It is to be regretted that, owing to circumstances, the account of these
persons has not been fully preserved. Could justice be done them,
probably their narratives would not be surpassed in interest by any
other in the history of fugitives. In 1857, when these remarkable
travelers came under the notice of the Vigilance Committee, as Slavery
seemed likely to last for generations, and there was but little
expectation that these records would ever have the historical value
which they now possess, care was not always taken to prepare and
preserve them. Besides, the cases coming under the notice of the
Committee, were so numerous and so interesting, that it seemed almost
impossible to do them anything like justice. In many instances the rapt
attention paid by friends, when listening to the sad recitals of such
passengers, would unavoidably consume so much time that but little
opportunity was afforded to make any record of them. Particularly was
this the case with regard to the above-mentioned individuals. The story
of each was so long and sad, that a member of the Committee in
attempting to write it out, found that the two narratives would take
volumes. That all traces, of these heroes might not be lost, a mere
fragment is all that was preserved.
The original names of these adventurers, were Joseph Grant and John
Speaks. Between two and three years before escaping, they were sold from
Maryland to John B. Campbell a negro trader, living in Baltimore, and
thence to Campbell's brother, another trader in New Orleans, and
subsequently to Daniel McBeans and Mr. Henry, of Harrison county,
Mississippi.
Though both had to pass through nearly the same trial, and belonged to
the same masters, this recital must be confined chiefly to the incidents
in the career of Joseph. He was about twenty-seven years of age, well
made, quite black, intelligent and self-possessed in his manner.
He was owned in Maryland by Mrs. Mary Gibson, who resided at St.
Michael's on the Eastern Shore. She was a _nice woman_ he said, but her
property was under mortgage and had to be sold, and he was in danger of
sharing the same fate.
Joseph was a married man, and spoke tenderly of his wife. She "promised"
him when he was sold that she would "never marry," and earnestly
entreated him, if he "ever met with the luck, to come and see her." She
was unaware perhaps at that time of the great distance that was to
divide them; his feelings on being thus sundered need not be stated.
However, he had scarcely been in Mississippi three weeks, ere his desire
to return to his wife, and the place of his nativity constrained him to
attempt to return; accordingly he set off, crossing a lake eighty miles
wide in a small boat, he reached Kent Island. There he was captured by
the watchman on the Island, who with _pistols, dirk and cutlass_ in
hand, threatened if he resisted that death would be his instant doom. Of
course he was returned to his master.
He remained there a few months, but could content himself no longer to
endure the ills of his condition. So he again started for home, walked
to Mobile, and thence he succeeded in stowing himself away in a
steamboat and was thus conveyed to Montgomery, a distance of five
hundred and fifty miles through solid slave territory. Again he was
captured and returned to his owners; one of whom always went for
immediate punishment, the other being mild thought persuasion the better
plan in such cases. On the whole, Joseph thus far had been pretty
fortunate, considering the magnitude of his offence.
A third time he summoned courage and steered his course homewards
towards Maryland, but as in the preceding attempts, he was again
unsuccessful.
In this instance Mr. Henry, the harsh owner, was exasperated, and the
mild one's patience so exhausted that they concluded that nothing short
of stern measures would cause Joe to reform. Said Mr. Henry; "_I had
rather lose my right arm than for him to get off without being punished,
after having put us to so much trouble_."
_Joseph_ will now speak for himself.
"He (master) sent the overseer to tie me. I told him I would not be
tied. I ran and stayed away four days, which made Mr. Henry very
anxious. Mr. Beans told the servants if they saw me, to tell me to come
back and I should not be hurt. Thinking that Mr. Beans had always stood
to his word, I was over persuaded and came back. He sent for me in his
parlor, talked the matter over, sent me to the steamboat (perhaps the
one he tried to escape on.) After getting cleverly on board the captain
told me, I am sorry to tell you, you have to be tied. I was tied and Mr.
Henry was sent for. He came; 'Well, I have got you at last, beg my
pardon and promise you will never run away again and I will not be so
hard on you.' I could not do it. He then gave me three hundred lashes
well laid on. I was stripped entirely naked, and my flesh was as raw as
a piece of beef. He made John (the companion who escaped with him) hold
one of my feet which I broke loose while being whipped, and when done
made him bathe me in salt and water.
"Then I resolved to 'go or die' in the attempt. Before starting, one
week, I could not work. On getting better we went to Ship Island; the
sailors, who were Englishmen, were very sorry to hear of the treatment
we had received, and counselled us how we might get free."
The counsel was heeded, and in due time they found themselves in
Liverpool. There their stay was brief. Utterly destitute of money,
education, and in a strange land, they very naturally turned their eyes
again in the direction of their native land. Accordingly their host, the
keeper of a sailor's boarding-house, shipped them to Philadelphia.
But to go back, Joseph saw many things in New Orleans and Mississippi of
a nature too horrible to relate, among which were the following:
I have seen Mr. Beans whip one of his slaves to death, at the tree to
which he was tied.
Mr. Henry would make them lie down across a log, stripped naked, and
with every stroke would lay the flesh open. Being used to it, some would
lie on the log without being tied.
In New Orleans, I have seen women stretched out just as naked as my
hand, on boxes, and given one hundred and fifty lashes, four men holding
them. I have helped hold them myself: when released they could hardly
sit or walk. This whipping was at the "_Fancy House_."
The "chain-gangs" he also saw in constant operation. Four and five
slaves chained together and at work on the streets, cleaning, &c., was a
common sight. He could hardly tell Sunday from Monday in New Orleans,
the slaves were kept so constantly going.
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