The Underground Railroad
About the 31st of May, 1856, an exceedingly anxious state of feeling
existed with the active Committee in Philadelphia. In the course of
twenty-four hours four arrivals had come to hand from different
localities. The circumstances connected with the escape of each party,
being so unusual, there was scarcely ground for any other conclusion
than that disaster was imminent, if not impossible to be averted.
It was a day long to be remembered. Aside from the danger, however, a
more encouraging hour had never presented itself in the history of the
Road. The courage, which had so often been shown in the face of great
danger, satisfied the Committee that there were heroes and heroines
among these passengers, fully entitled to the applause of the
liberty-loving citizens of Brotherly Love. The very idea of having to
walk for days and nights in succession, over strange roads, through
by-ways, and valleys, over mountains, and marshes, was fitted to appal
the bravest hearts, especially where women and children were concerned.
Being familiar with such cases, the Committee was delighted beyond
measure to observe how wisely and successfully each of these parties had
managed to overcome these difficulties.
Party No. 1 consisted of Charlotte Giles and Harriet Eglin, owned by
Capt. Wm. Applegarth and John Delahay. Neither of these girls had any
great complaint to make on the score of ill-treatment endured.
So they contrived each to get a suit of mourning, with heavy black
veils, and thus dressed, apparently absorbed with grief, with a friend
to pass them to the Baltimore depot (hard place to pass, except aided by
an individual well known to the R.R. company), they took a direct course
for Philadelphia.
While seated in the car, before leaving Baltimore (where slaves and
masters both belonged), who should enter but the master of one of the
girls! In a very excited manner, he hurriedly approached Charlotte and
Harriet, who were apparently weeping. Peeping under their veils, "What
is your name," exclaimed the excited gentleman. "Mary, sir," sobbed
Charlotte. "What is your name?" (to the other mourner) "Lizzie, sir,"
was the faint reply. On rushed the excited gentleman as if moved by
steam--through the cars, looking for his property; not finding it, he
passed out of the cars, and to the delight of Charlotte and Harriet soon
disappeared. Fair business men would be likely to look at this conduct
on the part of the two girls in the light of a "sharp practice." In
military parlance it might be regarded as excellent strategy. Be this as
it may, the Underground Rail Road passengers arrived safely at the
Philadelphia station and were gladly received.
A brief stay in the city was thought prudent lest the hunters might be
on the pursuit. They were, therefore, retained in safe quarters.
In the meantime, Arrival No. 2 reached the Committee. It consisted of a
colored man, a white woman and a child, ten years old. This case created
no little surprise. Not that quite a number of passengers, fair enough
to pass for white, with just a slight tinge of colored blood in their
veins, even sons and daughters of some of the F.F.V., had not on various
occasions come over the U.G.R.R. But this party was peculiar. An
explanation was sought, which resulted in ascertaining that the party
was from Leesburg, Virginia; that David, the colored man, was about
twenty-seven years of age, intelligent, and was owned, or claimed by
Joshua Pusey. David had no taste for Slavery, indeed, felt that it would
be impossible for him to adapt himself to a life of servitude for the
special benefit of others; he had, already, as he thought, been dealt
with very wrongfully by Pusey, who had deprived him of many years of the
best part of his life, and would continue thus to wrong him, if he did
not make a resolute effort to get away. So after thinking of various
plans, he determined not to run off as a slave with his "budget on his
back," but to "travel as a coachman," under the "protection of a white
lady." In planning this pleasant scheme, David was not blind to the fact
that neither himself nor the "white lady," with whom he proposed to
travel, possessed either horse or carriage.
But his master happened to have a vehicle that would answer for the
occasion. David reasoned that as Joshua, his so called master, had
deprived him of his just dues for so many years, he had a right to
borrow, or take without borrowing, one of Joshua's horses for the
expedition. The plan was submitted to the lady, and was approved, and a
mutual understanding here entered into, that she should hire a carriage,
and take also her little girl with them. The lady was to assume the
proprietorship of the horse, carriage and coachman. In so doing all
dangers would be, in their judgment, averted. The scheme being all ready
for execution, the time for departure was fixed, the carriage hired,
David having secured his master Joshua's horse, and off they started in
the direction of Pennsylvania. White people being so accustomed to
riding, and colored people to driving, the party looked all right. No
one suspected them, that they were aware of, while passing through
Virginia.
On reaching Chambersburg, Pa., in the evening, they drove to a hotel,
the lady alighted, holding by the hand her well dressed and nice-looking
little daughter, bearing herself with as independent an air as if she
had owned twenty such boys as accompanied her as coachman. She did not
hesitate to enter and request accommodations for the night, for herself,
daughter, coachman, and horse. Being politely told that they could be
accommodated, all that was necessary was, that the lady should show off
to the best advantage possible. The same duty also rested with weight
upon the mind of David.
The night passed safely and the morning was ushered in with bright hopes
which were overcast but only for a moment, however. Breakfast having
been ordered and partaken of, to the lady's surprise, just as she was in
the act of paying the bill, the proprietor of the hotel intimated that
he thought that matters "looked a little suspicious," in other words, he
said plainly, that he "believed that it was an Underground Rail Road
movement;" but being an obliging hotel-keeper, he assured her at the
same time, that he "would not betray them." Just here it was with them
as it would have been on any other rail road when things threaten to
come to a stand; they could do nothing more than make their way out of
the peril as best they could. One thing they decided to do immediately,
namely, to "leave the horse and carriage," and try other modes of
travel. They concluded to take the regular passenger cars. In this way
they reached Philadelphia. In Harrisburg, they had sought and received
instructions how to find the Committee in Philadelphia.
What relations had previously existed between David and this lady in
Virginia, the Committee knew not. It looked more like the time spoken of
in Isaiah, where it is said, "And a little child shall lead them," than
any thing that had ever been previously witnessed on the Underground
Rail Road. The Underground Rail Road never practised the proscription
governing other roads, on account of race, color, or previous condition.
All were welcome to its immunities, white or colored, when the object to
be gained favored freedom, or weakened Slavery. As the sole aim apparent
in this case was freedom for the slave the Committee received these
travellers as Underground Rail Road passengers.
Arrival No. 3. Charles H. Ringold, Robert Smith, and John Henry
Richards, all from Baltimore. Their ages ranged from twenty to
twenty-four years. They were in appearance of the class most inviting to
men who were in the business of buying and selling slaves. Charles and
John were owned by James Hodges, and Robert by Wm. H. Normis, living in
Baltimore. This is all that the records contain of them. The exciting
and hurrying times when they were in charge of the Committee probably
forbade the writing out of a more detailed account of them, as was often
the case.
With the above three arrivals on hand, it may be seen how great was the
danger to which all concerned were exposed on account of the bold and
open manner in which these parties had escaped from the land of the
peculiar institution. Notwithstanding, a feeling of very great
gratification existed in view of the success attending the new and
adventurous modes of traveling. Indulging in reflections of this sort,
the writer on going from his dinner that day to the anti-slavery office,
to his surprise found an officer awaiting his coming. Said officer was
of the mayor's police force. Before many moments had been allowed to
pass, in which to conjecture his errand, the officer, evidently burdened
with the importance of his mission, began to state his business
substantially as follows:
"I have just received a telegraphic despatch from a slave-holder living
in Maryland, informing me that six slaves had escaped from him, and that
he had reason to believe that they were on their way to Philadelphia,
and would come in the regular train direct from Harrisburg; furthermore
I am requested to be at the depot on the arrival of the train to arrest
the whole party, for whom a reward of $1300 is offered. Now I am not the
man for this business. I would have nothing to do with the contemptible
work of arresting fugitives. I'd rather help them off. What I am telling
you is confidential. My object in coming to the office is simply to
notify the Vigilance Committee so that they may be on the look-out for
them at the depot this evening and get them out of danger as soon as
possible. This is the way I feel about them; but I shall telegraph back
that I will be on the look-out."
While the officer was giving this information he was listened to most
attentively, and every word he uttered was carefully weighed. An air of
truthfulness, however, was apparent; nevertheless he was a stranger and
there was cause for great cautiousness. During the interview an unopened
telegraphic despatch which had come to hand during the writer's absence,
lay on the desk. Impressed with the belief that it might shed light on
the officer's story, the first opportunity that offered, it was seized,
opened, and it read as follows: (Copied from the original.)
HARRISBURG, May 31st, 1856.
WM. STILL, N. 5th St.:--I have sent via at two o'clock four
large and two small hams.
JOS. C. BUSTILL.
Here there was no room for further doubt, but much need for vigilance.
Although the despatch was not read to the officer, not that his story
was doubted, but purely for prudential reasons, he was nevertheless
given to understand, that it was about the same party, and that they
would be duly looked after. It would hardly have been understood by the
officer, had he been permitted to read it so guardedly was it worded, it
was indeed dead language to all save the initiated. In one particular
especially, relative to the depot where they were expected to arrive,
the officer was in the dark, as his despatch pointed to the regular
train, and of course to the depot at Eleventh and Market streets. The
Underground Rail Road despatch on the contrary pointed to Broad and
Callowhill streets "Via," _i.e._ Reading.
As notified, that evening the "four large and two small hams" arrived,
and turned out to be of the very finest quality, just such as any trader
would have paid the highest market price for. Being mindful of the great
danger of the hour, there was felt to be more occasion just then for
anxiety and watchfulness, than for cheering and hurrahing over the brave
passengers. To provide for them in the usual manner, in view of the