First Steps Toward Citizenship for a Newly Free People

First Steps Toward Citizenship for a Newly Free People. . On May 10, 1863, troops of the Corinth garrison stacked their arms and gathered near the Verandah House for a speech by U.S. Army Adjutant General Lorenzo Thomas. At its former location just around the corner, Duncan House would have been an ideal place to witness the event., Thomas was in Corinth to gauge the mood of Union soldiers towards a new policy of enlisting black soldiers into the army., By their reaction, the white troops gave the plan their overwhelming approval. Afterwards, dignitaries traveled a mile east to the Corinth Contraband Camp to witness the presentation of battle flags to the new 1st Alabama Volunteer Infantry of African Descent, a unit comprised of black men willing to fight for their recently gained freedom. This regiment would prove its mettle at the Battle of Brices Crosroads. Authorities described the Corinth Contraband Camp as a model facility, but the camp’s success was short lived. Soon Corinth’s strategic railroad crossing lost its value, and the warring armies moved on. When the Union army abandoned Corinth the camp was disbanded, and its residents were forced to head west to Memphis and an unknown future., "I attribute much of our success at Corinth to the labors of the black men… [A]bout 1300 black men were working all night throwing [up] breastworks and at 3 o’clock the next morning we had cannon mounted sufficient to repel the attack and save Corinth and our army, all by the foresight and wisdom of Ab. Lincoln.” , – Colonel John S. Wilcox , 52nd Illinois Infantry , Describing activity at Battery Powell during the Battle of Corinth., (captions) , Above: Brigadier General Lorenzo Thomas, adjutant general of the U.S. Army. Library of Congress. , Right: Contrabands working on earthworks at the Corinth Contraband Camp. Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield., Lorenzo Thomas speech in the public square, diagonally across from the Duncan House at the intersection of Jackson and Bunch streets. Collection of Van Hedges., Background image: A contraband family arriving in front of the Union Provost Marshall’s office in Corinth. (Northeast corner of Fillmore and Foote Streets). Collection of Van Hedges.