| General David Hunter General Order 11 Proclamation Freeing Slaves in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina War of Rebellion Records |
| General Hunter's Order 11 Head-quarters, Department of the South, Hilton Head, S.C. May 9, 1862 The three States of Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, comprising the Military Department of the South, having deliberately declared themselves no longer under the protection of the United States of America, and having taken up arms against the said United States, it becomes a military necessity to declare them under martial law. This was accordingly done on the 25th day of April, 1862. Slavery and martial law in a free country are altogether incompatible. The persons in these three States---Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida---heretofore held as slaves, are therefore declared forever free. David Hunter Major-General Commanding Ed. W. Smith Assistant Adjutant-General * * * This proclamation attempted to free slaves under which the Department of the South had no control emcompassing all three states of the Department. (Unlike the April proclamation freeing the slaves at Fort Pulaski --- See Proclamation) However, it did cover St. Augustine, Florida which was under Department of the South control. President Abraham would invalidate this proclamation (See Lincoln's Response) The use of his wording "slavery and martial law in a free country are altogether incompatible." was very confusing and gave newspapers a field day in trashing this proclamation. But the proclamation was only early by a few months and like General Fremont's proclamation lacked the perspective of the commander-in-chief. In a few months the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation would be published and along the same lines as General Hunter cover a vast territory that was yet to be under control of the Union army. |
| General David Hunter |