For three years James suffered in a place of concealment, before he
found the way opened to escape. When he resolved on having his freedom
he was much under twenty-one years of age, a brave young man, for three
years, with unfailing spirit, making resistance in the city of Richmond
to the slave Power!
Such heroes in the days of Slavery, did much to make the infernal system
insecure, and to keep alive the spirit of freedom in liberty-loving
hearts the world over, wherever such deeds of noble daring were made
known. But of his heroism, but little can be reported here, from the
fact, that such accounts as were in the possession of the Committee,
were never transferred from the loose slips of paper on which they were
first written, to the regular record book. But an important letter from
the friend with whom he was secreted, written a short while before he
escaped (on a boat), gives some idea of his condition:
RICHMOND, VA., February 16th, 1861.
DEAR BROTHER STILL:--I received a message from brother Julius
anderson, asking me to send the bundle on but I has no way to
send it, I have been waiting and truly hopeing that you would
make some arrangement with some person, and send for the parcel.
I have no way to send it, and I cannot communicate the subject
to a stranger there is a Way by the N.y. line, but they are all
strangers to me, and of course I could not approach them With
this subject for I would be indangered myself greatly. this
business is left to you and to you alone to attend to in
providing the way for me to send on the parcel, if you only make
an arrangement with some person and let me know the said person
and the article which they is to be sent on then I can send the
parcel. unless you do make an arrangement with some person, and
assure them that they will receive the funs for delivering the
parcel this Business cannot be accomplished. it is in your power
to try to make some provision for the article to be sent but it
is not in my power to do so, the bundle has been on my hands now
going on 3 years, and I have suffered a great deal of danger,
and is still suffering the same. I have understood Sir that
there were no difficul about the mone that you had it in your
possession Ready for the bundle whenever it is delivered. But
Sir as I have said I can do nothing now. Sir I ask you please
through sympathy and feelings on my part & his try to provide a
way for the bundle to be sent and relieve me of the danger in
which I am in. you might succeed in making an arrangement with
those on the New york Steamers for they dose such things but
please let me know the man that the arrangement is made
with--please give me an answer by the bearer.
yours truly friend