A Journey to Fort Monroe
In May 1861, three men seeking freedom made their way to Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. Frank Baker, Shepard Mallory, and James Townsend had escaped enslavement as the Civil War was beginning. Their decision forced a Union general to confront a difficult question: What would the United States do when enslaved people escaped to its military lines?
The answer at Fort Monroe did not end slavery. But it created an opening that thousands of other people would use, and it helped push the war toward a fight over freedom.
A fort in a divided state
Fort Monroe stood at Old Point Comfort, beside the waters of Hampton Roads. Its thick walls and surrounding moat protected a military post at the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. Although Virginia had voted to leave the United States, the fort remained under Union control.
Across the water, Confederate forces were preparing defenses. The Confederacy was a group of states that had separated from the United States; its leaders fought to preserve a society built on slavery. Enslaved people could be forced to work for Confederate military projects, even though they had no choice in the war or in their labor.
- enslavement:
- The condition of being held in slavery and denied freedom.
- emancipation:
- The act or process of freeing people from slavery.
- refuge:
- A place of safety or protection from danger.
- rebellion:
- An organized fight against a government or its authority.
- initiative:
- The ability to take action without waiting for someone else to act.
- provisions:
- Specific parts or requirements of a law or agreement.
- ratified:
- Formally approved so that a law or agreement can take effect.
- discrimination:
- Unfair treatment of people because of characteristics such as race.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1How did the possibility of being sent farther south affect the three men's situation?
- 2Why does the author describe the men's escape as an act of agency?
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About this explanatory article passage for Middle School
“A Journey to Fort Monroe” is a explanatory article reading passage about Enslavement and emancipation during the Civil War, written for Middle School. It takes about 6 minutes to read (860 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.