Tag Archives: Orlando Poe

Contraband of War

To get around the problem of having to return self-emancipated (i.e. escaped) slaves to their Confederate owners, Union Gen. Benjamin Butler dubbed them “contraband of war,” i.e. captured property that didn’t have to be returned. Later, Congress made the term … Continue reading

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Benjamin’s triumph

Some independent historians have tried to deny the commander of Fort Sanders, Lieutenant Samuel Nicoll Benjamin, his triumph. They pretend that Burnside’s chief engineer, Captain Orlando Poe, did most of the planning and preparation for the defense. But the primary … Continue reading

Posted in Fort Sanders, Gen. Ambrose Burnside, Orlando Poe, Samuel Nicoll Benjamin | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment