A Civil War Christmas Story

On Christmas Day in 1862, the African American population of Washington, North Carolina organized a Christmas dinner for the Union soldiers and sailors who were stationed in Washington. The dinner was held at unoccupied store in downtown Washington and the tables were arranged to offer a holiday meal of turkeys, chickens, ducks, geese and other local staples. The meal was to express gratitude to the soldiers and sailors and was well received by them. In an account from some of the observers, the soldiers and sailors appeared to enjoy themselves remarkably well.