Made of solid iron with a simple twist lock, these chains were used to transport or restrain the feet or ankles of slaves, allowing walking but prevented running or kicking. This set of leg irons is from an Underground Railroad house in Bucyrus, Ohio. The lock appears to be broken.
Leg irons are also known as fetters, shackles or foot cuffs.
The census of 1860 showed the slave population in the Trans-Mississippi states as follows: Arkansas, 111,115; Missouri, 114,931; Louisiana, 331,726; Texas, 182,566; and Indian Territory, 7,369.
Images Courtesy Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield; WICR 30004 & 30006 A & B
