The Underground Railroad
that, whilst the Committee gladly received and aided all who might come
or be brought to them, they never employed agents or captains to go into
the South with a view of enticing or running off slaves. So when
captains operated, they did so with the full understanding that they
alone were responsible for any failures attending their movements.
The way is now clear to present Captain F. with his schooner lying at
the wharf in Norfolk, loading with wheat, and at the same time with
twenty-one fugitives secreted therein. While the boat was thus lying at
her mooring, the rumor was flying all over town that a number of slaves
had escaped, which created a general excitement a degree less, perhaps,
than if the citizens had been visited by an earthquake. The mayor of the
city with a posse of officers with axes and long spears repaired to
Captain F.'s boat. The fearless commander received his Honor very
coolly, and as gracefully as the circumstances would admit. The mayor
gave him to understand who he was, and by what authority he appeared on
the boat, and what he meant to do. "Very well," replied Captain F.,
"here I am and this is my boat, go ahead and search." His Honor with his
deputies looked quickly around, and then an order went forth from the
mayor to "spear the wheat thoroughly." The deputies obeyed the command
with alacrity. But the spears brought neither blood nor groans, and the
sagacious mayor obviously concluded that he was "barking up the wrong
tree." But the mayor was not there for nothing. "Take the axes and go to
work," was the next order; and the axe was used with terrible effect by
one of the deputies. The deck and other parts of the boat were chopped
and split; no greater judgment being exercised when using the axe than
when spearing the wheat; Captain F. all the while wearing an air of
utter indifference or rather of entire composure. Indeed every step they
took proved conclusively that they were wholly ignorant with regard to
boat searching. At this point, with remarkable shrewdness, Captain F.
saw wherein he could still further confuse them by a bold strategical
move. As though about out of patience with the mayor's blunders, the
captain instantly reminded his Honor that he had "stood still long
enough" while his boat was being "damaged, chopped up," &c. "Now if you
want to search," continued he, "give me the axe, and then point out the
spot you want opened and I will open it for you very quick." While
uttering these words he presented, as he was capable of doing, an
indignant and defiant countenance, and intimated that it mattered not
where or when a man died provided he was in the right, and as though he
wished to give particularly strong emphasis to what he was saying, he
raised the axe, and brought it down edge foremost on the deck with
startling effect, at the same time causing the splinters to fly from the
boards. The mayor and his posse seemed, if not dreadfully frightened,
completely confounded, and by the time Captain F. had again brought down
his axe with increased power, demanding where they would have him open,
they looked as though it was time for them to retire, and in a few
minutes after they actually gave up the search and left the boat without
finding a soul. Daniel in the lions' den was not safer than were the
twenty-one passengers secreted on Captain F.'s boat. The law had been
carried out with a vengeance, but did not avail with this skilled
captain. The "five dollars" were paid for being searched, the amount
which was lawfully required of every captain sailing from Virginia. And
the captain steered direct for the City of Brotherly Love. The wind of
heaven favoring the good cause, he arrived safely in due time, and
delivered his precious freight in the vicinity of Philadelphia within
the reach of the Vigilance Committee. The names of the passengers were
as follows:
ALAN TATUM, DANIEL CARR, MICHAEL VAUGHN, THOMAS NIXON, FREDERICK NIXON,
PETER PETTY, NATHANIEL GARDENER, JOHN BROWN, THOMAS FREEMAN, JAMES
FOSTER, GODFREY SCOTT, WILLIS WILSON, NANCY LITTLE, JOHN SMITH, FRANCIS
HAINES, DAVID JOHNSON, PHILLIS GAULT, ALICE JONES, NED WILSON, and SARAH
C. WILSON, and one other, who subsequently passed on, having been
detained on account of sickness. These passengers were most
"likely-looking articles;" a number of them, doubtless, would have
commanded the very highest prices in the Richmond market. Among them
were some good mechanics--one excellent dress-maker, some "prime"
waiters and chambermaids;--men and women with brains, some of them
evincing remarkable intelligence and decided bravery, just the kind of
passengers that gave the greatest satisfaction to the Vigilance
Committee. The interview with these passengers was extremely
interesting. Each one gave his or her experience of Slavery, the escape,
etc., in his or her own way, deeply impressing those who had the
privilege of seeing and hearing them, with the fact of the growing
spirit of Liberty, and the wonderful perception and intelligence
possessed by some of the sons of toil in the South. While all the names
of these passengers were duly entered on the Underground Rail Road
records, the number was too large, and the time they spent with the
attempts to escape were made by Daniel, after being sold to North
Carolina; for this offence, he was on one occasion stripped naked, and
flogged severely. This did not cure him. Prior to his joining Captain
F.'s party, he had fled to the swamps, and dwelt there for three months,
surrounded with wild animals and reptiles, and it was this state of
solitude that he left directly before finding Captain F. Daniel had a
wife in Portsmouth, to whom he succeeded in paying a private visit,
when, to his unspeakable joy, he made the acquaintance of the noble
Captain F., whose big heart was delighted to give him a passage North.
Daniel, after being sold, had been allowed, within the two years, only
one opportunity of visiting his wife; being thus debarred he resolved to
escape. His wife, whose name was Hannah, had three
children--slaves--their names were Sam, Dan, and "baby." The name of the
latter was unknown to him.
MICHAEL VAUGHN. Michael was about thirty-one years of age, with superior
physical proportions, and no lack of common sense. His color was without
paleness--dark and unfading, and his manly appearance was quite
striking. Michael belonged to a lady, whom he described as a "very
disagreeable woman." "For all my life I have belonged to her, but for
the last eight years I have hired my time. I paid my mistress $120 a
year; a part of the time I had to find my board and all my clothing."
This was the direct, and unequivocal testimony that Michael gave of his
slave life, which was the foundation for alleging that his mistress was
a "very disagreeable woman."
Michael left a wife and one child in Slavery; but they were not owned by
his mistress. Before escaping, he felt afraid to lead his companion into
the secret of his contemplated movements, as he felt, that there was no
possible way for him to do anything for her deliverance; on the other
hand, any revelation of the matter might prove too exciting for the poor
soul;--her name was Esther. That he did not lose his affection for her
whom he was obliged to leave so unceremoniously, is shown by the
appended letter:
NEW BEDFORD, August 22d, 1855.
DEAR SIR:--I send you this to inform you that I expect my wife
to come that way. If she should, you will direct her to me. When
I came through your city last Fall, you took my name in your
office, which was then given you, Michael Vaughn; since then my
name is William Brown, No. 130 Kempton street. Please give my
wife and child's name to Dr. Lundy, and tell him to attend to it
for me. Her name is Esther, and the child's name Louisa.
Truly yours,
WILLIAM BROWN.
Michael worked in a foundry. In church fellowship he was connected with
the Methodists--his mistress with the Baptists.
THOMAS NIXON was about nineteen years of age, of a dark hue, and quite
intelligent. He had not much excuse to make for leaving, except, that he
was "tired of staying" with his "owner," as he "feared he might be sold
some day," so he "thought" that he might as well save him the trouble.
Thomas belonged to a Mr. Bockover, a wholesale grocer, No. 12 Brewer
street. Thomas left behind him his mother and three brothers. His father
was sold away when he was an infant, consequently he never saw him.
Thomas was a member of the Methodist Church; his master was of the same
persuasion.
FREDERICK NIXON was about thirty-three years of age, and belonged truly
to the wide-awake class of slaves, as his marked physical and mental
appearance indicated. He had a more urgent excuse for escaping than
Thomas; he declared that he fled because, his owner wanted "to work him
hard without allowing him any chance, and had treated him rough."
Frederick was also one of Mr. Bockover's chattels; he left his wife,
Elizabeth, with four children in bondage. They were living in Eatontown,
North Carolina. It had been almost one year since he had seen them. Had
he remained in Norfolk he had not the slightest prospect of being
reunited to his wife and children, as he had been already separated from
them for about three years. This painful state of affairs only increased
his desire to leave those who were brutal enough to make such havoc in
his domestic relations.
PETER PETTY was about twenty-four years of age, and wore a happy
countenance; he was a person of agreeable manners, and withal pretty
smart. He acknowledged, that he had been owned by Joseph Boukley, Hair
Inspector. Peter did not give Mr. Boukley a very good character,
however; he said, that Mr. B. was "rowdyish in his habits, was deceitful
and sly, and would sell his slaves any time. Hard bondage--something
like the children of Israel," was his simple excuse for fleeing. He
hired his time of his master, for which he was compelled to pay $156 a
year. When he lost time by sickness or rainy weather, he was required to
make up the deficiency, also find his clothing. He left a
wife--Lavinia--and one child, Eliza, both slaves. Peter communicated to
his wife his secret intention to leave, and she acquiesced in his going.
He left his parents also. All his sisters and brothers had been sold.
Peter would have been sold too, but his owner was under the impression,
that he was "too good a Christian" to violate the laws by running away.
Peter's master was quite a devoted Methodist, and was attached to the
same Church with Peter. While on the subject of religion, Peter was
asked about the kind and character of preaching that he had been
accustomed to hear; whereupon he gave the following graphic specimen:
"Servants obey your masters; good servants make good masters; when your
mistress speaks to you don't pout out your mouths; when you want to go
to church ask your mistress and master," etc., etc. Peter declared, that
he had never heard but one preacher speak against slavery, and that "one
was obliged to leave suddenly for the North." He said, that a Quaker
lady spoke in meeting against Slavery one day, which resulted in an
outbreak, and final breaking up of the meeting.
PHILLIS GAULT. Phillis was a widow, about thirty years of age; the blood
of two races flowed in about equal proportions through her veins. Such
was her personal appearance, refinement, manners, and intelligence, that
had the facts of her slave life been unknown, she would have readily
passed for one who had possessed superior advantages. But the facts in
her history proved, that she had been made to feel very keenly the
horrifying effects of Slavery; not in the field, for she had never