General Benjamin F. Butler Reacts to Self-Emancipating People, 1861 Self-emancipation posed a dilemma for the Union military. Soldiers were forbidden to interfere with slavery or assist runaways, but many soldiers disobeyed the policy. In May 1861, General Benjamin F. Butler went over his superiors’ heads and began accepting fredom-seekers who came to Fortress Monroe in … Continue reading General Benjamin F. Butler Reacts to Self-Emancipating People, 1861