Recruitment Poster for "Color'd Men", 1863

Recruitment Poster for "Color'd Men", 1863

This is a recruitment poster for African American men to join the Union Army. In the spring of 1862, General Ambrose Burnside led an expedition through the North Carolina coast. After taking several major forts and cities, the Union army began occupation of eastern North Carolina. This occupation made the dream of freedom very much a reality for many North Carolina slaves that saw protection right over the Union lines. Furthermore, on January 1, 1863 President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation making all the slaves in North Carolina free. As a result of the Proclamation and the close vicinity of the Union army, many former slaves sought freedom by coming into the Union lines. Due to all these factors, the Union army saw a major influx of freed people coming into their lines and at first it was not known what to do with them. Eventually, official policy was created that called for the use and recruitment of the freed people in the army and thus colored regiments were created. This document is a recruitment poster calling for “color’d men” to be “mustered into colored regiments” and offering them a bounty for their service. New Bern, North Carolina was one of the major cities in eastern North Carolina were recruitment of former slaves took place. Though it is not known that this specific poster was used in New Bern, posters very similar to this one would have been seen on the streets.

Unknown

"Recruiting Poster, 1863," Center For Media and Learning, The Graduate Center, CUNY, Pictuting U.S. History, accessed November 10, 2014, http://picturinghistory.gc.cuny.edu/?p=942.

1863-XX-XX

Danielle Brinton

Still Image

New Bern, North Carolina
Craven County, North Carolina

Poster

COLOR’D MEN WANTED!
Bounty, $602.
Cashdown, 350.
Besides State, and United States pay, &c.
Recruits will be mustered into Colored Regiments.
APPLY TO
James S. Henry;
At Recruiting Office, Second & Bridge Ave.