Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-07-22
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THE DAILY spy.
MATT. HARRIS.
THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF ooNrRAsAND.

THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF A C0NTRAIAND.
THE following narrative was communicated TO us
by the surgeon of the U. S. SLIP II. r. Cxyler,"
stationed of Mobile. The writer was personally
conyersant with the facts, and the reader may rely
upon his entire tratlfulness and 6deityJ
few days ago happened to be talking
with --, who, though absolutely loyal,
is a born Kentuckian, and frin believer in
the blessings of the peculiar institution" He
was telling me how many of the large plan
tations, chaplans were employed to attend to
the spiritual condition of the hands .-Sull,"
said |, ''they would like to have right to
their own children, suppose" ''0h," he
answered, you refer to the separation of fam
lilies. Now l can tell you that never knew
that to be done, unless the person sold had
been convicted of some crime which would
send him to a common Jail. Ten years ago
when my uncle proposed to move to Missouri
many of his male slaves had wives owned on
adjoining plantations. He said to them that
if they could find some one to give a nominal
price for them, he should be glad to have
them; to which they answered that they did
not wish to leave him. But What will
you do about your wives? he asked,
and they answered, oh, never mind dem,
find plenty more, out dar. So you will find
it." said --; ''they do not think SO much
of these things as we do" ''You dad not find
it SO with Matt. Harris" answered. .'Oh,
well, he is one of ten thousand don't know
many wbite men who would do as he did"
1t seems 60 nae that the story of the adveu-
lures OF Matt. Harris deserves all the praise
that this gentleman awards it.; and though it
may be difficult to describe all the obstacles
that he aet aud overcame, SO t,at you, at
that distance, will fully comprehend them, l
hope to set them before yea With Sufficient
plainness to command your attention and re-
spect Matt Harris was born the slave of a
man living a few miles above Mobile, and has
always worked for him on a fatboat running
between his san asill and the city. he is nov
about 30 years OF age, and a free mulatto.
There is nothing African about his features,
except has complexion; and his thin, straight
nose, full, prominent brow, viii, certain
breadth of the skull through the head in front
of the ears, convey to my mind evidence of
considerable naental capacity.
On the 9th of April this man came off to
the Colorado with another, in an open boat.
They represented that they were three days
lying IN wait around the '.Poiat," before they
dared< TO come off, and that they we're week
getting down the river In the course of a
day or two they were transferred 20 this YES
sell and improved the first favorable Oppor-
tunity to speak with Matt. about his history,
intentions, and prospects. La answer to ques-
tons, be told me there was little to eat around
Mobile, which poor people could buy; that he
did not run away from cerk, of which
he says he is not afraid; that all the slaves
around Mobile had heard of the presidents
proclamation, but did not know how it would
help them, and that his only idea in coming
out was to get some place where he could
work and get enough to eat | asked him how
he knew that we should not send him back, or
misuse himI He SAID that about three months
before Jesse had come out in the man
ner, and after staying in the aeet sometime,
had suddenly disappeared after the vessel
went to Pensacola for coal. Suddenly he re-
appeared in Mobile among his friends, with
most doleful story of his SutIerings. He had
been beaten, starved, nearly drowned and
was glad to get back with his lite. JesSe's
story was published ia the papers around Mo-
bile, and Jesse himself went on a kind of
missionary tour among the discontinued of his
people, to tell them what he had suffered.
But when he could choose his audience he
told his people that he was perfectly well
used, and when he could manage to get his
wife away he should go again. and ''not come
back no mo-"
The first accurate information in regard to
the river defences and Instructions come from
Matt Harris. The number of guns, rams,
gunb oats, the armament, draught of water,
fighting capacity of the latter two, the water
III the various channels, the name, Stowage
capacity and rate of sailing of different block
ade runners the name of different vessels
which have been in Mobile in years past-on
all these subjects he has answered hundreds
of questions, put in many cases by persons
who were acquainted with the facts, and ana
ious to prove him unreliable; in manner so
STRAIGHTFORWARD, unhesitating and reasonable,
that have never heard any man pretend to
doubt his perfect accuracy. Above all he has
the rare grace of not pretending to know
what he does rot and it has often amused me
to see with what delightful tirmncss he re-
fuses to infer anything that he does not know.
Towards the last of April we went to Pensa-
cola for coal, passing, on our way up burn
ing blockade runner, near the entrance of
Perdus river, about ten miles west of Pcnsa-
cola light.
The first day after our arrival, all hands
had liberty to take run ashore, and at night
all were present Or accounted for except Matt.
The last that was seen of him was about nuon
when he was sitting leg, talking with one
of his COLOR who lives at Warrenton. [ kept
hoping up to the last moment that he would
return and justify the good opinion that was
formed of him, but at the end of three DAYS
we went back to the fleet, and Matt was re-
ported as deserter. Now copperheadism
was ubilant. Never man among them but
was sure of his being spy, who had come
out with such story the rebels instruct.
ed him to tell. and now had gone back with
accurate news from the fleet, and the navy
yard. 81 suspected that fellow from the
first" said the chaplsin of the Colorado, al
noticed that he would drop his eyes when l
looked at him. which we must admit was
quite conclusive.
Thus things remained until the Sth of May,
when soon after daylight, the officer of the
watch open boat coming out from
Sand island about one third of the way over
to Fort Morgan. Soon, with glass, he saw
a little chill sitting in the after part, and quick
ly after, man and a woman, pulling the boat
along with not over skllful strokes. They