Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-03-21
FOR THE FREEMAN.
HISTORY OF ALEXANDER GILES.

was born in the city of Lafayette, La. was
not brought up, sprung up. This is free
country, but | was slave Almost as soon as
was born, the white man snatched me from my
mothers bosom; my heart was almost broken
and my mother was almost crazy. was put on
the block when was years old and sold to
the highest bidder, which was my own father
He gave nine dollars pound for me, | worked
in the house two years, then went out on the
plantation +" work, making sugar; this was slave
ry. When was 10 years old had to work,
from three O'Clock in the morning, till ten at
night, without half enough to eat. They find
pound of meat, and one peck of rice for a grown
person week No more for a slave Bad
slaves are used badly,-whipped to death, and
shot dead in the field have been shot have
been whipped, till the blood run down my back
in a stream almost wore ball and chain,
which weighed Sc pounds till it wore the flesh
off my legs, and scratched on the bone of my
leg wore an iron collar Oh my neck which
weighed seven pounds. 1t almost cut my throat
i wore it for month This is the beginning
of slavery, Then they sent me to New Orleans.
| worked in the cotton press three years In
those three years | never wore a shirt only OH
Sunday / wore no hat ON my head. | rose
every morning at three O clock, and worked till
seven in the evening, did not have half enough
to eat, and was whipped, sometimes almost to
death This is slavery. 1t is enough to make
a mans blood run cold About this time, my
mind began to be enlightened and was deter
mined to be free i'll could. So | made trial,
and succeeded in getting away with some help.
left New Orleans on the Sth day of January,
one year ago went to Mobile the captain
gave me pass to go to Wilmington in Delaware,
not as free man, but as belonging to him. |
then left, and came North, over rocks and hills,
across rivers, and over mountains, through
swamps and over plains. Sometimes the nights
were very dark, the thunder rolled through the
heavens, the rain poured from the clouds, and
the lightnings run through the air. After trav-
cling about three weeks 1 came to Charlestown
They put me in prison, and kept me in seven
days; then was discharged from prison and
came to Wilmington N. G. | was put in prison
there four days. They could not keep me in
prison because | had pass from my pretended
master, with state seal on it. | was going to
the captains brother in the state of Delaware
When left Wilmington had no shoes on my
feet. Every step took the blood gushed out
my feet When travelling through the dismal
swamp, was almost starved to death The
wolves and bears were my companions. In the
night, | could hear them haow, and after came
out of the swamp, came to all Indians house.
He gave me something to ear, and staid with
him three days. He gave me a pair of boots,
and came on my way to Petersburg in Virgin
ia. They put me in prison in the dungeon
They kept me in it three days and let me 60
Then came toward the North. | was taken
after this time once at the Natural Bridge in the
same state, From that time my way was undis-
turbed
ALEXANDER GILES.
Crattsbury, Feb. 10, 1916