The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-03-15
Fidelity Of COntraband-.SsOry OF q Re.
fugoo Family.

1ugO0 Fam1lys
A Union man named Smith has resided about
six miles from Fayetteville, Arkansas, the owner
of tract of six hundred acres of land, with COM
Portable dwelling, stock, &C. Obnoxious to the
secessionists, his property was plundered by their
foraging and other parties during the winter, his
place being about mile from McCulloch's head
quarters. The family consisted of Mr.. Smith,
his wife and child, his mether.in- law, and slso
brother-in-law, James Watkins and wife, mar
ried less than q year ago. Besides these, Char
ley, the slave of Mr.. Smith.
Upon the news of the approach of Curtis for.
ces to Springfield, the secessionists began pur-
suing all the Union men to hang them, and Smith
and Watkins fed, hoping to make their way to
some of the Federal camps. The women thus
left, in fear Of outrage and torture on their hus
bands account-if not death-left their home
on the night of the 9Th Of February. with Char
ley as their guide and protector, leaving the
aged mother and the child, who were unable to
move. On foot they wended their way, sleeping
what they did sleep in the open air, upon such
and covered by the single blanket which he car
ried, and subsisting upon the food which he car
ried in pair Of saddlebags. He would have
been seized as marketable property belonging to
. Union man, and the women regarded their
own jeopardy as something mere than that of
their lives, if met or caught by the secessionists
They travelled, he thinks, about eight miles the
first day, (the women being feeble and one of
them in delicate situation fording creeks and
avoiding the travelled roads. On one occasion
crossing creek upon log, one Of the ladies fell
in, and was with difficulty extricacted by Char
ley, who as he said, "cooned it on de log" so
that his mistress got hold of him, and when she
reached the bank he pulled her out.
Nh,.a eov To- Coz ii
short and painful journeys, having no shelter
and not seeing fire. subsisting on the scant pro.
visions which Charley carried, they slowly made
their way until they first met the advance guard
of the federal forces at Midtown. Here the
ladies were at once cared for by the Colonel,
while Charley was taken some miles on horse
back to "Mister Sigell," who examined him at
great length, comparing his stories with his own
maps Of the country. He was satisfied of Char
leys truthfulness, and gave him pass for him
self and the two ladies.
From this point conveyance was given them to
Springfield and to Rolla, and they arrived in St.
Louis on Friday night by rail- the faithful Char.
ley still their servant, protector and friend. He
exhibited the various passes furnished him. He
speaks Of them with the utmost affection. ~
brought dem children np," said he, though not
more than thirty seven years old himself.
Whether Messrs. Smith and Hopkins made
their escape or not, the ladies do not know
One of them fed from his house in his shirt
sleeves, and no intelligence has been received
from them.
Charley is preacher, he says, and seems in.
telligent for his condition, and manly in his
bearing. His wife, belonging to another mas
ter, was sold off into Louisiana some months,
ago, when they began to push the slaves off
frcm that section in consequence of the troubles.
Charley is anxious now to get into Illinois,
where he can find work to support these two la
dies. Says he is stout and has good trade
team lay brick or rock OR work on de farm, and
arm enough to keep them" They are staying
at the Refugee Home, on Elm street. Charley's
narrative is artless and exceedingly interesting
Speaking of Mr.. Smith, in answer to question,
be said: "He ,cas a good master, but don't
know whether he is olive or dead now" The
noble friendship and almost heroic devotion of
this slave to that family deserves the respect Of
all right-minded persons, though he manifested
not the least consciousness of any special merit.
fist Louis Democrat,