The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-11-01
..Does vour master knov II :"

"Does your master know it 7"
"Cap'n Rhett doesn't know it, Sir; but he 10
net my master. He thinks I am free, and
hired me at $25 month, but be never paid
me any fit. Ibelongto Mrs. John Spring Of
Stratford Conn. She used to hire me out
Summers, and have me wait on her every Vim
ter, when she came South After the war she
couldn't come, and they were going to sell me
for Government because belonged to North
erner. Sold great mant negroes in that way.
But l slipped away to the army. Have tried
to come to you twice before in Maryland, but
couldn't pass our pickets."
"Were you at Antietam?"
eyes, boss. Mighty hard battle"
"Who whipped? 2"
"Yous all, massa. They say you didn't;but
saw it, and know. If you had fought rs that
nextday would have captured
ed our whole army. They say themselves"
"Who?"
&c Our officers, SIR
"Did you ever hear of old John Brown?"
Hear Of him? Lord bless you, yes, boss.
I've read his life and have 1t now in my trunk
in Charleston; sent to New York by the stew
ard Of the James Adger and got it. I've read
1t to heaps of the colored folks Lord, they think
John Brown was almost God. Just say you
was friend ofhis and any slave will almost kiss
your feet if you let him. They say if be was
only alive now he would be king. How it did
frlghten the white folks when he raised the in.
surrection! 1t was Sunday when we heard of it.
They wouldn't let negro 60 into the streets.
was waiter at the Mills House in Charleston.
There was lady from Massachusetts, vino came
down to breakfast at my table. "John," she
says, 4 want to see negro church where is
the principal onef' Not any open TODAY.
| mi al hor Whu
Mr.. John Brown has raised an insurrection
in Virglnny.' 'Ah, well, she says, they d better
look out, or they'll get the white churches shut
up in that way one Of these days too Mr..
Nicholson, one. of the proprietors, was listen
ing from the. office, to hear what she said
Wasn't that lady watched after that1 have
q History Of San Domingo, too, and q Life Of
Fred. Douglass, in my trunk, that got in the
same way aa', d. .-
What do the slaves think about the war 2"
"Well, boss, they all wish the Yankee army
would come. The white folks tell them all
sorts of bad Stories about you all; but they
don't believe them. They know that Mr.. FREE
mont and Mr.. Mcclellan and Mr.. Burnside
won't hurt them. -
John was taken to Gen. Mcclellan, to whom
he gave all the information he possessed about
the position, numbers, and organization of the
Rebel army. His knowledge was full and VAL
liable, and is corroborsted by all the facts We
have learned from other sources. The p.inci-
pal features of it'll have already transmitted to
you by telegraph. At the close of the inter
view, he asked anxiously: y-s. -,s,l.s..
General, you won't send me back will
you 2" ...5.........,
eyes replied the General, with a smile "I
believe I willn Il-3g ast @.-
81 hope you won't, General. If you say 50,
I know will have to go; but come to yous
all fer protection and hope you WON'T"
."Well, then I suppose we will not. No, John
you are at liberty to 60 where you please.
Stay with the army if you like. No one can
ever take you against your will. ...-sF
| "May the Lord bless you, General
thought you wouldn't drive me out You's tho
best friend ever had shall never forget
you till I de- And John made the salute,
remounted his horse and rode back to the rear,
his dusky face almost white with radiance.
An hour later, he was on duty as the SER
want Of Capt. Bachelor, Quartermaster Of
COUGHS second Division; and do not believe
| thore was another boort in o oorpe 90 light az
his in the unwonted joy of Freedom. l fear it
will be o long timr before Capt. Rhett sees tho
butter and eggs for which his palate yearned,
to say nothing of the horse or of John himself.
The interview with Gen. Mcclellan did not
witness, and gave from hearsay. The other
conversation, emitting verbisge, 1 have en-
deavornd to record in the exact word which
came from the lips Of the Intelligent Contra
band. A. D.. r.