University of Virginia Library

19. Refugees from Slavery
By ELIZABETH HYDE BOTUME (1862)

THE reports of the expeditions to bring off the slaves, as given by the officers of the gunboats and by the contrabands themselves, were often touching and amusing in the extreme.

An overseer on one of the plantations ran into the house when he beard the boats were in sight, and excitedly called all the negroes together, saying, "The Yankees are coming! The Yankees are coming! The gunboats are down the river. You must all keep out of sight. Don't let them see you. If they land near here, cut and run and hide where nobody can find you. If they catch you they will sell you to New Orleans or Cuba!"

"Never fear. We'll run sure. We'll run so de Debit hisself couldn't catch we ! "they all exclaimed.

"Don't you worry, Massa Jim,"said the old cook.

We all hear 'bout dem Yankees. Folks tell we they has horns an' a tail. I is mighty skeery myself, an' I has all my t'ings pick up, an' w'en I see dem coming I shall run like all possess'."

"Well, I am going to the main, and I leave all here in your care,"said the overseer as he rode off.

"Good-by, ole man, good-by. That's right. Skedaddle as fas' as you kin,"said the negroes as the white man disappeared. "When you cotch we ag'in, I 'specs you'll know it. We's gwine to run sure enough; but we knows the Yankees, an' we runs that way."

As the boats ascended the river, crowds of poor colored people were seen in some places huddled together, or scattered along the shores, screaming and

gesticulating in the wildest manner. Some of the more daring, leaped into the water, trying to wade or swim to the boats before they were landed.

When the gunboats touched the shore, the news spread like wildfire. Men, women, and children rushed frantically' to them, begging to be taken on board. There was a curious mixture of hope and fear amongst these wretched creatures.

All the white people on the plantations had left precipitately for the interior of the State, taking with them as many of their servants as possible, and leaving the rest to their fate. On some of the places all the strong and able-bodied slaves had been carried it "up country" by their masters, and only the weak and decrepit had been left behind.

In this general stampede for the boats, of course the youngest and strongest were first on board. Those still on shore begged so piteously to be taken care of, that they were put in the guard-house for safe keeping. When order was a little restored, an officer walked past the guard-house, and, looking in upon the crowd there, said, "Well, what are you all about?"

"Dat's jes' what we'd like ter fin' out, massa,"said one of them.

Some sad scenes were witnessed. Mothers were separated from their children, and "old parents"were overlooked. These poor creatures, on the remote plantations of distant islands, had been in the most abject fear for a long time. Now those who had reached what seemed to them safety were wild with delight, and immediately began their jubilant shouting songs, But those left behind unprotected, ran along the shore and even rushed into the water, uttering the most heartrending moans and wailings, which continued until the boat was out of sight and sound.

Many grotesque scenes were also witnessed. When the government steamer John Adams anchored at one of the plantations , the negroes rushed along, carrying every conceivable thing on their heads that could possibly be placed there,—clothing, blankets,

tubs, pots, kettles, pigs, and chickens. One old man had his sick wife on his back, and a half-grown boy had his blind daddy, toting him along "to freedom."A huge negress was seen striding along with her hominy pot, in which was a live chicken, poised on her head. One child was on her back, with its arms tightly clasped around her neck, and its feet about her waist, and under each arm was a smaller child. Her apron was tucked up in front, evidently filled with articles of clothing. Her feet were bare, and in her mouth was a short clay pipe. A poor little yellow dog ran by her side, and a half-grown pig trotted on before.

Another woman staggered along under a large, rice-straw bed and her blankets. A man had a heavy box-coop filled with fowls. Innumerable were the pathetic and ludicrous stories told by officers and men, of scenes which they witnessed on these expeditions.

When all these people were brought to Beaufort, the town was full to overflowing. They were quartered in every available place, and packed as closely as possible,-in churches and storehouses, and in the jail and arsenals. Most of the negro quarters had been taken possession of by the slaves who formerly lived on the island, and who had fled from their old masters on the mainland, back to their homes. Gangs of these poor refugees were sent to different plantations, until there was shelter for no more. There was still a great throng houseless, with no resting-place. Tents were put up for them until barracks could be built outside the town, of which Montgomery District was one.