Deltaville in Middlesex County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Stingray Point Contraband
Photographed By Cherlanda Sidney-Ross, July 17, 2021
1. Stingray Point Contraband Marker
Inscription.
Stingray Point Contraband. . Six enslaved men (Alexander Franklin, David Harris, John Hunter, Miles Hunter, Peter Hunter, and Samuel Hunter), fearing impressment into Confederate service, sought refuge in the Stingray Point Lighthouse near here on 15 July 1861 and hailed the USS Mount Vernon. Similar escapes followed. The U.S. Secretary of the Navy, following the contraband theory established at Fort Monroe, authorized the employment of self-emancipated men and, in Sept. 1861, approved their enlistment in the U.S. Navy, nearly a year before black men could enlist in the U.S. Army. After serving in the Navy, Harris is the only one of the six men known to have returned to this community, where he had been enslaved.
Six enslaved men (Alexander Franklin, David Harris, John Hunter, Miles Hunter, Peter Hunter, and Samuel Hunter), fearing impressment into Confederate service, sought refuge in the Stingray Point Lighthouse near here on 15 July 1861 and hailed the USS Mount Vernon. Similar escapes followed. The U.S. Secretary of the Navy, following the contraband theory established at Fort Monroe, authorized the employment of self-emancipated men and, in Sept. 1861, approved their enlistment in the U.S. Navy, nearly a year before black men could enlist in the U.S. Army. After serving in the Navy, Harris is the only one of the six men known to have returned to this community, where he had been enslaved.
Erected 2020 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number OC 38.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is July 15, 1861.
Location. 37° 33.263′ N, 76° 20.431′ W. Marker is in Deltaville, Virginia, in Middlesex County. Marker is on General Puller Highway (Virginia Route 33) east of Jackson Farm Road, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 17147 General Puller Highway, Deltaville VA 23043, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this
Credits. This page was last revised on August 19, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 18, 2021, by Bessida Cauthorne White of Jamaica, Virginia. This page has been viewed 225 times since then and 17 times this year. Photo1. submitted on August 18, 2021, by Bessida Cauthorne White of Jamaica, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Wide shot of marker and its surroundings. • Can you help?
