Was hired to Mr. Thompson, and adopted his name--Opened regular
meetings, and preached on the plantation and other places--Took unto
myself a wife--Was purchased by Thompson, duly installed on the
plantation, and invested with authority--Various means and plans
resorted to by the overseer to degrade me in the eyes of Mr.
Thompson--Driven, through persecution, to run away--Returned back to my
master.
A short time after I came in from the woods Wilson determined to hire me
to a man named Thompson, who lived about twenty miles away. I made no
objection, and was duly hired for the term of three years.
I adopted the name "Thompson," from my new master, which I have since
retained.
The slaves of the South are usually named like brutes, with only one
name for a designation, and it became customary among the slaves to
adopt the surname of their masters. I had never adopted the name of
Wilson, because I disliked the man; but as soon as I was hired to Mr.
Thompson I took his name, therefore I was henceforth known as Charles
Thompson. The adoption of a name by myself may appear strange to a
great many of my readers, yet when it comes to be considered that I was
a human chattel, with no rights or privileges of American citizenship,
and that I was without a name, except simply "Charles," no surprise will
be felt.
I labored faithfully and honestly for Mr. Thompson during my term of
service, and endeavored in all things to do my duty. I made such efforts
as I could to bring the slaves on the plantation to Jesus, and
inaugurated regular and stated meetings. I preached and exhorted on the
plantation and at other places where I could gather the negroes to hear
me; and I felt that I was the means in God's hands of redeeming precious
souls. In these meetings I had helpers from among the most intelligent
of the slaves, and made such progress that at all our meetings we would
have a number of God-fearing whites to pray with us.
During my term of hired service with Mr. Thompson I married a colored
girl and added the responsibilities of a husband to my various cares.
The marriage of slaves was a mere formality among themselves, there
being nothing legal, according to the laws of the southern states, about
the ceremony or marriage contract. The slaves cohabited together in most
instances with the express or implied consent of their masters; and as
the masters did not regard the marriage of their slaves as anything,
wives and husbands were constantly in danger of being separated forever.
But the slaves themselves instituted a ceremony which they considered
morally binding, as far as they were concerned; and the slave-owners
deemed it prudent to gratify their slaves by a recognition, in some
degree, of the marital relations that might exist among them. Therefore
a certain set of rules came into operation, by general consent,
governing the visits of the husband to the wife when owned by different
masters. When the wife of a slave lived not more than five miles from
his master he could visit her once a week; when she lived not more than
ten miles away, he could go to see her once in two weeks; and when she
lived twenty or more miles away he could go to see her only once in two
months.
At the expiration of my term of service I was loth to leave my wife at
Thompson's, and go back to Wilson's, and strenuously objected, knowing
that I could get to see her only once in two months.
Wilson having learned that I was not desirous of returning to him, wrote
to Mr. Thompson to send me home as soon as the last day of my service
expired; but Mr. Thompson was desirous of retaining me, and made
efforts to that effect. He sent me to Wilson to learn the price set for
me. I arrived in due time, when Wilson informed me that he would sell me
to Thompson, but that he would not take less than twelve hundred
dollars, cash.
The proposition did not seem to please Thompson, but after a time he
concluded to buy me, and sent his son to Wilson with the purchase money.
The purchase at that particular time was lucky for me, as Wilson had
written Thompson a very abusive letter, and it was received by Mr.
Thompson on the evening of the day on which his son went to Wilson's to
buy me. The bargain was made, however, and I was duly transferred to my
new master, by delivery and a bill of sale. The personal matter between
Wilson and Thompson soon blew over, and I was duly installed on the
plantation as one of the chattel fixtures.
I seemed to take a new lease of life from this time, and determined, if
possible, to profit by former experiences and shun every appearance of
ill-nature and evil intentions, and to gain the confidence of my new
master, that I might better do the work of my heavenly Master. All
nature seemed lovely to me, and I was happy in doing my duty and
obliging the will of God.
I was invested with authority on the plantation by Mr. Thompson, and
was required to keep an eye on the overseer, and to report any
enormities that might be committed by him.
Mr. Thompson was a wealthy planter and kept a general overseer, besides
the usual field bosses; yet there were other slaves on the plantation
who had the confidence of the master and were put at such service as
required intelligence and integrity.
The position in which I was now placed was difficult and onerous; but I
did my duty to the very best of my ability, and satisfactorily to my
master. The overseer soon found out that I was _his_ overseer; and he
used every means, and various plans, to drive me to do something that
would degrade me in the eyes of Mr. Thompson. It was only by reason of
the greatest forbearance and the very closest attention to my duties
that I escaped his machinations; and by attending to everything with the
most scrupulous care he could find no fault with me, that had truth for
its foundation. But the constant and pertinacious maliciousness of the
overseer, and my own weakness, eventually brought me to grief.
As a rule, when a bad and wicked man undertakes any species of
devilishness he generally prevails, for a time, and is apparently
successful in his schemes; and should he meet with failure at the onset
his want of success only maddens him to greater exertions and more
persistent efforts. Being urged by the devil, and the devil being a hard
driver, he either rushes to his own destruction or destroys the
happiness or lives of others. Thus I was placed in the crucible for
further refinement and regeneration. My humanity gave way for some time;
but God was with me, and in the end I prevailed. The overseer's name was
Hines, and he belonged to that class of southern whites who are noted
for their ignorance and brutality. He could read and write a
little,--just enough to make out a negro's pass or a receipt for money
paid on account of his employer. In this respect I was far in advance of
him, of which my master was aware, and which was one of the causes of
Hines' excessive hatred of me, and of his great desire to "put me down
and make me know my place," as he termed it. He was very irreligious,
and entirely wanting in every attribute of a Christian. He was also what
in the South is termed a "bully"--that is, he was free to use his
pistols on the slightest occasion, when among his equals, but when in
the presence of his superiors he was a cringing sycophant and coward. He
was a real coward, at best, in all places. He did not want me on the
plantation; and he was determined that he would so harrass me that I
would become as reckless and devilish as himself, and thereby compel my
master to send me to a slave-market to be sold.
Hines concocted various tales and reported them to Mr. Thompson,
relating to my alleged insubordination, laziness, refusal to work, etc.,
but all to no effect. Finally he told my master that I was so
disobedient that the rest of the slaves were affected by my conduct, and
that I would ruin all the slaves on the plantation unless severe means
were used to conquer me.
My master informed Hines, after hearing his story, that Jack, a
fellow-servant of mine in my younger days, had killed Prince, another
fellow-servant, on Wilson's plantation, several years before; that I
might be imbued with the same spirit; and that if he undertook to
chastise me he might meet with the same fate of Prince.
This murder occurred after I had been sold by Wilson to Thompson, but
being permitted to return to Wilson's plantation once a year to visit
and preach to my old flock, I learned the facts regarding the matter.
Jack belonged to a neighbor of Wilson's by the name of Scott, and having
done something displeasing to Scott he wished to tie him up and whip
him. Jack refused to be whipped by Scott or any one else, when Prince
was called upon by his master (Scott) to help him secure Jack. Prince
was reluctant, but was commanded two or three times to take hold of
Jack and hold him. Jack told him not to approach him at the peril of his
life; but not heeding Jack's warning he made the effort to tie Jack,
when he was stabbed to the heart with a knife in Jack's hand, and
expired almost instantly. Jack made his escape for a short time, but was
captured and immediately hanged without a trial or an opportunity to
make any defense. Jack was captured in a corn-crib on Wilson's
plantation, which made Thompson suppose the murder had been committed
there.
This recital, which was made in substance to Hines by my master, cowed
the overseer considerably, and a house-servant who was present during
the conversation afterwards told me that Hines' face turned white as a
sheet, and he trembled like a leaf.
My master knew his overseer was a coward, and that if he could work upon
his fears by supposing me to be too high-spirited to stand a whipping,
he would probably save me from Hines' malice, and keep the overseer to
his work. Good overseers were hard to get in the South. An intelligent
Christian man would not have such a position under any circumstances,
and the very best of the "poor white trash" who _would_, were unreliable
and brutish; therefore Mr. Thompson had to do the very best he could
under the circumstances. He did not believe Hines; yet he had to humor
him, in a measure.
After a few days Hines reported to Mr. Thompson that he had heard me say
that I would never be whipped by him or any other overseer on the
plantation, as long as I had life to resist, which was a most malicious
falsehood. What I did tell Hines was, that I would so conduct myself and
so perform my work that he nor any other overseer on the plantation
should never have cause to chastise me.
The falsehood inflamed my master, and in his wrath he told Hines to whip
me for the first offense I might commit, or kill me in the attempt.
Armed with this instruction, Hines was in high glee; yet he dare not
attempt anything without first laying well his plans and making sure of
sufficient force to carry them out. The next morning he charged me to
pick six hundred pounds of cotton and deliver it at the weighing-house
at night, under penalty, for a failure, of one hundred lashes on my bare
back with a rawhide.
This would not have been an extraordinary task in good cotton; but where
we had to work that day the cotton was poor, and in that field the crop
was not more than half a one. However, I worked hard against fate all
day, and prayed to Almighty God to help me in my hour of need, and keep
me steadfast. I knew I was to be punished not for any fault or misdoing,
but simply to gratify a brute in human shape, and my inferior in
intellect, morality, and physical strength. The burden was hard to bear,
yet I prayed for strength to bear it. When called from the field to the
weighing-house I was kept waiting until all the other slaves had their
cotton weighed. When mine was weighed I was told by Hines that I had
only picked four hundred pounds. I verily believed this to be untrue,
and felt convinced that I had picked at least five hundred pounds, for I
was one of the best, if not the best, cotton-pickers in the country; and
I had labored faithfully and rapidly all day, and did not lose a
minute's time, unnecessarily.
Hines turned to me and said, Go to your quarters; I will settle with you
in the morning.
Now began new trials. My duty and my Christianity instructed me to face
the undeserved and unjust punishment manfully. The devil and my human
nature told me to run away. I became weak. The fear of the disgrace of a
whipping was too much for me, and I succumbed to the evil one.
I made such arrangements as I could, and concealed myself on the
plantation, before daylight the next morning, so that I could take an
early start in the night and travel behind my pursuers instead of before
them. My wife knew of my hiding-place, and when night came she sought me
and reported what had been done for my capture.
Hines seemed, she said, to be more cheerful than usual in the morning
when he found I was gone, and hastened to report the good news, as he
thought, to Mr. Thompson. After some conversation between them it was
determined by my master to obtain the services of a professional
slave-hunter, and follow me with hounds. The slave-hunter was sent for
and came with his pack of dogs that same day about noon. The hunt was
immediately begun, and the country was then being scoured in all
directions for my tracks.
This information put me on my guard, and gave me time to consider what
direction I had better take in my flight. I had provide myself a
preparation called "smut" among the negroes, which, when spread thinly
on the soles of the shoes or feet, destroyed that peculiar scent by
which blood-hounds are enabled to follow the trail of a man or a beast.
After bidding my wife farewell I smeared my shoes with "smut" and
started in the direction of the hills, beyond which was a large swamp,
the refuge of many a poor runaway.
On my way I had to pass through innumerable thickets of underbrush and
briers, and by reason thereof I tore my already much-worn clothes almost
into shreds, and lacerated my flesh severely, especially on my arms and
legs. I arrived in the swamp, however, without being followed by the
dogs, and while proceeding slowly and dejectedly along, my steps were
suddenly stopped by a fierce and loud growl. I was frightened, to be
sure, yet I knew scarcely what to do. The growl proceeded from a bear, I
felt fully assured, for bears roamed through the hills and swamps of
Mississippi. But with presence of mind I retreated slowly from the
presence of Mr. and Mrs. Bruin, and not being followed by the bears my
fears on that score were removed.
About this time it began to rain; and the night was one of those black,
foreboding nights that novelists love so well to depict in their
descriptions of storms. The lightning flashed with a vividness that
lighted up the dismal swamps with a weird and horrible brightness; the
thunder rolled peal upon peal, making to me a pandemonium, real and
feeling; the pitiless rain pelted me unmercifully and constantly, with
that persistence that made it almost unendurable to me. I sat down at
the root of a large tree, not to shelter myself from the rain but to
protect myself from the attack of any wild animal that should approach
me. There I sat the rest of the long night, unfriended, alone,
forsaken,--a hunted outcast.
"Man's inhumanity to man
Makes countless thousands mourn."
The condition in which I was now placed rendered me indeed a pitiable
object. I waited and longed for morning to come; but the long, slow
minutes passed lazily along without regard to my sufferings or wishes.
After a long time, to me, I heard a rooster crow, and the welcome sound
brought me to my feet in an instant. I started in the direction of the
sound, and approached warily. Having walked a short distance I reached
the edge of the swamps, or rather a dry spot or oasis in the swamp, and
by the faint glimmer of day, which was just breaking, I could see the
outlines of a house. The cock continued to crow, which seemed to invite
me to approach, and which I construed into a good omen,--at least I
really felt good at the sight of the house, even though it might contain
those who would chain me and take me back to my master. I noticed that a
public road ran along close to the house; and after going on the road,
in approaching the house I was discovered by a dog, belonging to the
house, who set up a furious barking. Fearing to stay and make my wants
known I again sought "cover" in the swamp. I stayed in the swamp that
day and ate such berries, roots, and nuts as I could find. I had plenty
of time for prayer and meditation. I was alone with God, and prayed to
him for help in my distress, and for direction. I became convinced that
I had done wrong in running away, and deemed that I had sinned against
God. I had been a runaway and an outcast before, and had came to right
conclusions; yet I had turned from the path of duty, and was even now
being punished for my sin. I determined to return to my master and take
the consequences of my acts in running away. I asked God to have mercy
on me and pardon my sins, and protect me from the wrath of my master and
the maliciousness of Hines. Having fully made up my mind to return to
Thompson and make such efforts as I could to allay the punishment I
expected to receive, I set about perfecting my plans to get there
without being apprehended by the slave-hunters, who were then, I have no
doubt, hunting for me. My master had offered a reward for my return to
his plantation; and should any one arrest me and take me home, although
I might be returning on my own accord, they would receive the reward and
I would have to make up the amount to my master in extra labor and
extra punishment. To avoid this was now my object.
At night I left the swamp and went to the road, intending to travel home
that night--thinking I was not more than ten or twelve miles away from
there. I was uncertain which way to go; but I finally started off on the
road, hoping that I was going in the direction of Thompson's. The rain
was pattering down; but I traveled briskly all that night, and about
day-break I came to a plantation. I entered one of the slave-cabins and
told the inmates I was lost, hungry, and tired, and asked them for
something to eat. One of the colored men spoke to a woman who appeared
to be his wife, and told her to get me something to eat, and that he
would go and get some pine to put on the fire. His actions, and the
manner in which he spoke, aroused my suspicions, and being fearful that
he intended to betray me, I left the cabin directly after he did, and
sought an asylum in the woods, where I stayed during that day. Thus "the
wicked flee when no one pursueth."
At night I found the same road I had traveled the day before, and
started again to try and get to Thompson's. I knew that I was wrong, and
that I was traveling away from instead of toward Thompson's; therefore I
concluded to make inquiries at the first opportunity. After traveling
three or four miles I came to a cabin in which there was a light
shining through the cracks between the logs. Approaching the cabin, I
intended to enter; but being enabled to see the inmates through the
cracks I discovered three white men sitting around the fire, so I turned
to leave. As I was passing the corner of the cabin a colored woman came
to the door for some purpose, and saw me. She jumped back into the
cabin, at the same time exclaiming, "Here's a runaway nigger!"
I immediately ran for the road; but a dog--not a blood-hound--followed
me, and while getting over the fence between the cabin and the road he
caught me by the breeches leg. I shook him off and ran for the woods.
The white men were slave-hunters, and were after me particularly, as I
learned afterwards. They followed me closely by the sound of the
crackling of brush, and put the dogs they had with them on my track.
These dogs, fortunately for me, were in the cabin at the time I
approached it. As soon as I heard the first yelp of a blood-hound I
"smutted" my shoe-soles, and soon threw them off the scent. The white
men followed me about three or four miles. Finally, finding I would not
get away from them by running, I stopped, and making my way into a dense
thicket of briers I sat down. The white men stopped a short distance
from me and listened, I suppose, for the sound of brush cracking. After
waiting a short time one of them started off in the direction they had
come, leaving the others still waiting,--using this ruse in order to
throw me off my guard, so as to enable the remaining ones to ascertain
where I was by the noise I would make in walking. I was too close to
them; and from the noise I heard from where they were standing I knew
they had a dog with them, and that they were only waiting for me to move
to begin the chase again. I sat perfectly quiet, and waited patiently
for the remaining whites and the dog to leave. After a time the men
began to move about through the brush, coming still closer to me. I
heard them talking, when one of them said, "We ought to catch the nigger
if we have to run him all night." "No" said the other, "we should let
him alone to-night, and start him up in the morning, when we can have
daylight for the chase, and not run him to-night, for we might run him
off and never catch him."
After a short parley they concluded to get some more dogs and be on the
ground before daylight, so as to make sure of me. As soon as they had
gone out of my hearing I emerged from the brier thicket. I found my
limbs had become sore and benumbed from the exposure and hardships I
had undergone, and I was intensely hungry. I worried along, however, to
get out of that neighborhood as soon as possible. The sky was now clear,
the air frosty, and my rags were but a scant protection to me. After
walking awhile I found my soreness began to leave me, when I began to
accelerate my pace. I had to walk as fast as I could, and exercise my
limbs all I could, in order to keep warm. After walking some time I came
to a plantation. Upon reconnoitering, I found an old house, and
approaching it with the intention of seeking a little rest in it during
the remainder of the night and the next day, I saw a light in it. I went
in, however, and found it to be the workshop of the plantation, and five
colored men were there putting handles in their axes. I asked them for
something to eat, and was about to tell them the truth regarding myself,
when one of the negroes hurried me out of the cabin, saying he would get
me something to eat. After we got out he told me I was very imprudent,
for if I had told the negroes who I was and that I was a runaway, they
would have taken me themselves. He got me some meat and bread, and after
I had told him who I was and that I wanted to find my way back to
Thompson's, he put me on the right road and gave me such directions as I
required.
I found that I was about fifty miles from Thompson's plantation, and
that it would require two nights' hard walking to get there. I felt very
much discouraged, and grieved considerably to myself. However, having
satisfied the cravings of my appetite, I plucked up courage and started
on my long return walk with renewed energy.
After traveling about five miles I came to a little town. I was afraid
to go through it on account of the liability of being apprehended; and I
did not like to go around it for fear of getting lost again. I
determined to risk going through the place, and, by avoiding every one,
escape detection. There was quite an excitement here by reason of an
epidemic sickness among the children, and about every other house had a
light in it. I passed through the town with fear; but I escaped arrest
and felt like rejoicing over my good fortune, not once thinking of any
dangers or hardships that might lay before me.
After I got through the town I came to a considerable stream, with a
bridge across it, the name of which I am unable to give; but on the
opposite end of the bridge from the town there is a road-way, or levee,
thrown up across the "bottom" for about two miles. At the time I
crossed, the stream was very much swelled from the recent rains, and the
water extended all over the bottom on each side of the road-grade, and
to within two or three feet of the top of it. This grade I had to cross;
and I was greatly afraid that I would meet some one. I started across,
and when about half way over the grade, or levee, I heard hounds baying
ahead of me; and the sounds seemed to be approaching me, I became very
much frightened, and turned and fled back to the bridge, when, just as I
was stepping on it, I heard men's voices, and stopped, when I found they
were coming across the bridge toward me. I concluded I would rather face
the blood-hounds than the white men, so I made my way back over the
grade as hurriedly as I could. I reached the end of the grade without
meeting the hounds and turned off into the woods. After walking a short
distance I heard the hounds again, and the sound of their yelps was
nearing me rapidly. I turned my course immediately, and ran as fast as I
was able for three or four hundred yards, when I saw distinctly, in the
starlight, a man running nearly toward me. My heart leaped into my
throat, as it were, and I made ready for battle. But the man proved to
be a poor runaway like myself, and the one whom the hounds were after. I
had got into a field, and the runaway passed through the same field
without noticing me. I kept on in an opposite direction from the one
which he had taken, and crossed the fence on the other side of the field
just in time to hear one of the slave-hunters say, "There he is now; I
heard him getting over the fence." I threw myself on the ground and
awaited results. The dogs were "hot" on the other slave's track, and
were running at a great rate, which induced the slave-hunters to think
their companion was mistaken. So, to my great relief and pleasure, they
started on after the hounds. I was nearly exhausted by my exertions
during the night, and as it was now nearly morning I lay on the ground
for a time to rest and recuperate my worn-out energies a little.
In a short time I got up, and after looking around I saw the outlines of
plantation houses in the distance. On going to them I found a
resting-place in a fodder-loft, in the horse-lot of the plantation. I
ensconced myself in the fodder, when I again heard the infernal yelps of
the blood-hounds, and the more infernal yelps of the white pursuers
urging the hounds after the poor runaway. The hounds soon after caught
the poor wretch, whose cries for mercy were heart-rending and piteous.
My situation was perilous; yet I had hopes that the other slave being
run down and caught would save me, from the fact that the hunters were
not aware of the presence of another runaway in the immediate
neighborhood.
The day wore slowly away, and being very weak from hunger and fatigue I
was unable to gain that rest my wasted body required. I slept two or
three hours, however, and had ample time for reflection. The bridge
where I had been so completely hemmed in the night before was impressed
deeply upon my memory; and the agony of mind while on the bridge was
still troubling me. I relied on a loving heavenly Father in my troubles
and trials, and brought to my mind the condition of the children of
Israel when about to be overwhelmed by the hosts of Pharaoh on the shore
of the Red Sea. God delivered them, and I believed he would deliver me.
My faith was strong.
Night came at last, when I cautiously emerged from my hiding-place and
continued my journey toward home. I ran and walked about twenty-five
miles, and did not find any familiar objects to lead me to suppose I was
in the neighborhood of my master's plantation, when I began to look
about for a place of concealment in which to spend another weary and
lonesome day. Walking slowly along, after a short time my attention was
attracted by sounds as if some one was pounding a hard substance. On
stopping and listening, I soon heard some person calling hogs. The
voice seemed familiar. Upon further investigation I began to recognize
objects, and soon ascertained that I was "at home." Now that I had got
back "home," new troubles arose in my mind. I would be punished
severely, without doubt.
Instead of going to "the quarters" I went directly to my master's
plantation, in the hope that I could enlist my mistress in my behalf,
and thus have the way made smooth for me. My master was not at home,
fortunately, and my mistress heard my story and prayers for forgiveness.
She promised to intercede with my master for me, but that I must promise
not to run away again, which I did. She bade me to go and hide myself in
the stable loft, and not to leave there until she sent for me. Soon
after, my master came home. In conversation with him my mistress
broached the subject as to my whereabouts. He told her that he believed
I had got to the free states and was lost to him; however, that if any
of the slaves on the plantation knew where I was they should get me word
that if I would come back I should not be punished, and that I should be
forgiven. In that case my mistress said she would insure my return
speedily.
Matters were soon arranged, and I was re-instated in my former position
on the plantation. But severe trials were soon to overtake me, and what
I had already gone through was but an atom in comparison with what I
afterwards suffered from the hands of my master, and by reason of my
condition of slavery.
Thus ended my earlier experiences as a slave, from my earliest
recollection down to the time of my return to Thompson's plantation.
I propose to continue this biography, and include the whole in book
form. This pamphlet is printed for the purpose of enabling me to raise
money to continue my work and paying for printing the whole in a book
substantially and neatly bound.
To the friends of the colored race I appeal for help in this matter,
hoping that sufficient interest is taken to insure the accumulation of
sufficient funds for my purpose.
The remainder will contain my full experience as a minister of the
gospel, and incidents relating to my efforts and the efforts of my
co-workers in building up the church of Christ among the former slaves
of the South, and such suggestions as I may deem proper to aid to raise
the standard of intelligence among negroes.
End of Project Gutenberg's Biography of a Slave, by Charles Thompson