wife a water-toter Been Green Bill ________? Bowman Perry Garland ________? Came to brack in 1865 dau Susan died in fire, buried here George Baylor George Carter George Carter (likely separate people) George Fontaine George Coleman Hannah Brown Harrison Desper Harrison Easton a blacksmisth Harry Braxton Hattie Barker Hembra Burnley Henry Banks Henry Carter Henry Gooch Horace _________w/ wife Rinda & 3 children Moved to Piney Woods July 28, ‘65 Homer _________ Jack Carter Jacob ________ Jacob ________ James Boyd James Carter Brother of Andrew Jane Bell John Brown John Braxton cutting wood w brother Judy Allen Louisa Carter Lewis _________ Lewis _________ |
Maria Anderson Maria Braxton Martha Jane Diggs Mary Barrett Mary Carter Moses Brown Patrick Barbour father of Sam Barbour Patty ________ Peggy (Peg) Burnley Peter Fowler Peter Holmes Peter Hill a laborer, wife Catherine worked July21-Nov 22 Powhatan ________ Rachel Carter Reuben Braxton Robert Blewsman Samuel O. Bunch Samuel Barbour has child named Patrick Sam(s) Three listed as “Age 7, 24, and Old_______ " last names uncertain Sam Braxton Scylla Diggs Shandy Holland Shelton _______ Susan Carter a cook her clothes caught fire and she died, buried here. Suckey ______ Vinny Harris a cook (could be father of Susan) William Hackett William Hunter William` Jones William Gentry Wilson ______ Wesley ______ Winston Carter Winston ______ Jack Carter wife of Susan Randol Timberlake |
Supported by a grant from the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation’s Enriching Communities Fund