How does contraband relate to the civil war?

During the Civil War, contraband referred to enslaved individuals who escaped to Union lines, seeking freedom and protection. The Union Army initially viewed these individuals as property seized from the Confederacy, which led to the implementation of policies that allowed them to be classified as "contraband of war." This designation not only provided a moral justification for their emancipation but also bolstered Union manpower as many former enslaved people joined the Union forces. The concept of contraband thus played a significant role in the evolving views on slavery and contributed to the eventual abolition of slavery in the United States.