State Historical Society of Iowa

African-American Teamsters in Bermuda Hundred, Virginia, 1864

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One of the Civil War photographs compiled by Hirst D. Milhollen and Donald H. Mugridge, this 1864 image depicts seven “contraband” teamsters dressed in old Union uniforms standing near a wagon and shack.
Courtesy of Library of Congress, "[Bermuda Hundred, Va. African-American teamsters near the signal tower]," 1864

Description

This is one of the Civil War photographs compiled by Hirst D. Milhollen and Donald H. Mugridge. This 1864 image depicts seven "contraband" teamsters dressed in old Union uniforms standing near a wagon and shack.

Source-Dependent Questions

  • Describe the appearance and surrounding of these "contrabands" using details from the photograph.
  • What types of contributions might they have made to the Union war effort based on their appearance, surroundings, and the photo's title?

Citation Information

"[Bermuda Hundred, Va. African-American teamsters near the signal tower]," 1864. Courtesy of Library of Congress