THE ESCAPE OF ROBERT BLACKBURN,
AND GREAT STRUGGLE FOR LIBERTY
"Robert was a mulatto, belonging to the Rev. William Baynaham, of the county of Essex, State of Virginia. Robert's father was a Southern planter, who owned not less than 150 slaves. Robert was born on the plantation of the minister, Robert's mother being one of the minister's slaves. Robert was finally sold by the reverend gentleman to the man who was acknowledged by all to be his father. It was expected by all that his father would emancipate him; but in this both Robert and his friends were disappointed. He was very severely worked, so much so, that he complained sometimes to his father and master. The benefit he obtained was at last a promise of a flogging. This flogging he refused to submit to, upon the ground of the promise which was made, him before being transferred by sale to his father, that he should have his freedom. Matters only grew worse, and upon again complaining, he was again threatened with a flogging. In reply to this, he said he would not allow any man under the sun to flog him. This seeming insolence it was determined should be met by severe punishment. The overseer, who hated Robert, even boasted of the pleasure in store for him in inflicting stripes upon the intended victim. About noon, the day following, as Robert was passing along, and seeming rather cast down, the overseer thought his hour had arrived, and that it would be an easier task to manage Robert because of his downcast appearance; so, he advanced to Robert, and caught him by the throat. Robert immediately ordered hands off, but the overseer kept his hold upon him, until Robert caught the overseer by the hair and felled him. This, in the eye of the law, would evidently be worse for Robert; and, as the overseer soon reported Robert's insubordination, he knew there would be no sympathy for him from his father, for he had before given word that Robert should be flogged at the barn.
Night came on, and Robert's mind was fully made up to leave for a better land. I had seen Robert, prior to this, at my father's house, and he had requested me to tell him the route, because he said I understood the geography of the country. I, at first, hesitated; at last, I asked him if he knew the consequence of giving such information would be, if known. He answered in the negative. I said, suppose you are caught in the attempt to escape, you would certainly be interrogated as to the person from whom you gained your information, and if you were to say you obtained the knowledge from me, according to law, I would be imprisoned for the long term of ninety-nine years. To this Robert replied, nearly, in these words, "If you will only tell me how I may escape, I will promise, in the sight of God, that I will suffer my life to be taken before I will inform against you." I said, it is enough; I believe you.
I had known Robert from a boy. We belonged to the same church. His former master baptised us both. The days of my boyhood were vividly brought back to me. Besides I loved Robert as a man, as well as a Christian. I felt that my duty was to tell him how he might escape to a land of freedom. The friends who read this will, I know, not ask me to enter into particulars, for fear some other person taking Robert's route may be stopped on the way. I felt that if he would take my advice, he surely would reach the desired land of freedom.
Robert left the plantation, and went to the forest as a hiding place, until he could complete his arrangements. This was in September. In the latter part of October, 1853, he started this troublesome journey of twelve hundred miles. By this time, advertisements were circulated in the various newspapers, offering a reward for his apprehension. Handbills were also circulated, describing minutely his person, and offering the same reward. After crossing the Rappahannock river, Robert made his way into the thick woods of Westmoreland county. In this dense forest, he remained three days and three nights without having a mouthful of anything to cat. While there hid, one day about noon, he saw a white man, with a dog, chasing a squirrel. The man was within thirty yards of him. His heart began to beat fast and loud. He said he put his hand upon his left side, and pressed it hard for fear the man might hear his heart beating. He thought at one time that the man was looking at him, but the squirrel leaped in another direction and the man turned away. This gave Robert a chance to get away, and he wandered further back into the forest. The shades of evening covered the forest, but he continued to make his way towards the north, until he came in sight of a log hut. He saw the sparks ascending, and he thought this would be an opportunity to relieve his hunger, from which he was very weak and faint. He ventured to the door of the hut, and as this sort of house is not compactly built, peeped in through some holes. Knocking at the door, he found the inmate to be a person of colour. Robert was much encouraged at this; he felt it very like an answer to the prayer he had a little before knelt to offer--a prayer for deliverance from hunger and slavery. It seemed to him as if God just then interposed, and offered a way, whereby he might have bread, so that he should not starve and die in the wilderness. He told the man of his hunger, and he readily invited Robert in. This kindness Robert declined, saying, "No, I had rather not; I am afraid; give me some bread; it is all I ask; get it quickly, for I am starving." The kind man quickly furnished Robert bread and meat, and he sat upon the fence opposite the house and satisfied his hunger. He thanked the good man, and resumed his journey.
He was now near the neighbourhood where I had directed him to some kind friends of mine. At ten o'clock that night he came to a creek which he should cross in order to reach these friends. Of course, there were ferries; but he was afraid to go to any of these, for fear he should be arrested. He looked up and down the shores of the creek to get a canoe or boat to cross. Failing in this, he found a long pole, and walked into the water. He found there was a thin skin of ice on the creek, but this was easily broken by the aid of the pole. He waded in until the water arose as high as his waist; he stopped awhile and began to pray. He then advanced until the water came up to his neck. He stopped again, and found that the tide was receding. Although his feet commenced to move from under him, on account of the depth and force of the water, he managed to steady himself, and again advanced until he succeeded in reaching the opposite shore. He again fell upon his knees, and thanked the God of the oppressed, who had brought him through deep waters, and had given him bread through the hands of a kind friend. Before the day dawned, he found the much-desired place, and, as I had told him, found friends. He related his circumstances, and means were devised to enable him to reach another very important point. Through these means, he arrived in the city of Baltimore, Maryland; from thence to the city of Philadelphia; from thence to the city of New York. By a mistake, he found himself again in Western Pennsylvania, and came to Brownsville, on the banks of the Monongahela river. Robert received aid at that point, and, to hasten his journey, went to the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, where my father and mother, having left the State of Virginia, were then settled. Robert inquired the way to their house, and there he found a cordial welcome. I had left the State of Ohio, and was living in the town of Amberstburgh, Canada West. My father told Robert it was not safe for him to remain in Cincinnati, as he could be arrested under the Fugitive Slave Law, and advised him to leave as soon as possible. Robert was not then aware that I resided in Canada. He said to my father, he would like to be near some of his old friends, or near some one he knew. My father said, "William is living in Canada." This idea seemed to give Robert new life. On the Sabbath, his case was made known to the friends in the Zion Baptist Church, to which my parents belong, and money was put into Robert's hands to enable him to pursue his journey. On Monday morning, he took the train going to Sandusky, on the shore of Lake Erie. The same night, about eleven o'clock, the boat plying between Sandusky and the city of Detroit stopped at the Amherstburgh wharf. I heard the bell of the boat, but little expected any such passenger, although I knew Robert was somewhere wandering, if he was not dead. I heard a loud rap at my door. I had retired, but I came down stairs without delay, and there stood before me a large man, and apparently one of nature's noblemen. He recognised me, and said, "Do you know me?" I had a candle in my hand, and I lifted it and the light fell upon his face. I said, "Yes, Bob, come in." The weather was a little cold, but I told him I could not take the time to make a fire just then, for I wanted to talk a little beforehand. I asked him how long he had been coming? and his reply was, one year and two months. And he then detailed his "hair-breadth 'scapes."
You, my dear readers, who have not seen such a case as the one already narrated, and have never had any of your dear friends in slavery, cannot feel as I did in the reception of Robert after his perilous journey. I was both glad and sorry. I was glad to shake his hand in a land of freedom, and sorry to know that he had suffered so much during those fourteen months. Being acquainted with the entire route through which he had travelled, I could more deeply enter into his constant fear of being seized, and the attempt made to take him back. I say attempt to take him back--his determination was to be free, at any cost, life not excepted. Some may say that a Christian man should not speak about dying for his liberty, nor of desperate attempts to defend it. It is very easy for persons to talk thus, who do not know anything about the sufferings of the slave. You, who have not felt the biting cowhide and the nipping switch, cannot, altogether, enter into the feelings of those who are attempting to get away from such oppression. It is frequently said by those who are the enemies of the coloured man that he is better off in servitude. I need not try to disabuse the minds of such persons of such an idea, for I think they have lost all respect for the truth in this case, and deserve to be put in chains for awhile, to obtain some of the more tangible evidences of the debasing system of slavery. This is the best rule with which to operate upon such as are not disposed to reason upon the great principles of law and truth. For the rule which would oppress me would oppress a white man.
The whole object of the system of slavery is to make money. Slaveholding is not a principle implanted by our Creator; it grows out of moral depravity. In my view, slaveholding is one of the greatest evidences of man's total depravity, and nothing but moral and spiritual power can effectually tread it down. These principles are the great guardians of human society. Nothing can truly prosper without this moral power. And where it is truly employed slavery must lose the power lent it by Satan, and freedom and love must rule the world in which we live. If this moral power had been permitted to exert its moral influence, Robert, whose former situation I have tried to describe, would have been free when born into the world. But I thank the Lord of liberty that I can now meet Robert in my congregation at home; that we can talk together as free men; and pray together that the day will soon come when the four millions, who are now in slavery, may walk from under the yoke, and bid defiance to their oppressors.
As may have been surmised from my reference to Robert as one of my congregation, I may say, he is now in Windsor, Canada West. May we have many thousands more! While the United States refuse to shelter such, Britain's arms are widely spread to protect all who come."
© Hair-breadth Escapes from Slavery to Freedom: Electronic Edition
This work is the property of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.
Night came on, and Robert's mind was fully made up to leave for a better land. I had seen Robert, prior to this, at my father's house, and he had requested me to tell him the route, because he said I understood the geography of the country. I, at first, hesitated; at last, I asked him if he knew the consequence of giving such information would be, if known. He answered in the negative. I said, suppose you are caught in the attempt to escape, you would certainly be interrogated as to the person from whom you gained your information, and if you were to say you obtained the knowledge from me, according to law, I would be imprisoned for the long term of ninety-nine years. To this Robert replied, nearly, in these words, "If you will only tell me how I may escape, I will promise, in the sight of God, that I will suffer my life to be taken before I will inform against you." I said, it is enough; I believe you.
I had known Robert from a boy. We belonged to the same church. His former master baptised us both. The days of my boyhood were vividly brought back to me. Besides I loved Robert as a man, as well as a Christian. I felt that my duty was to tell him how he might escape to a land of freedom. The friends who read this will, I know, not ask me to enter into particulars, for fear some other person taking Robert's route may be stopped on the way. I felt that if he would take my advice, he surely would reach the desired land of freedom.
Robert left the plantation, and went to the forest as a hiding place, until he could complete his arrangements. This was in September. In the latter part of October, 1853, he started this troublesome journey of twelve hundred miles. By this time, advertisements were circulated in the various newspapers, offering a reward for his apprehension. Handbills were also circulated, describing minutely his person, and offering the same reward. After crossing the Rappahannock river, Robert made his way into the thick woods of Westmoreland county. In this dense forest, he remained three days and three nights without having a mouthful of anything to cat. While there hid, one day about noon, he saw a white man, with a dog, chasing a squirrel. The man was within thirty yards of him. His heart began to beat fast and loud. He said he put his hand upon his left side, and pressed it hard for fear the man might hear his heart beating. He thought at one time that the man was looking at him, but the squirrel leaped in another direction and the man turned away. This gave Robert a chance to get away, and he wandered further back into the forest. The shades of evening covered the forest, but he continued to make his way towards the north, until he came in sight of a log hut. He saw the sparks ascending, and he thought this would be an opportunity to relieve his hunger, from which he was very weak and faint. He ventured to the door of the hut, and as this sort of house is not compactly built, peeped in through some holes. Knocking at the door, he found the inmate to be a person of colour. Robert was much encouraged at this; he felt it very like an answer to the prayer he had a little before knelt to offer--a prayer for deliverance from hunger and slavery. It seemed to him as if God just then interposed, and offered a way, whereby he might have bread, so that he should not starve and die in the wilderness. He told the man of his hunger, and he readily invited Robert in. This kindness Robert declined, saying, "No, I had rather not; I am afraid; give me some bread; it is all I ask; get it quickly, for I am starving." The kind man quickly furnished Robert bread and meat, and he sat upon the fence opposite the house and satisfied his hunger. He thanked the good man, and resumed his journey.
He was now near the neighbourhood where I had directed him to some kind friends of mine. At ten o'clock that night he came to a creek which he should cross in order to reach these friends. Of course, there were ferries; but he was afraid to go to any of these, for fear he should be arrested. He looked up and down the shores of the creek to get a canoe or boat to cross. Failing in this, he found a long pole, and walked into the water. He found there was a thin skin of ice on the creek, but this was easily broken by the aid of the pole. He waded in until the water arose as high as his waist; he stopped awhile and began to pray. He then advanced until the water came up to his neck. He stopped again, and found that the tide was receding. Although his feet commenced to move from under him, on account of the depth and force of the water, he managed to steady himself, and again advanced until he succeeded in reaching the opposite shore. He again fell upon his knees, and thanked the God of the oppressed, who had brought him through deep waters, and had given him bread through the hands of a kind friend. Before the day dawned, he found the much-desired place, and, as I had told him, found friends. He related his circumstances, and means were devised to enable him to reach another very important point. Through these means, he arrived in the city of Baltimore, Maryland; from thence to the city of Philadelphia; from thence to the city of New York. By a mistake, he found himself again in Western Pennsylvania, and came to Brownsville, on the banks of the Monongahela river. Robert received aid at that point, and, to hasten his journey, went to the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, where my father and mother, having left the State of Virginia, were then settled. Robert inquired the way to their house, and there he found a cordial welcome. I had left the State of Ohio, and was living in the town of Amberstburgh, Canada West. My father told Robert it was not safe for him to remain in Cincinnati, as he could be arrested under the Fugitive Slave Law, and advised him to leave as soon as possible. Robert was not then aware that I resided in Canada. He said to my father, he would like to be near some of his old friends, or near some one he knew. My father said, "William is living in Canada." This idea seemed to give Robert new life. On the Sabbath, his case was made known to the friends in the Zion Baptist Church, to which my parents belong, and money was put into Robert's hands to enable him to pursue his journey. On Monday morning, he took the train going to Sandusky, on the shore of Lake Erie. The same night, about eleven o'clock, the boat plying between Sandusky and the city of Detroit stopped at the Amherstburgh wharf. I heard the bell of the boat, but little expected any such passenger, although I knew Robert was somewhere wandering, if he was not dead. I heard a loud rap at my door. I had retired, but I came down stairs without delay, and there stood before me a large man, and apparently one of nature's noblemen. He recognised me, and said, "Do you know me?" I had a candle in my hand, and I lifted it and the light fell upon his face. I said, "Yes, Bob, come in." The weather was a little cold, but I told him I could not take the time to make a fire just then, for I wanted to talk a little beforehand. I asked him how long he had been coming? and his reply was, one year and two months. And he then detailed his "hair-breadth 'scapes."
You, my dear readers, who have not seen such a case as the one already narrated, and have never had any of your dear friends in slavery, cannot feel as I did in the reception of Robert after his perilous journey. I was both glad and sorry. I was glad to shake his hand in a land of freedom, and sorry to know that he had suffered so much during those fourteen months. Being acquainted with the entire route through which he had travelled, I could more deeply enter into his constant fear of being seized, and the attempt made to take him back. I say attempt to take him back--his determination was to be free, at any cost, life not excepted. Some may say that a Christian man should not speak about dying for his liberty, nor of desperate attempts to defend it. It is very easy for persons to talk thus, who do not know anything about the sufferings of the slave. You, who have not felt the biting cowhide and the nipping switch, cannot, altogether, enter into the feelings of those who are attempting to get away from such oppression. It is frequently said by those who are the enemies of the coloured man that he is better off in servitude. I need not try to disabuse the minds of such persons of such an idea, for I think they have lost all respect for the truth in this case, and deserve to be put in chains for awhile, to obtain some of the more tangible evidences of the debasing system of slavery. This is the best rule with which to operate upon such as are not disposed to reason upon the great principles of law and truth. For the rule which would oppress me would oppress a white man.
The whole object of the system of slavery is to make money. Slaveholding is not a principle implanted by our Creator; it grows out of moral depravity. In my view, slaveholding is one of the greatest evidences of man's total depravity, and nothing but moral and spiritual power can effectually tread it down. These principles are the great guardians of human society. Nothing can truly prosper without this moral power. And where it is truly employed slavery must lose the power lent it by Satan, and freedom and love must rule the world in which we live. If this moral power had been permitted to exert its moral influence, Robert, whose former situation I have tried to describe, would have been free when born into the world. But I thank the Lord of liberty that I can now meet Robert in my congregation at home; that we can talk together as free men; and pray together that the day will soon come when the four millions, who are now in slavery, may walk from under the yoke, and bid defiance to their oppressors.
As may have been surmised from my reference to Robert as one of my congregation, I may say, he is now in Windsor, Canada West. May we have many thousands more! While the United States refuse to shelter such, Britain's arms are widely spread to protect all who come."
© Hair-breadth Escapes from Slavery to Freedom: Electronic Edition
This work is the property of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.