The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-15 00:00:00

Story of a Black Refugee,

A correspondent writes from the Federal station
at Beaufort, South Carolina, in Jane :
On the Ist of the present month there came into our lines
at Beaufort, South Carolina, a short, stout, thickset negro
man, black as night, with not a drop of white blood in his
veins, but with unmistakable intelligence in every feature, a
countenance radiant with good-nature, and whose shrewd
observations and remarks would have done credit to the
intellect of the best specimen of the Caucasian race. He
landed from a primitive boat, not made of "bulrushes,"
but from a coarse kind of grass, which had first been twisted
into a rope of inch in diameter. To keep this rope
together, it was bound round, or, as the sailors would term
it, served, with other grass.
This rope was plaited together as I have seen door mats,
beginning in the centre, and building out to form the
foundation or floor, then up to form the sides. It was five
feet four inches in length, three feet four inches broad, and
one foot six inches in depth—measuring from the top or
bulwarks of the boat. On the bottom, or inside floor, to
keep it from collapsing, there were three pieces of pine
wood. There was an old shutter on the outside, or under-
neath, on which the boat was fastened. Inside and outside it
was pitched. to keep it water-tight. The man gave his name
as Jack Frowers, stating that ho was born the slave of Dr.
Henry Fuller, of Beaufort, S.C., now of Baltimore—a man
who was among the foremost to take South Carolina out of
the Union, but who was too shrewd (or something else)
to continue with secession, as by doing so he might lose
his " possessions, for he was very rich." It would be hard
to convince Jack that his master is not a secessionist still,
or his 15 brethren lent to Elder Holley for their victuals
and clothes till the war is over.

Jack spent most of his life on one or the other of the
elnetnr's plantations near Beaufort, always working as a
field hand. He does not know his age, but 1 ohould junge
him to be 45. The noble fellow would not make his age an
excuse for not fighting for others' freedom. He has enlisted
in what was formerly the let 8. C. Coloured Regiment
Higginson), now known no the 33d 11. S. C. T. I
give Jack's narrative in his own words, as written down by
Mr Judd, omitting such passages as would implicate Jack's
assistants.

Two years ago now the doctor sent me and 16 others
to the village of Aikin, 125 miles back, where the country
is all broken up into hills and valleys, where we were to
work for Millidge Holley, who was to keep us, the doctor
told us, till the war was over—he (Holley) giving us victuals
and clothes. About the 15th of May, 1863, I started off
one dark night to get to Beaufort; took only a blanket and
pair of pants, and travelled as hard as I could till almost
morning, and then laid in the swamp. I was disturbed
and frightened by the cry of bloodhounds coming
on my track. To get away I had to cross the swamp
and double on them, going towards Augusta. But they
kept the scent, and chased me all day, though I went
across !brooks and swamps ever so many times. So it was
12 o'clock at night when I got to the bridge of Augusta,
though distant about 16 miles from Aiken. At the far end
of the bridge is a gate where the guard stands post; and
when I came to him he asked me where I was from, and I
told bins from Gardner's Corners, when he said he thought
I was lying, and if he knew I was he would surely kill me,
for no nigger should run away to the d—d Yankees if he
could help it. After that he took me to gaol, and word was
sent to Dr Fuller, who sent and told Holley I was in gaol
at Augusta, and he had best take me out, and do just as he
chose with me, only he must keep me alive till after the war.
'there were 16 bloodhounds and 12 men after me, as I found
out when I got back to Aiken, and they only lost my track
at 10 o'clock. Just as soon as Master Holley got me home,
he set the dogs to worry and bite me, and the scars on my
legs and arms are what they did with their teeth. After he
got tired of that fun, he took me to a blacksmith, who put
a ring around my ankle, bending the ends in when it was
red hot. (A large scar is all around the ankle, showing the
mark from the burn of the red hot iron.) And then a heavy
timber chain was wound twice around my waist, and locked.
The chain weighed as much as 50Ibsa and was put next to
my skin, and I wore both these derbies four weeks, and got a
hard flogging every day beside. Master Holley himself
whipped me, saying he had got me now where he wanted me,
and he would have satisfaction. When he took off the fet-
ters I was too lame and sick to do anything, and he laughed
at me, telling me I had better ' try again to go to the —_
Yankees.' Since then Holley has kept a guard on all his
nigger', so that we could not get away, watching us so close
and treating me so badly that I got completely cowed, and
gave it up till the last day of March in this year, when he
Bet we a new task, to go to the woods and cut and split 155
rails, feeding and watering the cattle, 25 head, three times
a day, beside doing the housewoman's chorea, for a day's
work. When I came up at noon, the first day, to get
something to eat, the housewoman told me that Mr. Holley
would give me 600 lashes because I had not cut some fire-
wood before I went away in the morning. I said, I can't
do more den I can. He's master, an' I slave, and I can't
hinder him.' So after dinner I went down in a little bush,
where I could see when Master Holley came home, and,
when he did come the housewoman told him what she said
she would, and he went off very quick toward where I had
been working, but of course he did not find me there ; and
so by and by I saw him come back and go into the house.
In a little while he came out with his gun, and a sword
buckled around him, and whistled for his six bloodhound
dogs, who went after him. As soon as I saw that lin/aped
up and ran like lightning the other way. When the
hounds fairly got on my trail and I heard them, 1 was two
miles off, and by crossing little swamps I put them out
till an hour before sundown, when I came to a pond and
could see the dogs not more than 300 yards be-
hind me. I tumbled right in and waded out till
I could just touch my toes and keep nay nose above
wat©r to breathe, and the dogs lost me entirely. When
Holley and the other men came down to the pondjthey rode
all around it, and I heard them say, Ho can't get away no
how, for we can come in the morning, and the dogs will
take his scent and find him.' After they had gone I got
out and wrung out my clothes, and started by the road
direct, and ran and walked all night till I knew I was
gone 35 miles from Aiken ; and then at daydawn I got to a
pond, and went out on a log that was sticking in the water,
and broke down NOMO rushes and bushes enough to lie
down on and cover rue up, and there I kept all day, for 1
was dreadful tired, and most starved, too. When night
came I was so weak from hunger that I could scarcely go
along; but 1 felt better when I harked and couldn't hear
no dogs. So I came on and got a half-mile, when I saw a
little house just back from the road, and thought it was a
nigger house, and went along up to the door, when a white
woman came out and scared me dreadfully. She asked me
what I wanted, and I saw I was in for a lie anyhow. So I
said, 'ls master at home ?' and sure enough he came right
out. When he asked me where I came from I told him
Pocotaligo, and before he could ask any more I said,
We eotehed fifty Yankees
.yeaterdity down there, and
master was so tickled that he let me go up to Barnwell's to
see my family.' Then I said I had got off the track and
me onaething to eat.
was hungry, mad would uot he sell