George H. Hanks

George H. Hanks (c1829 - October 23, 1871) was an abolitionist^[1] and civil rights activist and colonel in the US Civil War.

Hanks was married before the war, and was a resident of Hartford, Connecticut.^[2] On January 1, 1862, Hanks joined Company H of the 12th Connecticut Volunteers. In mid-1862, the 12th Connecticut moved to the area around New Orleans, and Hanks stationed in the garrison of Camp Parapet, about 10 miles north of the city. In late-September 1862, Hanks was detailed as Aide de Camp of Brigadier General Thomas W. Sherman for the superintendence of contrabands. He organized six colonies at Camp Parapet each led by a non-commissioned officer and directed black labor in the repair and fortification of the camp and surroundings.^[3] On January 1, 1863, he was officially mustered out of the 12th Connecticut and was appointed superintendent of a new agency, "The Bureau of Negro Labor". In this role, Hanks supervised labor on numerous plantations.^[4]

Hanks' sympathy for blacks in the department occasionally put him at odds with department commander General Nathaniel Banks, who needed to balance the needs of the ex-slaves with the desire to gain support of Louisiana Planters. Hanks strongly advocated for opening schools for young blacks, and together with Thomas W. Conway, organized a system of freedman schools in New Orleans, and schools began opening in the fall of 1863.^[5] On August 27, 1863, Hanks was appointed by Major General Nathaniel Banks along with Colonel John S. Clark and Major B. Bush Plumley to a commission to regulate the enrollment, recruitment, employment, and education of blacks in the department of the Gulf, of which Banks was the senior commander.^[6]

A woodcut of the slaves Hanks brought northeast that appeared in Harper's Weekly on 30 January 1864 with the caption, "Emancipated Slaves, White and Colored" based on a photograph by Myron Kimball

In November^[2] and December 1863, Hanks embarked on a publicity campaign with the support of Major General Nathaniel Banks to eastern Union States with a goal to raise money for the education of former slaves in Louisiana. At the time, Hanks was also colonel of the 18th Infantry Regiment, Corps d'Afrique, a black unit raised in Louisiana. Included in his trip were eight former slaves. The group visited photo studios for the creation of cartes de visit. Myron H. Kimball took photos of the group of mixed-race children accompanying Hanks which appeared in Harper's Weekly January 30, 1864.^[7] The tour was also coordinated and promoted by the American Missionary Association and the National Freedman's Relief Association.^[8] During his trip, Hanks visited his wife who was living in Burlington, Connecticut. In that town, there were protests against him and his mission, which included an egging of the house where he was staying.^[2]

In April 1864, Hanks returned to New Orleans where he was Superintendent of Negro Labor. One task he pursued was extending freedom to the children of emancipated slaves who were still being held by their parents' former owners.^[9] Hanks worried that Southern planters felt no loyalty to the United States and had no interest to the freedom of blacks, saying that after the war, "to be left without national guarantees for the maintenance of their civil rights as freemen would be worse than slavery.^[10] In September 1864, Hanks was suspended by Banks for mismanagement, but was quickly exonerated and reinstated.^[11] Overall, he was highly respected for his effectiveness, and his work played an important role in the organization of the Freedmen's Bureau.^[12]

After the war, Hanks worked for a time as an agent of Adams Express Company.^[13] He was not successful in business. In 1871 he was living in Fort Scott, Kansas. On October 23, 1871, his wife left him due to his drinking and abuse of her. That day, after drinking heavily, he committed suicide by taking a lethal dose of morphine.^[14]

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