In the spring of 1862, Union General David issued a proclamation of freedom to the slaves in the Dept of the South, (the dept included South Carolina and the Georgia sea islands) He asked for the enlistment of male slaves as young as 14. Hunter is responsible for the creation of the 1st South Carolina Volunteers of African Descent. The first Black unit formed by the North and the only such unit composed of mostly slaves, (This is reference to the fact that President Lincoln had not sanctioned the enlistment of Black troops or issued any proclamation freeing the slaves. Hunters proclamation was issued before the militia and 2nd confiscation acts of 1862. Prior to these 2 pieces of legislation, union troops in this area of operations were instructed to put down slave revolts and turn slaves back to working plantations. Many of these plantations were still being operated by southern owners, still sympathetic to the south.)