Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Escape To Freedom

Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 17, 2021

1. Escape To Freedom Marker

Inscription. On 23 May 1861 three enslaved men, Frank Baker, Shepard Mallory, and James Townsend, sought freedom at Fort Monroe. A Virginia officer demanded their return, citing the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Union Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler refused, stating that this law did not apply to slaveholders in rebellion against the U.S. He asserted the right to confiscate slaves whose labor benefited the Confederacy, thus initiating the "contraband of war” policy. Thousands of freedom seekers followed, earning Fort Monroe the nickname "Freedom's Fortress.” Across the South, hundreds of thousands of enslaved people would seek protection with Union forces, charting a path toward the end of slavery in the U.S.

Erected 2019 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number WY-106.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is May 23, 1861.

Location. 37° 0.247′ N, 76° 18.624′ W. Marker is in Hampton, Virginia. It is in Fort Monroe. It is at the intersection of Ruckman Road and Ingalls Road, on the left when traveling east

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on Ruckman Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10 Ruckman Rd, Fort Monroe VA 23651, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Peninsula

and in Coastal Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Freedom’s Fortress (here, next to this marker); Rodman Gun (within shouting distance of this marker); Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Rodman Gun (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Monroe (within shouting distance of this marker); In Memoriam (within shouting distance of this marker); Stockade and Guardhouse (about

Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 17, 2021

2. Escape To Freedom Marker

The marker is located at the far left while the main entrance to Fort Monroe can be seen in the distance at the far right.

300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Fort Monroe (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hampton.

Also see . . . Fort Monroe National Monument. National Park Service (Submitted on October 17, 2021.)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 5, 2024. It was originally submitted on October 17, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 644 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 17, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.