Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-09-20
From lie RnlLilnnra SIN

| in reference thereto, Which may be relied upon:
Ncsr three years ago. tour negroes, between tn,
ages OF nineteen and twenty two fled from INV father
~ Baltimore county, nineteen miles from the cv into
Pennsylvania. These negroes were to be free at the
age Of twenty eight and this Tact they knew If hal
come to the knowledge ofmy father that they had solo
| wheat stolen from him, TO a free negro. A warrar
was got out Tor the arrest OF the free negro which
coming 10 the ears OF his accompIces thew re,o we'd
Che same evening" 10 make good their escape
| This III November. During the winter if va,
| reported that these men suffering for food a
cooured man sent to find them aod assuIe tben
that ifthey would come home and behave themselva.
nothing would b. said TO them about their Their The
| were found but did NOT return.
After having carefully provided the necessary youcb
ers and papers. attended by deputy marshal and tvr
eonstsbes from Phqde p, my father his Dick.
enson) his nephew, Or Thomas T G. PearceN Joshua
Gorsuch, Nathan Nelson and Nicholas Hutch ms So
out the st OF last week Tor the scene of Dendad Wv
rest. The plan was to arrest the fugitives on
| Wednesday morning. but this was tusrated hv
| the appearance OF The deputy marshal who
had the aurhoity and The papers Both the Phil.
| adelphia constahles returned to the city with the
understanding that they were to come back thai nigh,
with new warrants-one OF them having been dennIed
to act as marshal. The delinquent marshal made hie
appearance on Wednesday morning about nine O'Clock
urging excuse Tor his failure taa he had been fol-
| lowed by a negro whom he knew to be a spv In an
deavorng to eude his pursuit and prevent the discov
cry of his posse BIZ rapid driving, he broke his WAGON
1t then agreed that they would attempt the arra
on Thursday morning, strengthened by the constabes
whom they expected 10 return on Wednesday night
| but these did not come
| Deputy Marshal Henry FL Kline, ond The five oen-
temen in company with my father reached the house
where two OF the runaways supposed to live inst
about morning dawn. This house stands near thn
head OF the Great Valley IN Lancaster county about
| two miles from the village OF Christana The valIev
here is about three quarters of mile broad on;ts
rough.lk in shape, and bordered with wood Across
tins valley runs narrow, rough lane. About $50
yards from the southern border OF the valley and one
hundred yards from the lane that crossed It stands
the house Of the fugitive connected with the larger
ane by short lane twelve leet wide AS this party
at TINS early honr Were proceeding along the lane that
crosses the valley and near the house, one of the me-
| groes, who was recognized as Nelson, came to the
mouth OF the short lane and, upon seeing these men
ran towards the house, all the party in full chase
The ns&ro barely made his escape. One man was
stationed at each corner OF the house guard the win
dows The house is two stories in height and tho ra-
groes were all up stairs.
The Marshal and my father entered the house. -
Mr. Kline asked tor the owner OF the house, told them
he an United States Marshal, and that he came
or the purpose Of arresting Mr.. Gorsuchs slaves Mel
| son and Josh. tie then read to them the warrants
and while doing this he heard them loading their guns
up stairs. The Marshal and my father started Both
together to go up STAIRS the latter having first called
| to eson that he saw him, and told HIM thai if he
would come down peaceably and 90 home with hin,
he would treat him as kindly before he ran away
| Resistance, he said would do good, for he came
with the proper officer and authority and he would no,
| leave The premises without his property While thew
were on the steps and intending proceed one of the
negroes struck at them with staff shod with sharp
| IRON My father then turned and went the door
Just as he got out gun was fired at his head from
one OF the windows but the aim was 100 high The
Marshal coming out lust behind him. fired his ps oil in
the window. Again they went in, and starting to 90
up the steps, an axe was thrown down at them which
however, passed harmessy by them. In this way a
little skirmlshng was kept up bet the negroes at
the windows and the young men outside, and between
those at the head OF the steps and the two men in the
house.
During this period the warrants were read three times
the law was ex planned they were advised and entrea
ed to give up the two slaves and assured that the ar
! rests would be made even if blood must be shed. A
missile had been thrown out of the window and had
wounded Pesrce IN the head he had attempted to shoot
but The cap only exploded. At last they gave the ne
groes definite time to decide; the watch was held but
before the time expired white rode I'D to the baJs
IN the lane. His presence inspired the blacks; thew i'm
mediateiy raised shout and became confirmed in their
oppOsltlou. When the marshal The man at the bars
he went to hm and called upon him 10 the name Of the
United States, to assist in aresling the fug show
ing his warrant reading his authority, and telling him
the inevitable consequence OF refusal. Another white
man was also present during this conversation The
reply was That he would not assist and that they had
better 60 home they could make no arrests there or
blood would be spit E.
Before, during and after the conversation with his
man, al the bars, negroes arriving from every
quarter, some horseback and Others on foot armed
with guns, pistols cubs, cutters &C. Thew seem
ed to be scattered all around upon the first of their ar
rval but most OF them ga hered in knots ne ar the
place whee the White man on horseback and The mar
shall were takmg, engaged in loading their guns At
The close OF tie conference the marshal called 10 his
party to retire saying that he would not press the ar
rest farther, and that he would hold this man resoon-
slne Tor the properly Then the marshal end Two of
the young mea left NV father was then near The houae
his son. Pearce, and Joshua Gorsuch not far from him,
still guarding The house keep the slaves from escsp-
ing. Just as the marshal and the young mea left
the Quaker OF the horse said thing to the negroes
that had assent led near him. when they set up most
hdeous yell and rushed towards the house. the negroes
10 the house at the same time rushing and whooping
like savages, met the advancing gang around my faith
| There with il io
true, opposed TO about 100 nIuriaed, blood thirsty
! howlng demons. AS soon as these two gangs met 10
the narrow lane, the attack made upon the dlmin
ished band by negro from behind striking my father
on the head, which caused him to fall forward on his
knees when he shot several times and cut over the
! head with cutters.
When the young men near him saw him fall Dick
lnson and Joshua ran to him and discharged their pis
tolls into the crowd that was numbering him. Pearce
having been cut off from them by the negroes who
advanced from the baEs. AS Dickinson was shooting
| Immediately over his father, his revok er Was knock
ed out OF has hand by club striking aim upon the
| arm, near the wrist. Then negro stot aim in the
hight side and arm, lodging more than seventy large
shot IN HIM LIE negroes were whooping and yell
ling with savage gee over their VICTIM and the SON
nephew and cousin started to their lives. They
all escaped from this narrow lane the scene of the
awful conflict INTO the longer lane that extends across
the valley and the woods on either side. Dickinson
staggering under the stunning effects of his wounds,
blood gushing from his mouth and streaming from his
arm and side, took the southern end of the lane and
IN distance OF hundred yards reached the edge of
the wood, falling down by large stump, exhausted.
Ssane of the fiends followed and would have most
cruelty murdered him, but an old negro who had
been in the aray, threw himself over his body and
called upon them tor God sake to assist him, for he
would soon die any how
DIR. Pearce and Joshua Gorsuch took the other end
OF the lane, Leading TO the woods on the other side of
the valley which were more than half mile distant
Pearce kept the lane, and after him rushed the whole
band OF negroes, shouting and shooting every jump
a distance of three hundred yards. In his flight he
overlook the Quaker the horse, and srove to keep
HIM between himself and his pursuers, to which
course he ascrlbes the salvation of his life. AT the
distance Of half mile from The neloes' house. he
reached dwelling, and boiling in, asked two ladies,
who were then the only persons whom he saw in the
house, to- roted nm They expressed fear lest the
for concealing him He told them he would not ex-
pose them danger then, and turned to go out when
they consented to conceal him Soon his infatuated
pursuers to the house and asked if he was not
there. They were told some one had gone past, and
they kept on to the woods, which they reached and