On page 283 I have spoken of Harriet Tubman. She deserves to be placed
first on the list of American heroines. Having escaped from slavery
twenty-two years ago, she set about devising ways and means to help
her kindred and acquaintances out of bondage. She first succeeded in
leading off her brother, with his wife and several children. Then
she helped her aged parents from slavery in Virginia to a free and
comfortable home in Auburn, N. Y. Thus encouraged she continued for
several years her semi-annual raids into the Southern plantations.
Twelve or fifteen times she went. Most adroitly did she evade the
patrols and the pursuers. Very large sums of money were offered for her
capture, but in vain. She succeeded in assisting nearly two hundred
persons to escape from slavery.
When the war broke out she felt, as she said, that “the good Lord has
come down to deliver my people, and I must go and help him.” She went
into Georgia and Florida, attached herself to the army, performed
an incredible amount of labor as a cook, a laundress, and a nurse,
still more as the leader of soldiers in scouting parties and raids.
She seemed to know no fear and scarcely ever fatigue. They called her
their _Moses_. And several of the officers testified that her services
were of so great value, that she was entitled to a pension from the
Government. The life of this remarkable woman has been written by a
lady,--Mrs. Bradford,--and published in Auburn, N. Y. I hope many of
my readers will procure copies of it, that they may know more about
Harriet Tubman.