Gassy was slave to a merchant in Baltimore, by the name of Claggett. She
had reason to believe that her master was about to sell her to a
speculator, who was making up a coffle for the markets of the far South.
The terror felt in view of such a prospect can be understood by slaves
only. She resolved to escape; and watching a favorable opportunity, she
succeeded in reaching the neighborhood of Haddonfield, New Jersey. There
she obtained service in a very respectable family. She was honest,
steady, and industrious, and made many friends by her cheerful, obliging
manners. But her heart was never at rest; for she had left in Baltimore
a babe little more than a year old. She had not belonged to an unusually
severe master; but she had experienced quite enough of the sufferings of
slavery to dread it for her child. Her thoughts dwelt so much on this
painful subject, that her naturally cheerful character became extremely
saddened. She at last determined to make a bold effort to save her
little one from the liability of being sold, like a calf or pig in the
shambles. She went to see Isaac T. Hopper and communicated to him her
plan. He tried to dissuade her; for he considered the project extremely
dangerous, and well nigh hopeless. But the mother's heart yearned for
her babe, and the incessant longing stimulated her courage to incur all
hazards. To Baltimore she went; her pulses throbbing hard and fast, with
the double excitement of hope and fear. She arrived safely, and went
directly to the house of a colored family, old friends of hers, in whom
she could confide with perfect safety. To her great joy, she found that
they approved her plan, and were ready to assist her. Arrangements were
soon made to convey the child to a place about twenty miles from
Baltimore, where it would be well taken care of, till the mother could
find a safe opportunity to remove it to New Jersey.
Before she had time to take all the steps necessary to insure success in
this undertaking, her master was informed of her being in the city, and
sent constables in pursuit of her. Luckily, her friends were apprized of
this in season to give her warning; and her own courage and ingenuity
proved adequate to the emergency. She disguised herself in sailor's
clothes, and walked boldly to the Philadelphia boat. There she walked
up and down the deck, with her arms folded, smoking a cigar, and
occasionally passing and repassing the constables who had been sent on
board in search of her. These men, having watched till the last moment
for the arrival of a colored woman answering to her description, took
their departure. The boat started, and brought the courageous mother
safely to Philadelphia, where Friend Hopper and others rejoiced over the
history of her hair-breadth escape.
A few weeks after, she went to the place where her child had been left,
and succeeded in bringing it safely away. For a short time, her
happiness seemed to be complete; but when the first flush of joy and
thankfulness had subsided, she began to be harassed with continual fears
lest she and her child should be arrested in some evil hour, and carried
back into slavery. By unremitting industry, and very strict economy, she
strove to lay by money enough to purchase their freedom. She had made
friends by her good conduct and obliging ways, while her maternal
affection and enterprising character excited a good deal of interest
among those acquainted with her history. Donations were occasionally
added to her earnings, and a sum was soon raised sufficient to
accomplish her favorite project. Isaac T. Hopper entered into
negotiation with her master, and succeeded in obtaining manumission for
her and her child.