CHAPTER XI.

VIRGINIA.

THE LAST OF BRADDOCK'S MEN - PATRIOTIC SLAVE GIRL -
BENJAMIN MORRIS - CONSISTENCY OF A
REVOLUTIONARY HERO - SIMON LEE - MAJOR MITCHELL'S SLAVE -
GENERAL WASHINGTON'S DESIRE TO EMANCIPATE SLAVES -
HON. A. P. UPSHUR'S TRIBUTE TO DAVID RICH -
TRIBUTE TO WASHINGTON BY THE EMANCIPATED -
AGED SLAVE OF WASHINGTON - INSURRECTION AT
SOUTHAMPTON VIRGINIA MAROONS IN THE DISMAL SWAMP.
pg. 214

     ISHMAEL TITUS (says the Springfield Republican) died in Williamstown, Mass., January 27th, 1855, at the extraordinary age of 109 or 110 years.  He was born a slave in Virginia, and when Gen. Braddock set out on his ill-fated expedition, the master of Ishmael was employed by the Commissary to transport subsistence stores for the army; and, as the wagon was heavily loaded, an additional horse was added to the team, and the boy Ishmael was placed on this third horse as rider; and in that capacity, he followed the army of the scene of its disaster.  Like most of the

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slaves, he had no distinct knowledge of his age; but, judging from his recollection of the event, and his own story, he must have been nine or ten years old at the time.  His mental faculties were remarkably active for a person of his years, and after the lapse of nearly a century, he was wont to recount the striking impression made upon his young mind by the red coats of the British soldiers, which he supposed were "colored with blood," — unfortunately too true in this instance.
     He ran away from his master, and went into the vicinity of Springfield, Mass., about the close of the Revolution, and was then, apparently, thirty-eight or forty years of age.  His story has always been consistent, and no one in that place has ever doubted its correctness.  His mind seemed more than a match for his body, and physical infirmities crept upon him, until he seemed to realize all the evils which afflicted " Uncle Ned," and, like him, it is to be hoped that he has received his reward.
     Hiram Wilson says that an extremely aged woman lives at the Grand River settlement, Canada, who was a slave girl in Virginia at the time of the French and Indian War of 1755.  At the time of the Revolutionary War, she was employed in running bullets for the Americans.  Her patriotism was but miserably rewarded, for she was held as a slave till she was about eighty years of age, when she fled to Canada for freedom, where, under monarchical institutions and laws, she is protected in her old age.  No one can reasonably rebuke her for the utterance of an earnest "God save the Queen!"

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     The Legislature of Virginia, in 1783, emancipated several slaves who had fought in the Revolutionary War, and the example was followed by some individuals, who wished to exhibit a consistency of conduct rare even in those early days of our country's history.  The Baltimore papers of September 8th, 1790, make mention of the fact that Hon. General Gates, before taking his departure, with his lady, for their new and elegant seat on the banks of the East River, summoned his numerous family and slaves about him, and, amidst their tears of affection and gratitude, gave them their freedom; and, what was still better, made provision that their liberty should be a blessing to them.
     Sometimes, for other than national services, the colored man's worth is appreciated by men who claim the right to own their brother-men, as is seen in the following clause from the Will of A. P. Upsher, a member of President Tyler's Cabinet: —

     "3.  I emancipate, and set free, my servant, David Rich, and direct my executors to give him one hundred dollars.  I recommend him, in the strongest manner, to the respect, esteem and confidence of any community in which he may happen to live.  He has been my slave for twenty-four years, during which time he has been trusted to every extent, and in every respect.  My confidence in him has been unbounded; his relation to myself and family has always been such as to afford him daily opportunities to deceive and injure us, and yet he has never been detected in a serious fault, nor even in an intentional breach of the decorums of his station.  His intelligence is of a high order, his integrity above all suspicion, and his sense of right and propriety always correct, and even deli-

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cate and refined.  I feel that he is justly entitled to carry this certificate from me into the new relations which he now must form.  It is due to his long and most faithful services, and to the sincere and steady friendship which I bear him.  In the uninterrupted and confidential intercourse of twenty-four years, I have never given, nor had occasion to give him, an unpleasant word.  I know no man who has fewer faults, or more excellencies, than he."

     Throughout this work will be found allusions to several colored persons, bond and free, who were either servants or slaves of General Washington, or through some other relation, were led to cherish grateful and pleasant memories of the treatment they received from him.  Some he manumitted, others he specially rewarded for deeds of valor and integrity of conduct; and, though he did not emancipate the majority of his own slaves until after the decease of Lady Washington, there yet seemed a constant struggle of his better nature to do that which, neglected, has left

               _____ "Posterity's sad eye to run
               Along one line, with slaves and Washington."

     In a letter written by General Washington to Tobias Lear, in England, in 1794, he assigns the following reasons for empowering Mr. Lear to sell a portion of his landed estate.: -

     "I have no scruple in disclosing to you, that my motives to these sales are to reduce my income, be it more or less, to specialties, - that the remainder of my days may thereby be more tranquil and

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free from care, and that I may be enabled, knowing what my dependence is, to do as much good as my resources will admit; for although, in the estimation of the world, I possess a good and clear estate, yet so unproductive is it, that I am oftentimes ashamed to refuse aid which I cannot afford unless I sell part of it to answer this purpose.  Besides these, I have another motive, which makes me earnestly wish for these things — it is, indeed, more powerful than all the rest — namely, to liberate a certain species of property which I possess, very repugnantly to my own feelings, but which imperious necessity compels, until I can substitute some other expedient by which expenses not in my power to avoid, however well disposed I may be to do it, can be defrayed."
     In Washington's Will, special provision is made for his "mulatto man William, calling himself William Lee," granting him his immediate freedom, an annuity of thirty dollars during his natural life, or support, if he preferred (being incapable of walking or any active employment) to remain with the family.  "This I give him," says Washington, "as a testimony of my sense of his attachment to me, and for his faithful services during the Revolutionary War."
     The colored soldiers, and others, who were objects of his solicitude, were found North and South, wherever marched the Continental army.  From among those in Virginia, the few following cases have been preserved.
     The Detroit Tribune, August 10th, 1854, says : — "A short time since, we chronicled the death of a negro who had reached the venerable age of one hundred years.  It may not be known to many of our readers, that there is now living, near this city, in the enjoyment of good health

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and the frugal comforts of life, a negro, who is nearly, of quite, a century old.  His name is Benjamin Morris, and he is residing on the Charles Moran farm, where he has a life lease, and where, by the aid of a few friends, he tills enough ground to earn for himself a plain but comfortable subsistence.  His life has been quite eventful.  He was born at Snowhill, in Virginia.  His master's name was Bob Scofield, as he says, using, probably, the familiar term by which he was known throughout the neighborhood in which he resided.  He lived with Scofield until after the Revolutionary War.  During the war, he was engaged to drive a baggage wagon; and so well did his behavior please General Washington, who happened to notice him, that his master, at the close of the war, gave him his freedom, at the request of that great and good man.  His deed of manumission he has now, — of a truth, the ' palladium of his liberties ' in this negro-hunting age and country. From Virginia, Morris went to Cuba, where he stayed but a short time, returning to this country and settling at Louisville, Ky. Thence he came to Detroit, in time to witness the surrender of Hull, and the closing acts of the war of 1812 upon the frontier.  Since then, he has been engaged in labor of various kinds, supporting himself and wife in comfortable circumstances.   About three years ago, she died, and he has since lived alone in a little cottage on the Moran farm.  He is a member, we believe, of the First Baptist Church of this city, from the members of which he receives such little aids, from time to time, as he needs.  He is still quite erect

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and vigorous, and able to labor a good deal.  He walks down to church nearly every Sabbath and returns, a total distance of nearly six miles.  We trust the old man is to live many years yet in comfort and peace, to reap the reward of his services to our country, small though they may have been, at a time when the weakest forces told on a country's destinies hanging in equipoise."
     A correspondent of the Alexandria (D. C.) Gazette, writing from Fairfax County, Va., Nov. 14, 1835, says: — "Upon a recent visit to the tomb of Washington, I was much gratified by the alterations and improvements around it.  Eleven colored men were industriously employed in levelling the earth and turfing around the sepulchre.  There was an earnest expression of feeling about them, that induced me to inquire if they belonged to the respected lady of the mansion.  They stated that they were a few of the many slaves freed by George Washington, and they had offered their services upon this last melancholy occasion, as the only return in their power to make to the remains of the man who had been more than a father to them; and they should continue their labors so long as any thing should be pointed out for them to do.  I was so interested in this conduct, that I inquired their several names, and the following were given me: — Joseph Smith, Sambo Anderson, William Anderson, his son, Berkley Clark, George Lear, Dick Jasper, Morris Jasper, Levi Richardson, Joe Richardson, Wm. Moss, Wm. Hays, and Nancy Squander, cooking for the men.

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     That there were exceptions to this community of grateful hearts may be learned from an incident mentioned by James T. Woodbury, Esq., brother of Hon. Levi Woodbury, who, when delivering lectures on the subject of slavery, not unfrequently adverts to the circumstances which first drew his attention to the subject.  During his stay in the capital of the United States, he had a wish to visit the tomb of Washington.  He was attended by an aged negro, whose business it had been for many years to guide travellers to that consecrated spot.  This old man was formerly the slave of General Washington.  Mr. Woodbury asked him if he had any children.  "I have had a large family," he replied. "And are they living?" inquired the gentleman.  The voice of the aged father trembled with emotion, and the tears started to his eyes, as he answered: —"1 don't know whether they are alive or dead.  They were all sold away from me, and I don't know what became of them.  I am alone in the world, without a child to bring me a cup of water in my old age."  Mr. Woodbury looked on the infirm and solitary being with feelings of deep compassion."  And this," thought he, "is the fate of slaves, even when owned by so good a man as General Washington! Who would not be an Abolitionist?"
     In October, 1854, there came to the house of Isaac and Amy Post, in Rochester, as if by instinct to those whose names are synonymous with aid and comfort to all earth's suffering children, an aged colored man, leaning upon his staff, — his clothes poor and ragged, — who represented

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himself as the son of General Washington's serving man, and that he was fleeing to Canada.  Mrs. Angelina J. Knox says, in reference to this case: — "He was born at Mt. Vernon, on the plantation on which the 'father of our country' had lived.  His father was a servant of George Washington.  Years passed on; his heart pleaded that its pulsations might beat in a land of freedom, and many attempts had he made, but in vain, to be free.  Once he was taken in a rice swamp, where he had fled for refuge; the blood hounds scented him, and brought him back to his master.  Major Mitchell, of the United Slates army, had burned into his forehead the letter M., that thus he might be identified as Mitchell's slave.  I asked him if his master was a Christian.  To which he replied, with a satirical expression, —  'Pious?  I guess he was pious!  He Free Mason, too, — my last master — O, he biggest Christian!  He pears pious.  Ha!  he big man — he 'tempt shoot me, 'cause I won't take off coat, him to whip me.  Gun all ready shoot me — I take off coat — he get rope, tie me to hang me — I kitched him, pulled him down, and ran away. Dat is de last of him I ever saw.  I pretty tired sleeping in bush.  I want to get to Canada — dat's all I want.  I want to see my boy dare — dat is what I want.  I want to get out dis country.  Dey say dat money is de root of all evil; but I hab no money, and go pretty hungry sometimes.  Colored folks sometimes 'tray us.  Ye aint going to send me back, are ye?  'Poor old man — no! no!  I will not send you back.  But what is the Christianity of this republic doing, but sending you back

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to bondage? "What would the Church do with this old man, with branded brow, who is now looking with a distrustful eye upon every person with whom he meets?  O, my country, with extended wings, would that thy protection could overshadow the branded, bleeding fugitive!  But, no! True is it, that if this fugitive should stand on the spot where Warren fell — should he clasp the monument on Bunker's Hill — should he flee to the home of John Hancock — even there, the slaveholder may claim him as his chattel slave.  Let us, then, shed no more tears at the tomb of Washington at Mt. Vernon — let us no more boast of liberty — let us break every yoke, and let the oppressed go free!"
     SIMON LEE, the grandfather of William Wells Brown, on his mother's side, was a slave in Virginia, and served in the War of the Revolution; and, although honorably discharged with the other Virginia troops, at the close of the war, he was sent back to his master, where he spent the remainder of his life toiling on a tobacco plantation.  Such is the want of justice toward the colored American, that, after serving in his country's struggles for freedom, he is doomed to fill the grave of a slave!

THE SOUTHAMPTON INSURRECTION.

     NATHANIEL TURNER was born Oct. 2d, 1800.  In his childhood, from some circumstances, his mother and others said, in his presence, that he would surely be a prophet, as

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the Lord had shown him things that happened before his birth.  This remark made a deep impression upon his mind, and affected all his subsequent conduct.  He learned to read with such facility, that he had no recollection whatever of learning the alphabet, and he grew up a prodigy reverenced among his fellows.  He was never addicted to stealing, or known to have a dollar in his life, to swear an oath, or drink a drop of spirits.  He studiously wrapped himself in mystery, and devoted his hours to fasting and prayer, and communion with the spirit.  He had a vision, and saw white spirits and black spirits engaged in battle, and the sun was darkened, the thunder rolled in the heavens, and blood flowed in streams, and he heard a voice, saying, "Such is your luck; such you are called to see; and let it come rough or smooth, you must bear it."  While laboring in the fields, he discovered drops of blood on the corn, as though it were dew from heaven, and found on the leaves in the woods characters and numbers, with the forms of men, in different attitudes, portrayed in blood.
     From his confession, I extract the following: —

     "And on the appearance of the sign, [the eclipse of the sun in February, 1831,] I should arise and prepare myself, and slay my enemies with their own weapons.... I communicated the great work I had to do to four in whom I had the greatest confidence, (Henry, Hark, Nelson and Sam).  It was intended by us to have begun the work of death on the 4th of July last."-

     The Richmond Whig of October 31, 1831, in giving an account of Turner's capture, says, — "He is a shrewd, intel-

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ligent fellow; he insists strongly upon the revelations which he received, as he understood them, urging him on and pointing to this enterprise.  He denied that any except himself and five or six others knew any thing of it.  He does not hesitate to say that, even now, he thinks he was right, and if his time were to go over again, he must necessarily act in the same way."
     A correspondent of the same paper says,—"Nat had for some time thought closely on this subject, for I have in my possession some papers given up by his wife, under the lash."
     "We learn," says the Petersburg Intelligencer, " that the fanatical murderer, Nat Turner, was executed, according to his sentence, at Jerusalem, on Friday last, about one o'clock.  He exhibited the utmost composure throughout the whole ceremony, and although assured that he might, if he thought proper, address the immense crowd assembled on the occasion, declined availing himself of the privilege,
and told the Sheriff, in a firm voice, that he was ready.  Not a limb nor a muscle was observed to move."
     Upwards of one hundred slaves were slaughtered in the Southampton tragedy, — many of them in cold blood, while walking in the streets,— and about sixty white persons.  Some of the alleged conspirators had their noses and ears cut off, the flesh of their cheeks cut out, their jaws broken asunder, and, in that condition, they were set up as marks to be shot at.  The whites burnt one with red hot irons, cut off his ears and nose, stabbed him, cut his ham-strings, stuck him like a hog, and at last cut off his head and spiked it to the whipping-post.

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     The following fact was narrated by the Rev. M. B. Cox, late Missionary to Liberia, soon after the event occurred.  Immediately after the insurrection, a slaveholder went into the woods in quest of some of the insurgents, accompanied by a faithful slave, who had been the means of saving his life in the time of massacre.  When they had been some time in the woods, the slave handed his musket to his master, informing him, at the same time, that he could not live a slave any longer, and requesting him either to set him free or shoot him on the spot. The master took the gun from the hands of the slave, levelled it at his breast, and shot the faithful negro through the heart.
     Dr. Rice, of Virginia, published a sermon, in 1823, predicting very exactly the Southampton insurrection.  He says: — "Without pretending to be a prophet, I venture to predict, if ever that horrid event should take place which is anticipated and greatly dreaded by many among us, some crisp-haired prophet, some pretender to inspiration, will be the ringleader as well as the instigator of the act."

MADISON WASHINGTON.

     An American slaver, named the Creole, well manned and provided in every respect, and equipped for carrying slaves, sailed from Virginia to New Orleans, on the 30th October, 1841, with a cargo of one hundred and thirty-five slaves.  When eight days out, a portion of the slaves, under the direction of one of their number, named MADISON

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Washington, succeeded, after a slight struggle, in gaining command of the vessel.  The sagacity, bravery and humanity of this man do honor to his name; and, but for his complexion, would excite universal admiration. Of the twelve white men employed on board the well-manned slaver, only one fell a victim to their atrocious business.  This man, after discharging his musket at the negroes, rushed forward with a handspike, which, in the darkness of the evening, they mistook for another musket; he was stabbed with a bowie knife wrested from the captain.  Two of the sailors were wounded, and their wounds were dressed by the negroes.  The captain was also injured, and he was put into the forehold, and his wounds dressed; and his wife, child and niece were unmolested.  It does not appear that the blacks committed a single act of robbery, or treated their captives with the slightest unnecessary harshness; and they declared, at the time, that all they had done was for their freedom.  The vessel was carried into Nassau, and the British authorities at that place refused to consign the liberated slaves again to bondage, or even to surrender the "mutineers and murderers" to perish on Southern gibbets.

THE VIRGINIA MAROONS.*

The great Dismal Swamp, which lies near the Eastern shore of Virginia, and, commencing near Norfolk, stretches
---------------
     * From an article in the " Liberty Bell " for 1893, by EDMUND JACKSON.

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quite into North Carolina, contains a large colony of negroes, who originally obtained their freedom by the grace of God and their own determined energy, instead of the consent of their owners, or by the help of the Colonization Society.  How long this colony has existed, what is its amount of population, what portion of the colonists are now fugitives, and what the descendants of fugitives, are questions not easily determined; nor can we readily avail our selves of the better knowledge undoubtedly existing in the vicinity of this colony, by reason of the decided objections of those best enabled to gratify our curiosity — to some extent, at least— to furnishing any information whatever, lest it might be used by Abolitionists for their purposes, — as one of them frankly said when questioned about the matter.  Nevertheless, some facts, or, at least, an approximation towards the truth of them, are known respecting this singular community of blacks, who have won their freedom, and established themselves securely in the midst of the largest slaveholding State of the South; for, from this extensive Swamp, they are very seldom, if now at all, reclaimed.  The chivalry of Virginia, so far as I know, have never yet ventured on a slave-hunt in the Dismal Swamp, nor is it, probably, in, the power of that State to capture or expel these fugitives from it.  This may appear extravagant; but when it is known how long a much less numerous band of Indians held the everglades of Florida against the forces of the United States, and how much blood and treasure it cost to expel them finally, we may find a sufficient excuse for

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the forbearance of the "Ancient Dominion" towards this community of fugitives domiciliated in their midst.
     From the character of the population, it is reasonable to infer that the United States Marshal has never charged himself with the duty of taking the census of the Swamp; and we can only estimate the amount of population, by such circumstances as may serve to indicate it.  Of these, perhaps the trade existing between the city of Norfolk and the Swamp may furnish the best element of computation.  This trade between the Swamp merchants and the fugitives is wholly contraband, and would subject the white participants to fearful penalties, if they could only be enforced; for, throughout the slave States, it is an offence, by law, of the gravest character, to have any dealings whatever with runaway negroes.  But, "You no catch 'em, you no hab 'em," is emphatically true in the Dismal Swamp, where trader and runaway are alike beyond the reach of Virginia law.  An intelligent merchant, of near thirty years' business in Norfolk, has estimated the value of slave property lost in the Swamp, at one and a half million dollars.  This city of refuge, in the midst of society, has endured from generation to generation, and is likely to continue until slavery is abolished throughout the land.  A curious anomoly this community certainly presents; and its history and destiny are alike suggestive of curiosity and interest.

     That there are those at the South who desire the abolition of slavery, the following extract from a speech of P. A.

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Boiling, Esq., in the House of Delegates, in Virginia, 1832, will show : —
     "Mr. Speaker, it is in vain for gentlemen to deny the fact, — the feelings of society are fast becoming adverse to slavery.  The moral causes which produce that feeling are on the march, and will march on, until the groans of slavery are heard no more in this else happy land.  Look over this world's wide page! see the rapid progress of liberal feelings! see the shackles falling from nations who have long writhed under the galling yoke of slavery!  Liberty is going over the whole earth, hand-in-hand with Christianity.  The ancient temples of slavery, rendered venerable alone by their antiquity, are crumbling into dust; ancient prejudices are fleeing before the light of truth, — are dissipated by its rays, as the idle vapor by the bright sun.  The noble sentiment —

" ' Then let us pray, that come it may,
As come it will, for a' that,
That man to man, the warld o'er,
Shall brothers be, for a' that '

is rapidly spreading. The day-star of human liberty has risen above the dark horizon of slavery, and will continue its bright career until it smiles alike on all men."
     The Richmond Enquirer advocates the erection of a monument to the memory of PETER FRANCISCO, a colored man, born a slave in Virginia, but emancipated at the commencement of the Revolution, and enlisted as a soldier.  He served all through the war, and was subsequently Sergeant-at-Arms of the Virginia Legislature.

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