While a portion of the party, on hand with him, came as passengers with
Capt. P., another portion was brought by Capt. B., both parties arriving
within twelve hours of each other; and both had likewise been frozen up
on the route for weeks with their respective live freight on board.
The sufferings for food, which they were called upon to endure, were
beyond description. They happened to have plenty of salt fat pork, and
perhaps beans, Indian meal and some potatoes for standing dishes; the
more delicate necessaries did not probably last longer than the first or
second week of their ice-bondage.
Without a doubt, one of these Captains left Norfolk about the twentieth
of January, but did not reach Philadelphia till about the twentieth of
March, having been frozen up, of course, during the greater part of that
time. Men, women and children were alike sharers in the common struggle
for freedom--were alike an hungered, in prison, naked, and sick, but it
was a fearful thing in those days for even women and children to whisper
their sad lamentations in the city of Philadelphia, except to those
friendly to the Underground Rail Road.
Doubtless, if these mothers, with their children and partners in
tribulation, could have been seen as they arrived direct from the boats,
many hearts would have melted, and many tears would have found their way
down many cheeks. But at that time cotton was acknowledged to be
King--the Fugitive Slave Law was supreme, and the notorious decision of
Judge Taney, that "black men had no rights which white men were bound to
respect," echoed the prejudices of the masses too clearly to have made
it safe to reveal the fact of their arrival, or even the heart-rending
condition of these Fugitives.
Nevertheless, they were not turned away empty, though at a peril they
were fed, aided, and comforted, and sent away well clothed. Indeed, so
bountifully were the women and children supplied, that as they were
being conveyed to the Camden and Amboy station, they looked more like a
pleasuring party than like fugitives. Some of the good friends of the
slave sent clothing, and likewise cheered them with their presence.
[Before the close of this volume, such friends and sympathizers will be
more particularly noticed in an appropriate place.]
* * * * *
SUNDRY ARRIVALS--LATTER PART OF DECEMBER, 1855, AND BEGINNING OF
JANUARY, 1856.
JOSEPH CORNISH, Dorchester Co., Md.; LEWIS FRANCIS, _alias_ LEWIS
JOHNSON, Harford Co., Md.; ALEXANDER MUNSON, Chestertown, Md.; SAMUEL
and ANN SCOTT, Cecil Cross-Roads, Md.; WM. HENRY LAMINSON, Del.; ISAAC
STOUT, _alias_ GEORGE WASHINGTON, CAROLINE GRAVES, Md.; HENRY and ELIZA
WASHINGTON, Alexandria, Va.; HENRY CHAMBERS, JOHN CHAMBERS, SAMUEL FALL,
and THOMAS ANDERSON, Md.
Joseph Cornish was about forty years of age when he escaped. The heavy
bonds of Slavery made him miserable. He was a man of much natural
ability, quite dark, well-made, and said that he had been "worked very
hard." According to his statement, he had been an "acceptable preacher
in the African Methodist Church," and was also "respected by the
respectable white and colored people in his neighborhood." He would not
have escaped but for fear of being sold, as he had a wife and five
children to whom he was very much attached, but had to leave them
behind. Fortunately they were free.
Of his ministry and connection with the Church, he spoke with feelings
of apparent solemnity, evidently under the impression that the little
flock he left would be without a shepherd. Of his master, Captain Samuel
Le Count, of the U.S. Navy, he had not one good word to speak; at least
nothing of the kind is found on the Record Book; but, on the contrary,
he declared that "he was very hard on his servants, allowing them no
chance whatever to make a little ready money for themselves." So in
turning his face towards the Underground Rail Road, and his back against
slavery, he felt that he was doing God service.
The Committee regarded him as a remarkable man, and was much impressed
with his story, and felt it to be a privilege and a pleasure to aid him.
Lewis Francis was a man of medium size, twenty-seven years of age,
good-looking and intelligent. He stated that he belonged to Mrs.
Delinas, of Abingdon, Harford Co., Md., but that he had been hired out
from a boy to a barber in Baltimore. For his hire his mistress received
eight dollars per month.
To encourage Lewis, his kind-hearted mistress allowed him out of his own
wages the sum of two dollars and fifty cents per annum! His clothing he
got as best he could, but nothing did she allow him for that purpose.
Even with this arrangement she had been dissatisfied of late years, and
thought she was not getting enough out of Lewis; she, therefore, talked
strongly of selling him. This threat was very annoying to Lewis, so much
so, that he made up his mind that he would one day let her see, that so
far as he was concerned, it was easier to talk of selling than it would
be to carry out her threat.
With this growing desire for freedom he gained what little light he
could on the subject of traveling, Canada, etc., and at a given time off
he started on his journey and found his way to the Committee, who
imparted substantial aid as usual.
Alexander Munson, alias Samuel Garrett. This candidate for Canada was
only eighteen years of age; a well-grown lad, however, and had the one
idea that "all men were born free" pretty deeply rooted in his mind. He
was quite smart, and of a chestnut color. By the will of his original
owner, the slaves were all entitled to their freedom, but it appeared,
from Alexander's story, that the executor of the estate did not regard
this freedom clause in the will. He had already sold some of the slaves,
and others--he among them--were expecting to be sold before coming into
possession of their freedom. Two of them had been sold to Alabama,
therefore, with these evil warnings, young Alexander resolved to strike
out at once for Canada, despite Maryland slave-holders. With this bold
and manly spirit he succeeded, of course.
Anna Scott and husband, Samuel Scott. This couple escaped from Cecil
Cross-Roads, Md. The wife, in this instance, evidently took the lead,
and acted the more manly part in striking for freedom; therefore, our
notice of this arrival will chiefly relate to her..
Anna was owned by a widow, named Mrs. Ann Elizabeth Lushy, who resided
on a farm of her own. Fifteen slaves, with other stock, were kept on the
place. She was accustomed to rule with severity, being governed by a
"high temper," and in nowise disposed to allow her slaves to enjoy even
ordinary privileges, and besides, would occasionally sell to the
Southern market. She was calculated to render slave life very unhappy.
Anna portrayed her mistress's treatment of the slaves with much
earnestness, especially when referring to the sale of her own brother
and sister. Upon the whole, the mistress was so hateful to Anna, that
she resolved not to live in the house with her. During several years
prior to her escape, Anna had been hired out, where she had been treated
a little more decently than her mistress was wont to do; on this account
she was less willing to put up with any subsequent abuse from her
mistress.
To escape was the only remedy, so she made up her mind, that she would
leave at all hazards. She gave her husband to understand, that she had
resolved to seek a home in Canada. Fortunately, he was free, but slavery
had many ways of putting the yoke on the colored man, even though he
might be free; it was bound to keep him in ignorance, and at the same
time miserably abject, so that he would scarcely dare to look up in the
presence of white people.
Sam, apparently, was one of the number who had been greatly wronged in
this particular. He had less spirit than his wife, who had been directly
goaded to desperation. He agreed, however, to stand by her in her
struggles while fleeing, and did so, for which he deserves credit. It
must be admitted, that it required some considerable nerve for a free
man even to join his wife in an effort of this character. In setting
out, Anna had to leave her father (Jacob Trusty), seven sisters and two
brothers. The names of the sisters were as follows: Emeline, Susan Ann,
Delilah, Mary Eliza, Rosetta, Effie Ellender and Elizabeth; the
brothers--Emson and Perry. For the commencement of their journey they
availed themselves of the Christmas holidays, but had to suffer from the
cold weather they encountered. Yet they got along tolerably well, and
were much cheered by the attention and aid they received from the
Committee.
William Henry Laminson came from near Newcastle, Delaware. He was smart
enough to take advantage of the opportunity to escape at the age of
twenty-one. As he had given the matter his fullest attention for a long
time, he was prepared to make rapid progress when he did start, and as
he had no great distance to travel it is not unlikely, that while his
master was one night sleeping soundly, this young piece of property
(worth at least $1,000 in the market), was crossing Mason and Dixon's
Line, and steering directly for Canada. Francis Harkins was the name of
the master. William did not give him a very bad character.
George Washington Gooseberry, alias Isaac Stout, also took advantage of
the holidays to separate from his old master, Anthony Rybold, a farmer
living near Newcastle, Delaware. Nothing but the desire to be free moved
George to escape. He was a young man about twenty-three years of age, of
a pure black color, in stature, medium size, and well-made. Nothing
remarkable is noted in the book in any way connected with his life or
escape.
Caroline Graves. Caroline was of the bond class belonging to the State
of Maryland. Having reached the age of forty without being content, and
seeing no bright prospect in the future, she made up her mind to break
away from the bonds of Slavery and seek a more congenial atmosphere
among strangers in Canada. She had had the privilege of trying two
masters in her life-time; the first she admitted was "kind" to her, but
the latter was "cruel." After arriving in Canada, she wrote back as
follows:
TORONTO, Jan. 22, 1856.
DEAR SIR:--WILLIAM STILL--I have found my company they arrived
here on monday eving I found them on tusday evening. Please to
be so kind as to send them boxes we are here without close to
ware we have some white frendes is goin to pay for them at this
end of the road. The reason that we send this note we are afraid
the outher one woudent go strait because it wasent derected
wright. Please to send them by the express then thay wont be
lost. Please to derect these boxes for Carline Graives in the
car of mrs. Brittion. Please to send the bil of the boxes on
with them. Mrs. Brittion, Lousig street near young street.
George Graham and wife, Jane, alias Henry Washington and Eliza. The cold
weather of January was preferred, in this instance, for traveling.
Indeed matters were so disagreeable with them that they could not tarry
in their then quarters any longer. George was twenty-four years of age,
quite smart, pleasant countenance, and of dark complexion.
He had experienced "rough usage" all the way along through life, not
unfrequently from severe floggings. Twice, within the last year, he had
been sold. In order to prevent a renewal of these inflictions he
resorted to the Underground Rail Road with his wife, to whom he had only
been married six months.
In one sense, they appeared to be in a sad condition, it being the dead
of winter, but their condition in Alexandria, under a brutal master and
mistress which both had the misfortune to have, was much sadder. To give
all their due, however, George's wife acknowledged, that she had been
"well treated under her old mistress," but through a change, she had
fallen into the hands of a "new one," by whom her life had been rendered
most "miserable;" so much so, that she was willing to do almost anything
to get rid of her, and was, therefore, driven to join her husband in
running away.
Henry Chambers, John Chambers, Samuel Fall, and Jonathan Fisher. This
party represented the more promising-looking field-hand slave population
of Maryland. Henry and John were brothers, twenty-four and twenty-six
years of age, stout made, chestnut color, good-looking, but in height
not quite medium. Henry "owed service or labor," to a fellow-man by the
name of William Rybold, a farmer living near Sassafras Neck, Md. Henry
evidently felt, that he did master Rybold no injustice in testifying
that he knew no good of him, although he had labored under him like a
beast of burden all his days. He had been "clothed meanly," and "poorly
fed." He also alleged, that his mistress was worse than his master, as
she would "think nothing of knocking and beating the slave women for
nothing." John was owned by Thomas Murphy. From that day to this, Thomas
may have been troubling his brain to know why his man John treated him
so shabbily as to leave him in the manner that he did. Jack had a good
reason for his course, nevertheless. In his corn field-phrase he
declared, that his master Murphy would not give you half clothes, and
besides he was a "hard man," who kept Jack working out on hire.
Therefore, feeling his wrongs keenly, Jack decided, with his other
friends, to run off and be free.
Sam, another comrade, was also owned by William Rybold. Sam had just
arrived at his maturity (twenty-one), when he was invited to join in the
plot to escape. At first, it might be thought strange, why one so young
should seek to escape. A few brief words from Sam soon explained the
mystery. It was this: his master, as he said, had been in the habit of
tying him up by the hands and flogging him unmercifully; besides, in the
allowance of food and clothing, he always "stinted the slaves yet worked
them very hard." Sam's chances for education had been very unfavorable,
but he had mind enough to know that liberty was worth struggling for. He
was willing to make the trial with the other boys. He was of a dark
chestnut color, and of medium size.
Jonathan belonged to A. Rybold, and was only nineteen years of age. All
that need be said in relation to his testimony, is, that it agreed with
his colleague's and fellow-servant's, Samuel. Before starting on their
journey, they felt the need of new names, and in putting their wits
together, they soon fixed this matter by deciding to pass in future by
the following names: James and David Green, John Henry, and Jonathan
Fisher.
In the brief sketches given in this chapter, some lost ones, seeking
information of relatives, may find comfort, even if the general reader
should fail to be interested.