St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-08-08
:: 10 HGi:~ - A'.l} III G;'i]-; ' -
, ThesP!erils of ,PriVateering..
low 10; 4 Stack MAN sAVEb H1MsE1Li1
"dive ma Liberty or: give me Death"

|
49,. ,L!j ::y- o. i::4z-.--A ~ q: ,l.; =,
,,,t "aive :iua Liberty or give me Death"
We have to recorl an example Of strate-
gic skill and bravery-in which negro
Sailor, Unable to read or write, was the
chief attor-which goes farsto console us
under the sad. reyerses Of our arms at
Bulls Run. The facts should put to
shame those who question the negro's ca
pacity for the enjoyment and defense of
liberty, aud. who, in the great struggle in
which the: country is now involved: are
careless of the effect it may have upon
his interests and rights: -
The schooner S. J. Waring of Brock
haven, Smith, master, left this port on the
4th inst bound for Montevideo On the
7th; when only $50 miles from Sandy
Hook, she was brought to by the priva-
teer jeff: Davis, which took from her a
quantity of provisions, and then put on
board prize crew Of five men, taking
away Captain Francis Smith, the two
mates, and twotseamcn, leaving the. stew
ard, two seamen, and Nr..Bryce Mackin-
non, passenger, on board. The prize
crew were Montague Amiel, Charleston
pilot, in command, one named Stevens, as
'raate, Malcomj Sidney as second mate, and
three men. The, Steward ot the: Waring
was colored man. named William an y Till
man; the two sailors, both white, were
William Stedding, and Donald Mcleod.
FThe parties; not counting the passenger,
stood six to three, while. the pirates alone
understood avigation. The schooner was
headed for Charleston pirates hoping
to run, into that port in spite of the block
adc. The negro steward, Tiflnian, saw
at once that if theivesscl should enter that
or any other Southern port, he would
probably be sold into lifelong slavery,
and his sense. of this terrible danger was
made nio,e acute by overhearing con-
versation among the pirates, in which
they spoke of the price he would bring
in Charleston. He: had also heard the
prize master say. to one. of the men, "You
talk to that steward and keep him in good
! heart; by -; lie will never see the
North again. The worst that would prob
ably. hefall the white sailors was imprison-
hent, for. a longer or a shorter time, during E
the continuance Of the war; but the
steward had before him fate worse than
death, and with a spirit worthy Of Patrick
.Henry's immortal declaration, J." Give me
liberty or give me death," he resolved to
escape or perish in the attempt. He con-
ferred with the two white seamen, but
they y, having less at stake than himself,
declined adopting any plan Of escape, say
ing that pone Of them. would know how to
; navigate the vessel if they should succeed
in getting control. For three day, more
the brave acgro reflected upon the subject
his wit and courage not paralyzed 'but
stimulated blythe awful danger of bis sit
uation. Having carefully weighed the
chances of success against the hazard Of
defeat-the value Of two pirate lives
against his own inalienable right to'free:
dom he at length made an appeal to the
white sailor; Shedding, "a Gcrman)s say:
ing" IF you are man to stick to your
:: word we can take this vessel easy. am
: not going to Charleston live man they
must take me there, if at ALL, dead" J."
! Shedding assentcd to the negro's plan, land
they waited and watched for an opportuni-
: ty to carry it'into effect: =" .>*
:. On Tuesday night, July 16th, the Yes.
sci being fifty miles south and one hundred
west of Charleston, the hour to strike the
blow arrived, and the MAN was ready !!
Tie pirate cap ptain and his two mates were
asleep-dreading, perhaps, of the profits
to accrue from the sale ,of the vessel; the
cargo, aud the black chattel who had CIV
en- proof of his value by his skill as a
; steward. Steddiug was at the helm. He
gave the signal "a cough) agreed upon by
Himself and Tillman, but the Inter, being
too fast asleep to be thus awakened, he
went to his berth and touched him, say
ing' "Now is your time" The negro
awoke at once, and with hatchet killed
first the pirate captain, Montague Amicl,
then Malcolm Sidney, the second mate,
both of whom were iu the cabin. He next
rushed upou deck and killed the first
mate, Stevens, who was sleeping on the