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| Thursday May 30, 1861 |
Secretary of War Simon Cameron informed General Butler at Fort
Monroe that he should retain such fugitive slaves as came within
his lines, employ them, and keep records of their services. The
question of what to do about slaves within Federal lines had been
raised by government circles, with Lincoln himself pondering the
proper policy. Now the decision was that refugees should be
cared for and given work in Federal military installations.