The Underground Railroad
swiftly I would have wrote before but circumstances would not
permit me Miss Sanders and all the friends desired to be
remembered to you and your family I shall be pleased to hear
from the underground rail road often.
Yours respectfully,
MARY D. ARMSTEAD.
* * * * *
ANTHONY BLOW, ALIAS HENRY LEVISON.
SECRETED TEN MONTHS BEFORE STARTING--EIGHT DAYS STOWED AWAY ON A STEAMER
BOUND FOR PHILADELPHIA.
Arrived from Norfolk, about the 1st of November, 1854. Ten months before
starting, Anthony had been closely concealed. He belonged to the estate
of Mrs. Peters, a widow, who had been dead about one year before his
concealment.
On the settlement of his old mistress' estate, which was to take place
one year after her death, Anthony was to be transferred to Mrs. Lewis, a
daughter of Mrs. Peters (the wife of James Lewis, Esq.). Anthony felt
well satisfied that he was not the slave to please the "tyrannical
whims" of his anticipated master, young Lewis, and of course he hated
the idea of having to come under his yoke. And what made it still more
unpleasant for Anthony was that Mr. Lewis would frequently remind him
that it was his intention to "sell him as soon as he got possession--the
first day of January." "I can get fifteen hundred dollars for you
easily, and I will do it." This contemptuous threat had caused Anthony's
blood to boil time and again. But Anthony had to take the matter as
calmly as possible, which, however, he was not always able to do.
At any rate, Anthony concluded that his "young master had counted the
chickens before they were hatched." Indeed here Anthony began to be a
deep thinker. He thought, for instance, that he had already been shot
three times, at the instance of slave-holders. The first time he was
shot was for refusing a flogging when only eighteen years of age. The
second time, he was shot in the head with squirrel shot by the sheriff,
who was attempting to arrest him for having resisted three "young white
ruffians," who wished to have the pleasure of beating him, but got
beaten themselves. And in addition to being shot this time, Anthony was
still further "broke in" by a terrible flogging from the Sheriff. The
third time Anthony was shot he was about twenty-one years of age. In
this instance he was punished for his old offence--he "would not be
whipped."
This time his injury from being shot was light, compared with the two
preceding attacks. Also in connection with these murderous conflicts, he
could not forget that he had been sold on the auction block. But he had
still deeper thinking to do yet. He determined that his young master
should never get "fifteen hundred dollars for him on the 1st of
January," unless he got them while he (Anthony) was running. For Anthony
had fully made up his mind that when the last day of December ended, his
bondage should end also, even if he should have to accept death as a
substitute. He then began to think of the Underground Rail Road and of
Canada; but who the agents were, or how to find the depot, was a serious
puzzle to him. But his time was getting so short he was convinced that
whatever he did would have to be done quickly. In this frame of mind he
found a man who professed to know something about the Underground Rail
Road, and for "thirty dollars" promised to aid him in the matter.
The thirty dollars were raised by the hardest effort and passed over to
the pretended friend, with the expectation that it would avail greatly
in the emergency. But Anthony found himself sold for thirty dollars, as
nothing was done for him. However, the 1st day of January arrived, but
Anthony was not to be found to answer to his name at roll call. He had
"took out" very early in the morning. Daily he prayed in his place of
concealment how to find the U.G.R.R. Ten months passed away, during
which time he suffered almost death, but persuaded himself to believe
that even that was better than slavery. With Anthony, as it has been
with thousands of others similarly situated, just as everything was
looking the most hopeless, word came to him in his place of concealment
that a friend named Minkins, employed on the steamship City of Richmond,
would undertake to conceal him on the boat, if he could be crowded in a
certain place, which was about the only spot that would be perfectly
safe. This was glorious news to Anthony; but it was well for him that he
was ignorant of the situation that awaited him on the boat, or his heart
might have failed him. He was willing, however, to risk his life for
freedom, and, therefore, went joyfully.
The hiding-place was small and he was large. A sitting attitude was the
only way he could possibly occupy it. He was contented. This place was
"near the range, directly over the boiler," and of course, was very
warm. Nevertheless, Anthony felt that he would not murmur, as he knew
what suffering was pretty well, and especially as he took it for granted
that he would be free in about a day and a half--the usual time it took
the steamer to make her trip. At the appointed hour the steamer left
Norfolk for Philadelphia, with Anthony sitting flat down in his U.G.R.R.
berth, thoughtful and hopeful. But before the steamer had made half her
distance the storm was tossing the ship hither and thither fearfully.
Head winds blew terribly, and for a number of days the elements seemed
perfectly mad. In addition to the extraordinary state of the weather,
when the storm subsided the fog took its place and held the mastery of
the ship with equal despotism until the end of over seven days, when
finally the storm, wind, and fog all disappeared, and on the eighth day
of her boisterous passage the steamship City of Richmond landed at the
wharf of Philadelphia, with this giant and hero on board who had
suffered for ten months in his concealment on land and for eight days on
the ship.
Anthony was of very powerful physical proportions, being six feet three
inches in height, quite black, very intelligent, and of a temperament
that would not submit to slavery. For some years his master, Col.
Cunnagan, had hired him out in Washington, where he was accused of being
in the schooner Pearl, with Capt. Drayton's memorable "seventy fugitives
on board, bound for Canada." At this time he was stoker in a machine
shop, and was at work on an anchor weighing "ten thousand pounds." In
the excitement over the attempt to escape in the Pearl, many were
arrested, and the officers with irons visited Anthony at the machine
shop to arrest him, but he declined to let them put the hand-cuffs on
him, but consented to go with them, if permitted to do so without being
ironed. The officers yielded, and Anthony went willingly to the jail.
Passing unnoticed other interesting conflicts in his hard life, suffice
it to say, he left his wife, Ann, and three children, Benjamin, John and
Alfred, all owned by Col. Cunnagan. In this brave-hearted man, the
Committee felt a deep interest, and accorded him their usual
hospitalities.
PERRY JOHNSON, OF ELKTON, MARYLAND.
EYE KNOCKED OUT, ETC.
Perry's exit was in November, 1853. He was owned by Charles Johnson, who
lived at Elkton. The infliction of a severe "flogging" from the hand of
his master awakened Perry to consider the importance of the U.G.R.R.
Perry had the misfortune to let a "load of fodder upset," about which
his master became exasperated, and in his agitated state of mind he
succeeded in affixing a number of very ugly stationary marks on Perry's
back. However, this was no new thing. Indeed he had suffered at the
hands of his mistress even far more keenly than from these "ugly marks."
He had but one eye; the other he had been deprived of by a terrible
stroke with a cowhide in the "hand of his mistress." This lady he
pronounced to be a "perfect savage," and added that "she was in the
habit of cowhiding any of her slaves whenever she felt like it, which
was quite often." Perry was about twenty-eight years of age and a man of
promise. The Committee attended to his wants and forwarded him on North.
* * * * *
ISAAC FORMAN, WILLIAM DAVIS, AND WILLIS REDICK.
HEARTS FULL OF JOY FOR FREEDOM--VERY ANXIOUS FOR WIVES IN SLAVERY.
These passengers all arrived together, concealed, per steamship City of
Richmond, December, 1853. Isaac Forman, the youngest of the
party--twenty-three years of age and a dark mulatto--would be considered
by a Southerner capable of judging as "very likely." He fled from a
widow by the name of Mrs. Sanders, who had been in the habit of hiring
him out for "one hundred and twenty dollars a year." She belonged in
Norfolk, Va.; so did Isaac. For four years Isaac had served in the
capacity of steward on the steamship Augusta. He stated that he had a
wife living in Richmond, and that she was confined the morning he took
the U.G.R.R. Of course he could not see her. The privilege of living in
Richmond with his wife "had been denied him." Thus, fearing to render
her unhappy, he was obliged to conceal from her his intention to escape.
"Once or twice in the year was all the privilege allowed" him to visit
her. This only added "insult to injury," in Isaac's opinion; wherefore
he concluded that he would make one less to have to suffer thus, and
common sense said he was wise in the matter. No particular charges are
found recorded on the U.G.R.R. books against the mistress. He went to
Canada.
In the subjoined letters (about his wife) is clearly revealed the
sincere gratitude he felt towards those who aided him: at the same time
it may be seen how the thought of his wife being in bondage grieved his
heart. It would have required men with stone hearts to have turned deaf
ears to such appeals. Extract from letter soon after reaching
Canada--hopeful and happy--
EXTRACT OF LETTER FROM ISAAC FORMAN.
TORONTO, Feb. 20th, 1854.
MR. WILLIAM STILL:--_Sir_--Your kind letter arrived safe at hand
on the 18th, and I was very happy to receive it. I now feel that
I should return you some thanks for your kindness. Dear sir I do
pray from the bottom of my heart, that the high heavens may
bless you for your kindness; give my love to Mr. Bagnel and Mr.
Minkins, ask them if they have heard anything from my brother,
tell Mr. Bagnel to give my love to my sister-in-law and mother
and all the family. I am now living at Russell's Hotel; it is
the first situation I have had since I have been here and I like
it very well. Sir you would oblige me by letting me know if Mr.
Minkins has seen my wife; you will please let me know as soon as
possible. I wonder if Mr. Minkins has thought of any way that he
can get my wife away. I should like to know in a few days.
Your well wisher,
ISAAC FORMAN.
Another letter from Isaac. He is very gloomy and his heart is almost
breaking about his wife.
SECOND LETTER.
TORONTO, May 7,1854.
MR. W. STILL:--_Dear Sir_--I take this opportunity of writing
you these few lines and hope when they reach you they will find
you well. I would have written you before, but I was waiting to
hear from my friend, Mr. Brown. I judge his business has been of
importance as the occasion why he has not written before. Dear
sir, nothing would have prevented me from writing, in a case of
this kind, except death.
My soul is vexed, my troubles are inexpressible. I often feel as
if I were willing to die. I must see my wife in short, if not, I
will die. What would I not give no tongue can utter. Just to
gaze on her sweet lips one moment I would be willing to die the
next. I am determined to see her some time or other. The thought