Under Governor Badger, of North Carolina, William had experienced
Slavery in its most hateful form. True, he had only been twelve months
under the yoke of this high functionary. But William's experience in
this short space of time, was of a nature very painful.
Previous to coming into the governor's hands, William was held as the
property of Mrs. Mary Jordon, who owned large numbers of slaves. Whether
the governor was moved by this consideration, or by the fascinating
charms of Mrs. Jordon, or both, William was not able to decide. But the
governor offered her his hand, and they became united in wedlock. By
this circumstance, William was brought into his unhappy relations with
the Chief Magistrate of the State of North Carolina. This was the third
time the governor had been married. Thus it may be seen, that the
governor was a firm believer in wives as well as slaves. Commonly he was
regarded as a man of wealth. William being an intelligent piece of
property, his knowledge of the governor's rules and customs was quite
complete, as he readily answered such questions as were propounded to
him. In this way a great amount of interesting information was learned
from William respecting the governor, slaves, on the plantation, in the
swamps, etc. The governor owned large plantations, and was interested in
raising cotton, corn, and peas, and was also a practical planter. He was
willing to trust neither overseers nor slaves any further than he could
help.
The governor and his wife were both equally severe towards them; would
stint them shamefully in clothing and food, though they did not get
flogged quite as often as some others on neighboring plantations.
Frequently, the governor would be out on the plantation from early in
the morning till noon, inspecting the operations of the overseers and
slaves.
In order to serve the governor, William had been separated from his wife
by sale, which was the cause of his escape. He parted not with his
companion willingly. At the time, however, he was promised that he
should have some favors shown him;--could make over-work, and earn a
little money, and once or twice in the year, have the opportunity of
making visits to her. Two hundred miles was the distance between them.
He had not been long on the governor's plantation before his honor gave
him distinctly to understand that the idea of his going two hundred
miles to see his wife was all nonsense, and entirely out of the
question. "If I said so, I did not mean it," said his honor, when the
slave, on a certain occasion, alluded to the conditions on which he
consented to leave home, etc.
Against this cruel decision of the governor, William's heart revolted,
for he was warmly attached to his wife, and so he made up his mind, if
he could not see her "once or twice a year even," as he had been
promised, he had rather "die," or live in a "cave in the wood," than to
remain all his life under the governor's yoke. Obeying the dictates of
his feelings, he went to the woods. For ten months before he was
successful in finding the Underground Road, this brave-hearted young
fugitive abode in the swamps--three months in a cave--surrounded with
bears, wild cats, rattle-snakes and the like.
While in the swamps and cave, he was not troubled, however, about
ferocious animals and venomous reptiles. He feared only man!
From his own story there was no escaping the conclusion, that if the
choice had been left to him, he would have preferred at any time to have
encountered at the mouth of his cave a ferocious bear than his master,
the governor of North Carolina. How he managed to subsist, and
ultimately effected his escape, was listened to with the deepest
interest, though the recital of these incidents must here be very brief.
After night he would come out of his cave, and, in some instances, would
succeed in making his way to a plantation, and if he could get nothing
else, he would help himself to a "pig," or anything else he could
conveniently convert into food. Also, as opportunity would offer, a
friend of his would favor him with some meal, etc. With this mode of
living he labored to content himself until he could do better. During
these ten months he suffered indescribable hardships, but he felt that
his condition in the cave was far preferable to that on the plantation,
under the control of his Excellency, the Governor. All this time,
however, William had a true friend, with whom he could communicate; one
who was wide awake, and was on the alert to find a reliable captain from
the North, who would consent to take this "property," or "freight," for
a consideration. He heard at last of a certain Captain, who was then
doing quite a successful business in an Underground way. This good news
was conveyed to William, and afforded him a ray of hope in the
wilderness. As Providence would have it, his hope did not meet with
disappointment; nor did his ten months' trial, warring against the
barbarism of Slavery, seem too great to endure for Freedom. He was about
to leave his cave and his animal and reptile neighbors,--his heart
swelling with gladness,--but the thought of soon being beyond the reach
of his mistress and master thrilled him with inexpressible delight. He
was brought away by Captain F., and turned over to the Committee, who
were made to rejoice with him over the signal victory he had gained in
his martyr-like endeavors to throw off the yoke, and of course they took
much pleasure in aiding him. William was of a dark color, stout made
physically, and well knew the value of Freedom, and how to hate and
combat Slavery. It will be seen by the appended letter of Thomas
Garrett, that William had the good luck to fall into the hands of this
tried friend, by whom he was aided to Philadelphia:
WILMINGTON, 12th mo., 19th, 1855.
DEAR FRIEND, WILLIAM STILL:--The bearer of this is one of the
twenty-one that I thought had all gone North; he left home on
Christmas day, one year since, wandered about the forests of
North Carolina for about ten months, and then came here with
those forwarded to New Bedford, where he is anxious to go. I
have furnished him with a pretty good pair of boots, and gave
him money to pay his passage to Philadelphia. He has been at
work in the country near here for some three weeks, till taken
sick; he is, by no means, well, but thinks he had better try to
get farther North, which I hope his friends in Philadelphia will
aid him to do. I handed this morning Captain Lambson's[A] wife
twenty dollars to help fee a lawyer to defend him. She leaves
this morning, with her child, for Norfolk, to be at the trial
before the Commissioner on the 24th instant. Passmore Williamson
agreed to raise fifty dollars for him. As none came to hand, and
a good chance to send it by his wife, I thought best to advance
that much.
[Footnote A: Captain Lambson had been suspected of having aided
in the escape of slaves from the neighborhood of Norfolk, and
was in prison awaiting his trial.]
Thy friend,