Adams Morgan in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Soldiers, Sailors, and Refugees of War
Hallowed Ground
— Rock Creek Park, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 25, 2023
1. Soldiers, Sailors, and Refugees of War Marker
The Civil War changed Washington, as Union troops poured into the city to secure it, and thousands of refugees from slavery arrived here seeking freedom. More than 40 African American soldiers and sailors were later buried at Mt. Pleasant Plains Cemetery, including at least three who fled enslavement to serve on the front lines. Also laid to rest here were countless self-emancipated men, women, and children who traveled dangerous distances to establish their free lives in the District.
Among the freedom seekers buried here:
• Soldiers Lewis Ferguson, William Tolson, and Edward Marks escaped slavery to join the U.S. Colored Infantry's First Regiment.
• Dabney Walker crossed into Union lines near Fredericksburg, Virginia to become a Union scout. His wife, Lucy Ann, was a Union spy.
• Nancy and John Pinn ran from slavery in northern Virginia early in the war only to be arrested as suspected fugitives. They and others were freed from jail months later by federal order.
• Lucrecy Bonner, Matilda Golden, and Maria Willis arrived as refugees at a Union camp on Mason's Island (now TheodoreRoosevelt Island) seeking food, shelter, and employment. When Willis and her 10 children left the island for the city of Washington, officials noted that they had "gone to do for themselves."
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Entre los enterrados en el Cementerio de Mount Pleasant Plains se encontraban veteranos de la Guerra Civil y refugiados autoemancipados que eligieron la libertad, a pesar del peligroso viaje y la incertidumbre del futuro.
[Captions:]
Above: Thousands of self-emancipated people stayed at Camp Barker at 12th and R streets, N.W.
— Library of Congress
Below: The First Regiment of the U.S. Colored Infantry mustered at Mason's Island (now Theodore Roosevelt Island).
— Library of Congress
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 25, 2023
2. Hollowed Ground markers on the grounds of Walter Pierce Park
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans • Cemeteries & Burial Sites • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom series lists.
Location. 38° 55.413′ N, 77° 2.851′ W. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Adams Morgan. Marker is at the intersection of Calvert Street Northwest and 20th Street Northwest, on the right when traveling west on Calvert Street Northwest. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1971 Calvert Street Northwest, Washington DC 20009, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Rediscovery and Remembrance (here, next to this marker); Seeking Freedom (here, next to this marker); Resilience and Resistance (here, next to this marker); Archaeology in Adams Morgan: Surveying the Walter Pierce Park Cemeteries, 2005-2013 (a few steps from this marker); The ›Duke‹ Ellington Memorial Bridge (a few steps from this marker); Historic Cemetery (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Walter Pierce Park (approx. 0.2 miles away); Herring Highway (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Northwest Washington.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 25, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 25, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 53 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 25, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
