The Underground Railroad
"owed service" to Isaac Hill, a planter; he found no special fault with
his master's treatment of him; but with Mrs. Hill, touching this point,
he was thoroughly dissatisfied. She had treated him "cruelly," and it
was for this reason that he was moved to seek his freedom.
Charles, being a Baltimorean, had not far to travel, but had pretty
sharp hunters to elude.
His claimant, F. Smith, however, had only a term of years claim upon
him, which was within about two years of being out. This contract for
the term of years, Charles felt was made without consulting him,
therefore he resolved to break it without consulting his master. He also
declined to have anything to do with the Baltimore and Wilmington R.R.
Co., considering it a prescriptive institution, not worthy of his
confidence. He started on a fast walk, keeping his eyes wide open,
looking out for slave-hunters on his right and left. In this way, like
many others, he reached the Committee safely and was freely aided,
thenceforth traveling in a first class Underground Rail Road car, till
he reached his journey's end.
Arrival No. 13. William Govan. Availing himself of a passage on the
schooner of Captain B., William left Petersburg, where he had been owned
by "Mark Davis, Esq., a retired gentleman," rather, a retired negro
trader.
William was about thirty-three years of age, and was of a bright orange
color. Nothing but an ardent love of liberty prompted him to escape. He
was quite smart, and a clever-looking man, worth at least $1,000.
* * * * *
DEEP FURROWS ON THE BACK.
THOMAS MADDEN.
Of all the passengers who had hitherto arrived with bruised and mangled
bodies received at the hands of slave-holders, none brought a back so
shamefully lacerated by the lash as Thomas Madden. Not a single spot had
been exempted from the excoriating cow-hide. A most bloody picture did
the broad back and shoulders of Thomas present to the eye as he bared
his wounds for inspection. While it was sad to think, that millions of
men, women, and children throughout the South were liable to just such
brutal outrages as Thomas had received, it was a satisfaction to think,
that this outrage had made a freeman of him.
He was only twenty-two years of age, but that punishment convinced him
that he was fully old enough to leave such a master as E. Ray, who had
almost murdered him. But for this treatment, Thomas might have remained
in some degree contented in Slavery. He was expected to look after the
fires in the house on Sunday mornings. In a single instance desiring to
be absent, perhaps for his own pleasure, two boys offered to be his
substitute. The services of the boys were accepted, and this gave
offence to the master. This Thomas declared was the head and front of
his offending. His simple narration of the circumstances of his slave
life was listened to by the Committee with deep interest and a painful
sense of the situation of slaves under the despotism of such men as Ray.
After being cared for by the Committee he was sent on to Canada. When
there he wrote back to let the Committee know how he was faring, the
narrow escape he had on the way, and likewise to convey the fact, that
one named "Rachel," left behind, shared a large place in his affections.
The subjoined letter is the only correspondence of his preserved:
STANFORD, June 1st, 1855, Niagara districk.
DEAR SIR:--I set down to inform you that I take the liberty to
rite for a frend to inform you that he is injoying good health
and hopes that this will finde you the same he got to this
cuntry very well except that in Albany he was vary neig taking
back to his oald home but escaped and when he came to the
suspention bridg he was so glad that he run for freadums shore
and when he arived it was the last of October and must look for
sum wourk for the winter he choped wood until Feruary times are
good but money is scarce he thinks a great deal of the girl he
left behind him he thinks that there is non like her here non so
hansom as his Rachel right and let him hear from you as soon as
convaniant no more at presant but remain yours,
ALBERT METTER.
"PETE MATTHEWS," ALIAS SAMUEL SPARROWS.
"I MIGHT AS WELL BE IN THE PENITENTIARY, &C."
Up to the age of thirty-five "Pete" had worn the yoke steadily, if not
patiently under William S. Matthews, of Oak Hall, near Temperanceville,
in the State of Virginia. Pete said that his "master was not a hard
man," but the man to whom he "was hired, George Matthews, was a very
cruel man." "I might as well be in the penitentiary as in his hands,"
was his declaration.
One day, a short while before Pete "took out," an ox broke into the
truck patch, and helped himself to choice delicacies, to the full extent
of his capacious stomach, making sad havoc with the vegetables
generally. Peter's attention being directed to the ox, he turned him
out, and gave him what he considered proper chastisement, according to
the mischief he had done. At this liberty taken by Pete, the master
became furious. "He got his gun and threatened to shoot him," "Open your
mouth if you dare, and I will pat the whole load into you," said the
enraged master. "He took out a large dirk-knife, and attempted to stab
me, but I kept out of his way," said Pete. Nevertheless the violence of
the master did not abate until he had beaten Pete over the head and body
till he was weary, inflicting severe injuries. A great change was at
once wrought in Pete's mind. He was now ready to adopt any plan that
might hold out the least encouragement to escape. Having capital to the
amount of four dollars only, he felt that he could not do much towards
employing a conductor, but he had a good pair of legs, and a heart stout
enough to whip two or three slave-catchers, with the help of a pistol.
Happening to know a man who had a pistol for sale, he went to him and
told him that he wished to purchase it. For one dollar the pistol became
Pete's property. He had but three dollars left, but he was determined to
make that amount answer his purposes under the circumstances. The last
cruel beating maddened him almost to desperation, especially when he
remembered how he had been compelled to work hard night and day, under
Matthews. Then, too, Peter had a wife, whom his master prevented him
from visiting; this was not among the least offences with which Pete
charged his master. Fully bent on leaving, the following Sunday was
fixed by him on which to commence his journey.
The time arrived and Pete bade farewell to Slavery, resolved to follow
the North Star, with his pistol in hand ready for action. After
traveling about two hundred miles from home he unexpectedly had an
opportunity of using his pistol. To his astonishment he suddenly came
face to face with a former master, whom he had not seen for a long time.
Pete desired no friendly intercourse with him whatever; but he perceived
that his old master recognized him and was bent upon stopping him. Pete
held on to his pistol, but moved as fast as his wearied limbs would
allow him, in an opposite direction. As he was running, Pete cautiously,
cast his eye over his shoulder, to see what had become of his old
master, when to his amazement, he found that a regular chase was being
made after him. Need of redoubling his pace was quite obvious. In this
hour of peril, Pete's legs saved him.
After this signal leg-victory, Pete had more confidence in his
"understandings," than he had in his old pistol, although he held on to
it until he reached Philadelphia, where he left it in the possession of
the Secretary of the Committee. Considering it worth saving simply as a
relic of the Underground Rail Road, it was carefully laid aside. Pete
was now christened Samuel Sparrows. Mr. Sparrows had the rust of Slavery
washed off as clean as possible and the Committee furnishing him with
clean clothes, a ticket, and letters of introduction, started him on
Canada-ward, looking quite respectable. And doubtless he felt even more
so than he looked; free air had a powerful effect on such passengers as
Samuel Sparrows.
The unpleasantness which grew out of the mischief done by the ox on
George Matthews' farm took place the first of October, 1855. Pete may be
described as a man of unmixed blood, well-made, and intelligent.
* * * * *
"MOSES" ARRIVES WITH SIX PASSENGERS.
"NOT ALLOWED TO SEEK A MASTER;"--"VERY DEVILISH;"--FATHER "LEAVES TWO
LITTLE SONS;"--"USED HARD;"--"FEARED FALLING INTO THE HANDS OF YOUNG
HEIRS," ETC. JOHN CHASE, ALIAS DANIEL FLOYD; BENJAMIN ROSS, ALIAS JAMES
STEWART; HENRY ROSS, ALIAS LEVIN STEWART; PETER JACKSON, ALIAS STAUNCH
TILGHMAN; JANE KANE, ALIAS CATHARINE KANE, AND ROBERT ROSS.
The coming of these passengers was heralded by Thomas Garrett as
follows:
THOMAS GARRETT'S LETTER.
WILMINGTON, 12 mo. 29th, 1854.
ESTEEMED FRIEND, J. MILLER MCKIM:--We made arrangements last
night, and sent away Harriet Tubman, with six men and one woman
to Allen Agnew's, to be forwarded across the country to the
city. Harriet, and one of the men had worn their shoes off their
feet, and I gave them two dollars to help fit them out, and
directed a carriage to be hired at my expense, to take them out,
but do not yet know the expense. I now have two more from the
lowest county in Maryland, on the Peninsula, upwards of one
hundred miles. I will try to get one of our trusty colored men
to take them to-morrow morning to the Anti-slavery office. You
can then pass them on.
THOMAS GARRETT.
HARRIET TUBMAN had been their "Moses," but not in the sense that Andrew
Johnson was the "Moses of the colored people." She had faithfully gone
down into Egypt, and had delivered these six bondmen by her own heroism.
Harriet was a woman of no pretensions, indeed, a more ordinary specimen
of humanity could hardly be found among the most unfortunate-looking
farm hands of the South. Yet, in point of courage, shrewdness and
disinterested exertions to rescue her fellow-men, by making personal
visits to Maryland among the slaves, she was without her equal.
Her success was wonderful. Time and again she made successful visits to
Maryland on the Underground Rail Road, and would be absent for weeks, at
a time, running daily risks while making preparations for herself and
passengers. Great fears were entertained for her safety, but she seemed
wholly devoid of personal fear. The idea of being captured by
slave-hunters or slave-holders, seemed never to enter her mind. She was
apparently proof against all adversaries. While she thus manifested such
utter personal indifference, she was much more watchful with regard to
those she was piloting. Half of her time, she had the appearance of one
asleep, and would actually sit down by the road-side and go fast asleep
when on her errands of mercy through the South, yet, she would not
suffer one of her party to whimper once, about "giving out and going
back," however wearied they might be from hard travel day and night. She
had a very short and pointed rule or law of her own, which implied death
to any who talked of giving out and going back. Thus, in an emergency
she would give all to understand that "times were very critical and
therefore no foolishness would be indulged in on the road." That several
who were rather weak-kneed and faint-hearted were greatly invigorated by
Harriet's blunt and positive manner and threat of extreme measures,
there could be no doubt.
After having once enlisted, "they had to go through or die." Of course
Harriet was supreme, and her followers generally had full faith in her,