Will you allow me, from feelings of sincere gratitude, to dedicate to
you my little Narrative, which, had it not been for you, I never should
have been able to have published; and let me assure you that I shall
ever entertain the most devoted feelings of gratitude, for your kind
and humane interference in my behalf, when I was a helpless slave.
I remain yours, most gratefully,
H. WATSON.
NARRATIVE OF HENRY WATSON.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was born in Virginia, about thirteen miles from Fredericksburg, as
near as I can now recollect, in the year 1813. Mother was a slave, and
belonged to a man by the name of Bibb, whose Christian name I cannot
remember. My mother was called Letty. Slaves seldom have but one name;
and I never heard her called by any other. I was at that time called
Bill. I never had any brother or sister, that I know of. Like the
most of my brothers in bondage, I have no correct account of my age.
Slaves keep the birth of their children by the different seasons of
the year. Children often ask their parents their age. The answer is,
"this planting corn time, you are six, eight, or ten," just as it may
happen to be; but even this knowledge was I deprived of by my master,
who was one of those proud Virginians, whose principal business was
to raise slaves for the market; though I was permitted to remain with
my mother on his plantation until I was about eight years of age. My
mother was the cook at what slaves call the great house. I was allowed
to remain with her at the house. The last time I saw her, she placed
me on the bed, which was in a room adjoining the kitchen, and bid me
go to sleep, saying that she would be back again in a few moments. I
did so; and when I awoke in the morning I found myself in the great
house, wrapped up in a blanket, before the fire. I could not account
for this change that had been made with me through the night. I asked
for my mother, but no one spoke. I went out into the kitchen, where
she used to work. She was not there, and it was evident to me, that
she was gone; where, I knew not. I returned to the house, and implored
my mistress, with tears in my eyes, to tell me where my mother had
gone. She refused, though a mother herself, to give me any satisfaction
whatever. Every exertion was made on my part to find her, or hear
some tidings of her; but all my efforts were unsuccessful; and from
that day I have never seen or heard from her. This cruel separation
brought on a fit of sickness, from which they did not expect I would
recover. The old slave-woman who took care of me during my sickness,
by way of consolation, gave me as much information as she could about
my mother's being taken away. She told me that a slave-dealer drove to
the door in a buggy, and my mother was sent for to come into the house;
when, getting inside, she was knocked down, tied, and thrown into the
buggy, and carried away. As the old woman related these things to me,
I felt as if all hope was gone; that I was forsaken and alone in this
world. More forcibly did I then feel the galling chains of slavery,
the cruelty and barbarism arising from it, than I ever have since. I
resolved, however, to bear with all patiently, till I became large
enough to run away, and search for my mother.
I had recovered from my sickness but a few months, when one day,
looking up the road, I saw a man riding towards the house; I ran with
the rest of the children to hide ourselves until the man had gone. When
I had remained concealed some time, I ventured out again, and found
Mr. Bibb, my master, looking for me, who ordered me into the house;
and when I got there, to my astonishment, I found the man whom we had
hid ourselves from, sitting in the room. After he had inspected me to
his satisfaction, I was ordered out of the room, and went to play,
and had forgotten the whole affair, when my master called me again,
and ordered me to hold the stranger's horse. I did so, and in a few
minutes he came forth and ordered me to mount behind him. This, with
his assistance, I did; but rode only a short distance, when I jumped
from the horse and ran for the house as fast as I could. He succeeded,
however, in overtaking me, and I was again put on the horse, this time
in front of him; and in this way was I carried to Fredericksburg. I
was then placed in the possession of Mr. Janer, better known as Parson
Janer; the man that had bought me being the son of Mr. Janer, who was
one of those jolly, good-natured clergymen, who, while he feasted his
numerous guests in the parlor, starved his slaves in the kitchen. After
remaining there awhile, it was determined to send me to Richmond. The
same man that brought me, came for me and ordered me to take a seat
on the stage-coach, and the next day I found myself in Richmond, and
stopped at the Eagle Hotel, kept by Mr. Holman, where I remained two or
three days, and then was carried to the auction room; entering which, I
found several slaves, seated around the room waiting for the hour of
sale. Some were in tears; others were apparently cheerful. This brought
to my mind my mother, and caused me to shed many tears; but they fell
unheeded. The auctioneer was busy examining the slaves before the sale
commenced. At last everything was ready, and the traffic in human flesh
began. I will attempt to give as accurate an account of the language
and ceremony of a slave auction as I possibly can. "Gentlemen, here
is a likely boy; how much? He is sold for no fault; the owner wants
money. His age is forty. Three hundred dollars is all that I am offered
for him. Please to examine him; he is warranted sound. Boy, pull off
your shirt—roll up your pants—for we want to see if you have been
whipped." If they discover any scars, they will not buy; saying that
the nigger is a bad one. The auctioneer seeing this, cries, "Three
hundred dollars, gentlemen, three hundred dollars. Shall I sell him for
three hundred dollars? I have just been informed by his master, that he
is an honest boy, and belongs to the same church that he does." This
turns the tide frequently, and the bids go up fast; and he is knocked
off for a good sum. After the men and women are sold, the children
are put on the stand. I was the first put up. On my appearance,
several voices cried, "How old is that little nigger?" On hearing
this expression, I again burst into tears, and wept so that I have no
distinct recollection of his answer. I was at length knocked down to
a man whose name was Denton, a slave trader, then purchasing slaves
for the Southern market. His first name I have forgotten. Each one of
the traders has private jails, which are for the purpose of keeping
slaves in; and they are generally kept by some confidential slave.
Denton had one of these jails, to which I was conducted by his trusty
slave; and on entering I found a great many slaves there, waiting to be
sent off as soon as their numbers increased. These jails are enclosed
by a wall about 16 feet high, and the yard-room is for the slaves to
exercise in; and consists of but one room, in which all sexes and ages
are huddled together in a mass. I stayed in this jail but two days,
when the number was completed, and we were called out to form a line.
Horses and wagons were in readiness to carry our provisions and tents,
so that we might camp out at night. Before we had proceeded far, Mr.
Denton gave orders for us to stop, for the purpose of handcuffing some
of the men, which, he said in a loud voice, "had the devil in them."
The men belonging to this drove were all married men, and all leaving
their wives and children behind; he, judging from their tears that
they were unwilling to go, had them made secure. We started again on
our journey, Mr. Denton taking the lead in his sulky; and the driver,
Mr. Thornton, brought up the rear. I will not weary my readers with
the particulars of our march to Tennessee, where we stopped several
days for the purpose of arranging our clothes. While stopping, the men
were hired out to pick cotton. While in Tennessee, we lost four of our
number, who died from exposure on the road. After the lapse of three
weeks, we started again on our journey, and in about four weeks arrived
in Natchez, Miss., and went to our pen, which Mr. Denton had previously
hired for us, and had our irons taken off and our clothes changed;
for Mr. Denton was expecting visitors to examine the flock, as he
would sometimes term us. There was a sign-board in front of the house,
which informed traders that he had on hand, blacksmiths, carpenters,
field-hands; also several sickly ones, whom he would sell very cheap.
In a short time purchasers became plenty, and our number diminished. I
was not sold for several weeks, though I wished to be the first, not
wishing to witness his cruelty to his slaves any longer; for if they
displeased him in the least, he would order them to be stripped, and
tied hand and foot together. He would then have his paddle brought,
which was a board about two feet in length and one inch in thickness,
having fourteen holes bored through it, about an inch in circumference.
This instrument of torture he would apply, until the slave was
exhausted, on parts which the purchaser would not be likely to examine.
This mode of punishment is considered one of the most cruel ever
invented, as the flesh protrudes through these holes at every blow, and
forms bunches and blisters the size of each hole, causing much lameness
and soreness to the person receiving them. This punishment is generally
inflicted in the morning, before visitors come to examine the slaves.
[Illustration: _The Author upon the Auction Block._]
[Illustration: _Whipping with the Paddle, as witnessed by the Author._]
Just before the doors are opened, it is usual for the keeper to grease
the mouths of the slaves, so as to make it appear that they are well
and hearty, and have just done eating fat meat; though they seldom, if
ever, while in the custody of the keeper, taste a morsel of meat of any
kind.
At length, a man made his appearance; the very man of all others
I had ever seen, from whom I should shrink, and be afraid. He was
dark-complexioned, had sharp, grey eyes, a peaked nose, and compressed
lips; indeed, he was a very bad-looking man. I never wish to look upon
his face again. His name was Alexander McNeill, a member of the firm
of McNeill, Fiske & Co. He said he wanted a boy to bring up to suit
himself. He took a great fancy to me, and after some discussion about
the price, agreed at last to give five hundred dollars for me. I quit
my old quarters, and went with my new master to his store. He told me
my duty for the future would be, to wait upon him,—"to jump when I was
spoken to, run when sent upon errands, and if I did not mind my P's and
Q's, I should be flogged like h—l."
As I did not like my new master's appearance, I at once concluded to
please him in all things. But it was all in vain; for the first morning
I was severely flogged for not placing his clothes in the proper
position on the chair. The second morning I received another severe
flogging for not giving his boots as good a polish as he thought they
had been accustomed to. Thus he went on in cruelty, and met every new
effort of mine to please him with fresh blows from his cowhide, which
he kept hung up in his room for that purpose. In a few days he made
arrangements for a journey, on which I was to accompany him. The object
of his journey was made known to me by some of his servants; and, as
that journey turned out to be of great importance to me, I will give
it to the world, as I got it from my author. My master was a married
man. Although I had never seen my mistress, as she was living with
her mother, sixty miles from the city,—she having found out, while
living with her husband in the city, that he had made a wife of one of
his slaves, had left him, and had gone to her mother; and the object
of his journey was to induce her to come back and live with him. I
accompanied him on this journey; and, although he made every effort on
his part to induce her to return, she refused to do so. He returned
to Natchez, enraged at his ill success, and determined never to make
another attempt at reconciliation. He concluded to leave the city, and
he purchased a farm near Vicksburg, on the Mississippi River, upon
which he settled. My master always was a cruel man; but ever since
his unsuccessful effort at reconciliation with his wife, he became a
perfect tyrant, lashing his slaves without mercy. This shows one of the
many ways in which the licentious slaveholder inflicts pain on poor
slaves; robbing them, by force, of their virtue, then lacerating their
backs for having allowed themselves thus to be forced. He had not been
long on his farm before he took another of his slave-women to wife, by
whom he had two children. These children were not treated any better
than any other slave's; the mother being out in the field all the day,
and in his room at night. Upon this farm were one hundred field-hands,
and two house servants, the cook and myself. For the accommodation of
the field-hands there were twenty-seven cabins, one hospital, one jail,
one gin-house; at which house, as in the jail, there are two pair of
stocks, for the torture of slaves. As the stocks on farms are different
in their construction from those commonly used in cities, I will give
a description of them. They consisted of two rough logs, generally
about twelve feet in length, one of them laid upon the ground, with
notches cut in it to fit the neck and arms; the other log, which was
cut with corresponding notches, was placed upon the victim to keep him
in his position. They were fastened at one end by a massive hinge;
and when the sufferer was in them, the other end was secured by a
large padlock. There were other modes of punishing; but these were
used for extreme cases, such as running away, or stealing, &c. On the
occasions of whipping by the stocks, it was my duty to be present;
and at the end of each hundred, to apply salt to the bleeding back
of the sufferer till the blood was stanched, when the whipping was
renewed, until the delinquent had received four or five hundred lashes.
These cruelties were principally inflicted by the overseer, who was a
drunken, quarrelsome person, whom it was impossible to please; and when
he was in liquor he took very great delight in inflicting punishment on
the slaves. Beside the overseer there was a driver, one of the slaves,
named Harry. He had a wife and children, whom, in case of their being
slightly in fault, he would have to lash with an unflinching hand;
there being no sympathy allowed to be shown, between even man and wife.
I will relate a circumstance, which made a very great impression on
my mind at that time. There was a slave on the farm by the name of
Jo. The overseer had threatened to put him in the stocks, for some
trivial offence. Jo, dreading the severity of the punishment, ran away,
which fact was soon brought to my master's knowledge, who ordered
the overseer to shoot him the first time he saw him. The overseer,
being a blood-thirsty fiend, like my master, kept strict watch for
Jo; and the second night, he saw him but a short distance from his
cabin, where he was probably going for the purpose of seeing his
wife, and getting something to eat; but he never saw those eyes light
up with pleasure,—never heard the sweet music of their voices, or
felt their warm embrace,—for the incarnate fiend's aim was too sure;
he was stretched dead in an instant. Yes; this man was hurried into
the presence of his Maker, without the power of speaking one word of
prayer. On the master being informed that his brutal order had been
obeyed, he gave orders that his body should not be removed from the
spot where he fell, as he wished it to serve as an example to the rest
of us; and there it remained, the vultures rioting and feasting on the
remains of a man, whose only fault was a black skin.
Never shall I forget the horrible sensation that passed through my
veins as I gazed upon the mutilated body of this poor man; but alas! I
could do nothing; I was myself a slave. My heart grew sad; I dropped a
tear to his memory and departed, cherishing a hope, that at no distant
day, I would be free. Although these facts were known to the neighbors,
yet no one asked even a question about it. He was a slave; no one cared
for him. I say no one—I am wrong; where was the slave's wife? where
were the slave's children?—had they no tears to shed? Ah! yes, many;
not tears from physical pain; but tears, scalding tears of pure grief.
The husband and father, shot like a dog before them; his bleeding form,
writhing in agony, and the sightless eyeballs glaring upon them; and
they dare not approach to straighten his stiffening limbs, or close his
sightless eyes. Ah! was there not grief? And even this would have been
denied them, had they shown it before this savage monster.
I will not pain my readers with further details of my master's cruelty;
but will give them a few of the monster's laws. They were as follows:
In the morning, half an hour before daylight, the first horn was
blown, at which the slaves arose and prepared themselves for work. At
daylight another horn was blown, at which they all started in a run
for the field, with the driver after them, carrying their provisions
for the day in buckets. In a few moments the overseer would make his
appearance, and give his orders to the driver, who gave them to the
hands. They then went to work, and worked until such time as the
driver thought proper, when he would crack his whip two or three times,
and they would eat their breakfasts, which consisted of strong, rancid
pork, coarse corn bread, and water, which was brought to them by small
children, who were not able to handle the hoe. As soon as Harry, the
driver, has finished his breakfast, they finish likewise, and hang up
their buckets on the fence or trees, and to work they go, without one
moment's intermission until noon, when they take their dinner in the
same manner as their breakfast; which done, they go again to work,
continuing till dark. They then return to their cabins, and have a
half hour to prepare their food for the next day, when the horn is
again blown for bed. If any are found out of their cabins after this
time, they are put in jail and kept till morning, when they generally
receive twenty-five or thirty lashes for their misdemeanor. So it
continues through the week until Sunday, when the women take their
tubs and blankets and start for the brooks, where they dismantle and
robe themselves in their blanket, wash and dry their clothes, put them
on again, and are ready to be at the house at four o'clock to receive
their weekly allowance, which is weighed out to them by the overseer.
The men give their shirts to the women to wash, and take their baskets
or hoes and start for the field. They are generally paid for this extra
work; if they do not work, they are set down as lazy persons, and are
whipped because they will not work for themselves. Thus is the Sabbath
passed. That day of rest and prayer is as other days to the poor slave.
For six years whilst I was on this farm, there was never such a thing
as a slave going to meeting, or hearing the word of God in any form.
Much has been said about the marriage rites of slaves; but there exists
no legal form,—every slaveholder having a form of his own. Permit me,
then, to give to my readers the manner in which my master performed the
ceremony. Whenever a vacancy occurred in any of the cabins of either
sex, of marriageable age, it was immediately filled up by my master
purchasing another slave, either man or woman, as the case might be,
and presenting them to the remaining inmates of the cabin, with the
following words: "Kitty, stand out in the floor; I have bought this
boy to-day for your husband, and I shall expect you to take good care
of him, by washing and mending his clothes. You know my orders to the
overseer; if either of you go to the field on Monday morning without
your clothes being washed, you are to be whipped. You will also take
care of his provisions, which will be weighed out with yours. Have it
cooked and ready in his bucket in time for him to go to the field every
morning. You understand what I have said to you;" which the slave must
answer with a low bow, and replying, "I do, sir." Then he will give
the man the following charge: "Tom, you will take care of this girl
for your wife, by bringing her wood, making her fire, bringing water.
Should your wife or self want anything, you can get it by working
on Sunday, for which I will allow you fifty cents a day, out of the
store." He would then ask them both if they understood his orders. They
would answer as before, by a low bow and courtesy, replying that they
did. He would then pronounce them man and wife, and say to them, "If
you fail to perform any of the duties I have mentioned, you will be
flogged severely."
To give a sketch of all the cruelties that I witnessed on Mr. McNeill's
place, would occupy more space in this little book than I desire. I
will give a description of the manner in which the dead slaves are
disposed of. On the death of a slave, I was sent by my master to the
overseer, requesting him to send two boys to the house. On their
arrival, he would order them to the hospital, or sick-house, as it
is generally called, and they would take the body, fasten it in the
blanket on which he died, put it on the hand-barrow, and carry it to
its place of burial. This was generally done very hastily, on account
of the climate. Thus are they bundled into the earth, without minister
or coffin, or permitting the husband, or wife, or mother, to see the
last disposal of that which has been dear to them on earth.
I was on this farm about six years, five of which I was employed as
house servant; and it is probable that I should have remained in the
house, had I not refused to give him some information respecting a
pig, which two of the men had stolen. This disobedience caused me much
suffering. In the first place, I was severely whipped with a cowskin,
the scars of which punishment I have to this day, and then I was sent
to the field to work,—the place I dreaded mostly. From morning till
night could the whip be heard, accompanied with the cries and groans of
the sufferers, whilst I was employed at the house. I was not under the
direction of the cruel overseer, and consequently escaped his cruelty.
A day seldom passed without witnessing several hundred lashes inflicted
upon the slaves; each individual having a stated number of pounds of
cotton to pick, the deficit of which was made up by as many lashes
being applied to the poor slave's back as he was so unlucky as to fall
short in the number of pounds of cotton which he was to have picked.
As I had not been accustomed to field-work, I found it impossible to
keep up with the others. The overseer, seeing this, came up to me and
asked me if I knew where I was; I said, I did; he then replied, that
I had been at the house so long that I had got the devil in me; and
if I did not keep my row up with the rest, he would give me a hundred
lashes, and that d——d quick. To this I did not reply, but toiled on
to the best of my knowledge, hoping to escape punishment; but all in
vain; frequently was I whipped without any just cause. I do now think
that he made me his particular victim on account of my having been out
of his power so long a time. I am incapable of describing the great
difference between house and field labor. I have, since my settling
in the North, heard many persons, in speaking of slavery as they have
seen it in cities, towns, &c., where it exists in its mildest form,
apologizing for it, holding it forth to the world as a great benefit to
the black man. They say the slaves are nicely fed, clothed, and taken
care of in a very comfortable manner. But, step back in the interior
of slave States, on the plantations, where you see one hundred slaves
in charge of a drunken overseer, thinly clad, and scantily fed; driven
forth to labor from daylight till dark; where a slave for the most
trivial offence may be whipped to death, for in case of death arising
from whipping the overseer is indifferent,—he knows the master cannot
use the word of his slave against him,—he will not acknowledge it
himself. Thus there is nothing to restrain him from using the most
unnatural and inhuman cruelty to the poor slaves.
Towards the end of the year that I was in the field, my suffering
increased to that degree that it caused me to lift my voice to Almighty
God, and pray fervently for a termination of my sufferings in death;
though, at that time, I was ignorant of the blessings of religion. I
have thought that the God of the oppressed heard my prayer and came to
my relief, by changing my situation, under the following circumstances.
About that time, his younger brother, William, visited the farm, with
his wife, and had been at the house some two or three weeks before
I saw him. A few days before he left I was sent for to come to the
house, by the servant whom my master had bought to take my place when
I was put in the field. On my approaching the house, I observed my
master, his brother, and wife, standing in the door looking at me. Mr.
William McNeill spoke to me, and told me that he had bought me. He
then ordered me into the kitchen to wash, and sent me out a pair of
pantaloons and a shirt, in which I appeared much better than in the
ragged covering which I had cast off. I was then sent to the house,
and there he made me acquainted with my duties as a body servant,
which, as they were similar to those of my former master, it would be
useless to describe. As I was delighted with this change, and there
was something so pleasing in the manner of my new master, so different
from that of my old one, I entered into my duties with pleasure. In a
few days I started with my master and mistress for Louisiana to visit
her father's plantation, who was a sugar planter, and a more cruel one
I do not think was to be found in that neighborhood. We remained a
few weeks there, when my master made arrangements to visit Kentucky,
leaving his wife behind. We went up the Mississippi as far as Memphis,
there leaving the boat and taking the stage for Nashville, Tennessee;
and from thence to Lexington, Kentucky. A few days after our arrival,
my master made me acquainted with the object of his visit, which was to
purchase slaves, intending to take them to Mississippi, where he was
going to farming; and he instructed me to tell all slaves who should
inquire of me if he was a good master, that he was, to which I readily
assented; and, as he did not wish to purchase any that were not willing
to go with him, he would frequently send them to me, and I gave them
satisfactory proofs of his kindness. He soon got a sufficient number,
and started for the Mississippi by land. They all started willingly on
their journey, and arrived at its end without any difficulty. This is
to be wondered at, as none of the gang were ironed or shackled in any
way.
My master had purchased a farm about one hundred and eighty miles from
his brother's, my former master; at which we arrived, as I before
stated, without any difficulty. My master remained on the farm until
everything was put in order, when he gave the farm up to the overseer,
and started for his wife, whom he had not seen for six months. When
we arrived at her father's plantation, I was kindly received by my
mistress, and I had begun to hope that master and mistress were both
kind people. But I was soon disappointed; for my mistress had been
brought up in Louisiana, and had witnessed punishment all her life,
and had become hardened to it. On the other hand, my master had spent
a number of years in the State of York, completing his education, and
was unused to such cruelty as yet. As soon as everything was arranged
we started for home, which we reached without accident. My mistress
had two favorite slaves; an old nurse about sixty years of age, and a
maid-servant about fifteen. On our arrival, we were installed in our
new offices: the nurse was to cook; the girl was to attend to the light
duty of the house; I was to take care of the horse and carriage, chop
wood, and any out-door work about the yard. For the first month or two,
everything went on quite smoothly; but soon the cloud grew black, the
storm commenced. My mistress had suppressed the evil passions reigning
within her as long as she was able; but her temper soon burst forth in
all its fury. I had frequently spoken in terms of praise to the cook,
of my mistress; but she always replied, that I was not acquainted with
her yet. I soon perceived a change in the management of the household
affairs. Her first act was to procure a cowhide, which was kept near
for immediate use; and there was scarcely a day but some one of us
felt it administered by her own hand upon our backs. I have seen her
beat the old cook most shockingly; at one time she pushed her into
the fire, and burnt her head very badly. This was the kindness to the
person who had nursed her. Although I have seen her perpetrate some of
the most cruel acts that a human being could, yet I never saw her in a
passion when she was inflicting punishment. She seemed to take delight
in torturing,—in fact, she made it a pastime; she inspired every one
about her with terror. As for myself, I was perfectly terrified when
she approached. I never saw, and never expect to see another person
that I feared so much as I did that woman. She soon exerted her wicked
influence over her husband, who was turned into a mere automaton,
moving at her will; and he became through her a most cruel man, lashing
and goading the slaves as she bid him. For the first few months my
duties were as I have mentioned; but soon they were increased. I had,
for one thing more, to tend the dinner-table every day, and fan my
mistress during her stay at the table. I have designed the cut below to
represent this scene, more clearly than I am able in words. After the
dinner, my mistress retired to the back piazza, to which place I had to
accompany her, where there was a net hung for her amusement. She would
generally lie down in it for an hour or so, and I had there to resume
my fanning, as at dinner. When this was through, I had to bring the
carriage to the door for her to take an airing in. She would ride four
or five miles out and back before tea. I would then take care of my
horse and carriage, and my duties were generally over for the day.
[Illustration: _The Author attending at the Dinner-Table._]
Thus passed about a year of my time with Mr. William McNeill; when,
thinking that the service of a field-hand would be of more value to
him, he made up his mind to part with me. He had promised, when he
bought me, that he would never put me in the field to work. He asked
me, if I thought I could get a master? I told him, I thought I could.
He accordingly gave me a pass to go to Vicksburg, which is one hundred
miles from my master's farm. There I was well acquainted, and thought
I could get a master without any difficulty. I remained there two
or three days looking for a master, but was unsuccessful. It then
occurred to me that I would go to another town, about thirty miles
from Vicksburg, where a gentleman lived who had often spoken of me in
flattering terms. I accordingly started, and reached there in safety,
and called on the gentleman, and presented the letter which my master
had given me. After reading it and asking a few questions, he sent me
into the kitchen. He then went across the street to a house where there
was a drove of slaves for sale, and selected one and brought him over
to me, and asked me, if I thought he would do? I told him, I thought he
would. He placed him in charge of the stage-driver the next morning,
for Mr. McNeill's farm. Thus ended my services with one of the worst
masters on the Mississippi.
I entered the duties of my new situation with pleasure; not that I saw
anything more pleasing in my new master than I did in Mr. McNeill, but
the thought of having left the farm, as I hoped, forever, was a source
of great consolation to me. I do not mention the name of this gentleman
or of any of my subsequent masters, as I do not wish to afford them
the means to trace me. I resolved, when I commenced my new services,
that I would do everything in my power to please my master, so that
he would have no occasion to sell me; and I soon ascertained to my
satisfaction that my efforts were not unsuccessful, for he entrusted
me with the keys of his house,—he not being a married man,—which is
the highest mark of confidence a slave enjoys. I had been with him
but a short time, when I learned that he was training us for a hotel,
which he intended opening in a neighboring city. This information
pleased me much; for I thought the larger the city I was in, the
smaller the chance would be of my getting on a farm. When the hotel was
ready, he started with his servants. We reached there in safety, and
went immediately to the hotel, where we each entered upon the duties
assigned us; mine was in the dining-room, as waiter, a situation not
very desirable on account of not being able to make as much money
from boarders as in other stations in the house. In this situation I
soon learned to gamble, in order to gain money from those who had the
chance of making more than I made. In this wicked business I was very
expert, and had constantly on hand a small stock of money. Slavery has
made labor dishonorable to the white man; and, as they must have means
of living, they generally resort to gambling for support, and as they
cannot always find their own color to rob, they fasten upon the poor,
degraded slave, who has received some little trifle for an extra piece
of labor, to gull from him that which he has paid so dearly for; and I
have spent many Sunday nights, after my work was done, gambling. But,
as about this time there arose a great excitement respecting gamblers,
and having seen, in the city of Vicksburg, five gamblers hung, it
rather tended to stop my nefarious business for awhile. The citizens,
being determined to put a final stop to the practice, searched among
the slaves to punish them for what they had learned from their white
brothers. They accordingly had about one hundred up for examination,
which was carried on very closely; and they came to the conclusion,
that a free colored man and myself were the principals. We were brought
before the court, which was held in the bar-room at the hotel where I
was employed. The court seemed to have some sympathy for the free man.
He was sentenced first to have his left ear cropped, to be tarred and
feathered and put in a boat full of holes, and set adrift down the
river. They appointed a committee to see it put into effect, and they
then proceeded to sentence me. There was some disagreement respecting
what my sentence should be. Some wanted me branded,—others hung; but
they at last agreed that I should have sixty lashes, to be received
at the public whipping-post, and my master to give bonds for me to
keep the peace. So great was the excitement, that for three weeks the
city was kept under martial law. After I had got over my flogging, I
resolved never to gamble again.
Very shortly after this, a circumstance occurred at the coffee-house,
which I have seen noticed in print; but, as I was acquainted with
the parties, and as some of my readers may not have read it, I will
relate it. There was an old slave attached to the house, by the name
of Jim, who was summoned one day to a room where there was two young
slaveholders present. He had scarcely answered their call before he
dropped down, in a fit of apoplexy. "He is dead!" exclaimed one.
"He'll come to," replied the other. "Dead, for five hundred!" "Done!"
retorted the other. The noise of the fall and the confusion which
followed, brought up the owner, who called for a doctor. "No! no! we
must have no interference; there's a bet depending!" "But, Sir, I shall
lose a valuable servant." "Never mind; you can put him down in the
bill!" was their reply. The poor fellow, after suffering some length
of time, finally came to. I merely state this fact, as I could many
others, to show the passion for gaming the Southerners have, and the
brutish manner in which a slave is treated.
Two years of my life passed away without any particular interruption,
when, one Sunday afternoon, I got into a dispute with another slave.
High words were followed by blows; when I got exasperated, having drank
freely of liquor, and stabbed him. I was immediately arrested and put
in jail and kept till morning, when I was examined in court. My master,
in the meantime, had engaged the services of a distinguished lawyer by
the name of S. S. Prentiss, who by his able arguments extricated me
from punishment by law; but recommended my master to flog me, which he
followed to the letter. The slave with whom I had the difficulty was
not injured so as to cause death, and eventually recovered.
I had never been to a meeting of a religious nature since I had been
in the city; but, soon after the difficulty I have just mentioned, my
master changed the hour for dinner, which enabled us to go to church.
There was a Methodist meeting-house on the hill near the jail, to which
our master allowed us all to go every Sunday afternoon, as we could not
go in the forenoon, where we heard the word of the minister preached
to us, who was a white man; the law making it necessary that white
persons should be present at all assemblages of slaves or free negroes.
The object of the slaveholders in having their slaves go to church can
be clearly seen by the following sermon, which, or one very similar to
it, I recollect hearing while worshipping at this church, which has
been published and circulated quite extensively at the South:—"'All
things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even
so unto them:' That is, do by all mankind just as you would desire
they should do by you if you were in their place, and they in yours.
Now, to suit this rule to your particular circumstances: suppose you
were masters and mistresses, and had servants under you; would you
not desire that your servants should do their business faithfully and
honestly, as well when your back was turned as while you were looking
over them? Would you not expect that they should take notice of what
you said to them; that they should behave themselves with respect
towards you and yours; and be as careful of everything belonging to
you, as you would be yourself? You are servants; do, therefore, as you
would wish to be done by, and you will be both good servants to your
masters and to your God, who requires this of you, and will reward you
well for it, if you do it for the sake of conscience, in obedience to
his commands. Take care that you do not fret, or murmur, or grumble at
your condition, for this will not only make your life uneasy, but will
greatly offend Almighty God. Consider, that it is not yourselves; it
is not the people you belong to; it is not the men that have brought
you to it; but it is the will of God, who hath by his wise providence
made you servants, because, no doubt, he knew that condition would be
best for you in this world and help you the better towards heaven, if
you would but do your duty in it; so that any discontent at your not
being free, or rich, or great as some others, is quarrelling with your
Heavenly Master, and finding fault with God himself. There is only one
circumstance which may appear grievous; that I shall now take notice
of,—and that is, correction. Now, let us see what the Scriptures say
on this point. 'The servant that knoweth his master's will and doeth
it not, shall be beaten with many stripes.' Now, does this not apply
directly to yourselves? Now, when correction is given to you, you
either deserve it, or you do not deserve it; but, whether you really
deserve it or not, it is your duty, and Almighty God requires, that you
bear it patiently. You may perhaps think that this is hard doctrine;
but if you consider right, you must needs think otherwise of it.
Suppose, then, that you deserve correction, you cannot but say that it
is right and just you should meet with it. Suppose you do not deserve
it, or at least do not deserve so much punishment for the fault you
have committed, you perhaps have escaped a great many more, and are
at last paid for all. Or, suppose you are quite innocent of what is
laid to your charge, and suffer wrongfully in that particular thing;
is it not possible you may have done some other bad thing, which was
never discovered, and that Almighty God, who saw you doing it, would
not let you escape without punishment some time or another? and ought
you not in such a case to give glory to him, and be thankful that he
would rather punish you in this world for your wickedness than destroy
your souls for it in the next? But, suppose that this even was not the
case,—a case hardly to be imagined; and that you have by no means,
known or unknown, deserved the correction you have received, there is
this great comfort in it, that if you bear it patiently and leave your
cause in the hands of God, he will reward you for it in heaven; and
this punishment you suffer unjustly here, shall turn to your exceeding
great glory hereafter."
Such, my readers, is the doctrine which is preached to the poor slave;
and I could add many more specimens of it, if space would permit.
They are made to believe that God made them slaves, that they are
always to remain slaves, and bear with patience and humility the
unjust punishment they receive on earth, that it may be to their glory
hereafter. Is it not an unpardonable sin for man thus to defile the
holy sanctuary, and pollute the sacred word of God by using it for such
base purposes? But comment is unnecessary; the diabolical facts show
fairly enough of themselves, without my attempting to bring them out
any more. The cut represents a number of slaves listening to preaching
of this kind.
[Illustration: _The Author in attendance on Public Worship._]
I remained at this place about four years, when I was hired out to a
genteel sportsman, whom I was with for nine months, and in that time I
travelled a great deal with him, and witnessed much of the sufferings
of my brothers and sisters in bondage. But, from having seen so much,
my heart began to grow less feeling for the sufferings of others, and
even indifferent to my own punishment. My time having expired, I was
sent back to my master. In travelling with this man, whose name I will
not mention, I had cherished the idea of being my own master; but,
returning to the State of Mississippi, my hopes left me for awhile,
for it is almost a matter of impossibility for a slave to escape, on
account of its situation; and added to that, there are men who do
nothing else but hunt fugitive slaves with hounds that are so well
trained, that they do, as they advertise, take slaves without scarring
them enough to injure their value. I have said, my hope for freedom
had left me. I am wrong; it was suppressed only, and it grew stronger
from being suppressed, for I had determined to be free whenever an
opportunity should present itself. I had to be extremely careful in
my deportment, more attentive if possible to my duty, so that there
should be no suspicion that I had made up my mind to run away; for the
slaveholder watches every movement of the slave, and if he is downcast
or sad,—in fact, if they are in any mood but laughing and singing,
and manifesting symptoms of perfect content at heart,—they are said
to have the devil in them, which is the common term; and they are
often whipped or sold for their supposed wicked intentions. But as
for myself, the more I reflected upon my situation, the more cheerful
I appeared to be. About this time a change came over my master's
affairs, which caused me to be transferred into another's hands, which
change I afterwards found to be of great benefit to me. To my great
joy and satisfaction, I soon left this town; for I had made up my mind
that it was one of the most wicked places that I had ever been in. We
arrived at our place of destination without accident. I served this
man as body-servant for some time, when, being known as a good waiter,
I was hired out to the proprietor of a large hotel. In this situation
I was endeavoring to gain all the information I could respecting the
northern States, and the means of escape; but I could not obtain much
satisfaction on this point, as white persons visiting the hotels are
very careful what they say in the presence of the slaves. About six
months after I had been at the hotel, there came a gentleman from
the North, who seemed to manifest a great deal of sympathy for my
situation, and who afterwards proved to be my deliverer from bondage,
whose name I can give, if called for. He lives in the city of Boston.
Yes; through him I am enabled to sit this minute at my own table, and
also to worship God according to the dictates of my own conscience,
and pray fervently for the great day of universal emancipation; when
the husband may return to his wife; the child to the mother; when the
clanking of chains, the crack of the whip, the cries of the bleeding
bondmen, shall no more ascend to heaven.
But I am wandering from the subject of my escape. One day, this
gentleman, my deliverer, who had become quite well acquainted with
me, overheard some remarks of mine, which caused him to ask me the
following questions: first, "Are you a slave?" to which I replied, I
was. He said, that he had all along thought me to be a free man. He
then asked, who my master was? I told him. "Why don't you run away?"
said he. I told him, with a laugh, I knew not where to go. At this
moment, the bell which called me to my duty, rang, and I had to leave
him; but with the determination to renew the conversation at the
earliest opportunity, for it was what I had been long looking for,—a
friend to consult with on the subject of freedom. The same night I
had another opportunity to converse with him; and, finding that I was
determined to escape, he informed me of the security the northern
states afforded for slaves, the feeling of the free people of color
living there, and of the great anti-slavery movement there, a subject
which I was entirely ignorant of before; and he then offered me the
means of escape. He told me that there was a ship lying at the wharf,
that would soon sail for the North, and that he was acquainted with
some persons on board, whom he could get to interfere in my behalf. I
had hoped that he would be able to make all arrangements without my
going on board, but I was disappointed; for he told me that at twelve
o'clock the same day, in case of not seeing him before that time, to
go on board, and inquire for the captain; on seeing him, to make my
bow to him, to look up unabashed, and ask him for a passage. He will
ask you, where your home is? You must tell him, in Boston; for I have
told you so much about it, that you can give him the information he
will ask for. I told him, I thought I could. Should he ask you where in
Boston you live, you may tell him at the North End. Should he ask you
what street in Boston you live, tell him, in Ann street. Should he ask
you, how Ann street runs, tell him, it runs parallel with Commercial
street; saying this, turn away with a laugh from the captain, telling
him he needs no information about the streets of Boston, as he knows
as well as you do of their situations. These questions he made me
answer to him many times; and fortunate for me that he did, for I
found them of great value to me. He then left me, charging me to go on
board precisely at twelve o'clock, if I did not see him before that
time. I spent all the rest of the morning in repeating my simple, but
important catechism,—quite as much so to me in my situation as ever
the famous Shorter Catechism, of Westminster Assembly notoriety, was to
a youngster just receiving his first theological lesson from the lips
of a Presbyterian parent, anxious to save the soul of his child; well
will it be for all who repeat that important religious catechism, if it
renders them as effectual service, in saving their souls, as mine did
in saving my body and soul from slavery's cursed hell,—and thinking
of the hour, waiting with impatience its approach, and yet dreading
its coming; for I had seen so many slaves brought back, and witnessed
the dreadful punishment they have received for attempting to get their
freedom, that I shuddered at the consequences of detection. The hour at
last arrived. My friend had not returned, and I started for the ship;
but, as I came in sight of it, my courage forsook me. I feared that I
should not be able to appear manly and fearless. Had I not been brought
under the lash of the white man? had not everything of a manly nature
been beaten out of me? had I not been taught that I was a slave,—that
I was ever to remain a slave? that it was the wish of Almighty God that
I should be content with my situation? But my readers will excuse me
for deviating from my narration to excuse the cowardly feelings which
then induced me to turn back. But as I did so, I paused for a moment;
and the thought of freedom—delicious freedom—came rushing over me,
and filled my soul with pleasure, and I determined to persevere.
Conning over my catechism again, I retraced my steps for the ship; and
as it again came to my view, I felt like a new man, and that I would
attempt it if it cost me my life. I went on board with a firm step, and
inquired for the captain. I was shown him, and about the same questions
were asked me that my kind friend had prepared me to answer. About
the close of our interview the idea came to me, that, should he ask
me for my free papers, what could I say,—what should I do? for I had
none; and these thoughts came very near making me forget how to answer
my last question, which was, the situation of Ann street. I however
answered as I had been instructed, and took a step or two forward. On
returning, I met the steward, who had just come out of the cabin, whom
I had never seen before; and to my surprise he came up and addressed
me in a manner that would indicate his having known me from boyhood,
and asked me when I had heard from, and when I was going, home? I told
him, that I had just applied to the captain for a passage. At this, he
turned to the captain, and told him that he should want some assistance
on the home passage; and, as I was an old acquaintance of his, he
would like to have me go with him. The captain, seeing the supposed
familiarity that was between us, replied that he would take me for half
price, which was fifteen dollars. This was another blow, which I did
not know how to avert; but the kind steward, seeing the dilemma that
I was in, kindly offered to become responsible for the money. Oh! how
joyful I then felt. I was lighter in body and mind, as if some crushing
weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I left the ship and ran home,
half crying and laughing, to think the day of my liberty was so near at
hand. I reached the hotel in a state of mind impossible to describe. I
however saw the necessity of suppressing my extraordinary joy, so that
it would not be observed and lead to questioning me. I accordingly went
to work concealing my thoughts, and looked eagerly for the day that
the ship was to sail; for the captain had informed me when he would be
ready to leave.
The day at length arrived for the sailing of the ship; and one hour
before she sailed I went on board, with the clothes I was at work in,
not daring to take a thing with me, although I had plenty at the hotel,
for fear that it would excite suspicion. I stood upon the deck looking
at every person about me, thinking that the excuse I could give if
interrogated there would be more plausible than if I were in the cabin
or any other part of the ship. Finally, the steamboat which was to take
us down the river came up alongside and was made fast. As this was
going on I ventured to turn my head, and on the boat saw a man, whom
I thought I had seen at the hotel. The thought came to me, should he
see me, he might inform my master. I immediately feigned sickness, and
stooped down over the rail of the vessel and made a piteous moaning,
which attracted the attention of the captain, who ordered the steward
to come to my relief. He came and assisted me down between decks,
and laid me upon some old sails and ropes, telling me to remain there
until he called me. In a short time he came and brought a glass half
full of brandy, thick with cayenne pepper, for me to drink. I drank it,
and for some minutes it made me think that I was all on fire within.
This was to avoid suspicion. The steamer took us down the Mississippi,
passed the city of New Orleans, and left us at the outside the Balize,
at which time I had not appeared on deck, nor did I until the boat
had left the ship and she had set her sails for sea; then I left my
hiding-place, with my hands on my stomach. The captain then came up to
me, and looking me full in the face, asked me, if I had got well? I
told him, I was better. He said that I had better do some light work,
and it would probably wear off. I then busied myself about the ship,
endeavoring to make myself as useful as I could. We had a pleasant
passage of twenty-nine days, and arrived in Boston without anything
special happening. I have taken care to suppress the captain's name,
and the name of his ship, knowing that should it be known it would
cause him difficulty; and I never have given either since I have been a
free man. The money which the steward paid for my passage I was able to
refund to him in about a year afterwards.
Thus twenty-six years, the prime of my life, had passed away in
slavery, I having witnessed it in all its forms; and I can with safety
say, that there is no good in it; and I can never hear any person
apologizing for it without pronouncing them to be meddling with that
they know nothing of. I remained concealed for three weeks in the house
of Mr. Wright, fearing to trust myself with any one, not knowing who
was my friend. But, finding myself destitute, I at length ventured
out, and my case became known among the people of color. I was directed
to that friend and champion of the slave, William L. Garrison, who
ever stands ready to assist and advise the panting fugitive. To him I
told my history; and, after giving me pecuniary assistance, he advised
me to leave the country and go to Canada, or England. As I considered
his advice wholesome, I determined to follow it; and left the office
in company with Mr. Nell, a gentleman of color, who had accompanied me
there, and who is since deceased. As I proceeded down street, we met a
gentleman whom Mr. Nell knew. This gentleman was inquiring for some one
to work for him on board a vessel. I was introduced to him and accepted
his proposals, and stayed with him a sufficient time to accumulate
enough to leave the land of Bibles and whips, where there is no place
for the fugitive to rest his weary feet. But, in justice to my late
employer, the Hon. Josiah Sturgis, who I found to be my best friend, I
would state, that he is a man possessed of a noble and generous heart;
and that he is ever ready to assist the destitute who apply to him.
Once more I set sail for the land of freemen; and, when I touched the
soil of Britain, I felt that I was safe,—that I then was, in reality,
free. On my passage out, there was a gentleman by the name of Hodges
on board, who, having found that I was going to leave the ship, he
hired me to travel with him. I accordingly entered into his service,
and travelled over a large portion of England with him; and wherever
I went, I was treated like a man. They looked not at the color of my
skin, but judged me from my internal qualifications.
But, as I have been more lengthy in this little Narrative than I
intended, I will bring it to a close; sincerely hoping that it will
interest my readers, and tend to ameliorate the condition of my three
millions of brothers and sisters in bondage, as well as throw some
light upon the condition of the slaves in Mississippi; the narratives
of other fugitives having for their scenes other States. After
remaining a few months in England, I judged it best for me to return to
America, which I accordingly did.
This Narrative by no means covers the whole ground of my experience
under slavery's iron protection; for I could easily fill a much larger
space than this with accounts of what I have seen and felt of the
kindly influences of that patriarchal institution, standing as it does
(as McDuffie has well said) "at the corner stone of our republican
edifice." Perhaps, hereafter, I may furnish some more facts respecting
its heavenly character.
Before closing this little Narrative, by the request of a number of
friends, I will state some facts in relation to the escape of my wife.
She was a slave, in Maryland; was born about one hundred miles from
Baltimore. Her mother was liberated at the death of her master, and
left five children in slavery, including my wife. Her mother removed
to the North, where she had six other children. She is now dead, and
the family are scattered. My wife remained at her birth-place until she
was old enough to be hired out, then was taken to Baltimore and put to
work. There she remained until she made her escape. The circumstances
connected with her escape I will not repeat, lest I should block up the
way, or affect the business of the under-ground railroad.
As she lived in a State where slavery subsisted in its mildest form,
her experience in it was far different from many. She knew nothing
comparatively of the grossest form of it; but notwithstanding this she
cordially detests slavery, and is an earnest anti-slavery worker.
When toil-worn and care-worn, when well-nigh disheartened from all
this care and toil, I have invariably been sustained by the sympathy
and kind words of my wife. Truly, in the language of Scripture, she is
"an ever present help in time of need." When, saddened in spirit by
a reflection that my brethren are still groaning in bondage, I have
found—from her former situation as a slave, being equally a sufferer
with myself—she could enter into my feelings and cheer me with hopes
of the approaching time of their liberation.
By the advice of my wife I destroyed the advertisement of my master,
thinking my safety was endangered by it. Had it been in my possession
now, I would have given the form without the name in connection with
it.
APPENDIX.
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