Louisiana capitolian., 1880-07-03
A VERY STRANGE STORY.
lw.ahinrtop. Mas, Gasettsl

Iwsshington, Miss, Gasettsl $50 Ef
In 1853, Gen. Pemberton commanded
1t this point Col. Hemingway owned
! faithful slave-Peyton by name, .
noted fiddler, known for miles around,
md highly, respected by both black and
white. When his young master, W..
Lynn Hemingway, at present State
treasure Of Mississippi, Joined the old
Carol Rifles he took Peyton along o.
q trusted servant. He went with him
into Virginia, and returned home in
1868. '
In February or March of that year
faithful spy was needed to visit the
Federal gunboats then coming down the
river on Fort Pemberton. Peyton at
once undertook the mission, and repre-
senting himself as fugitive slave to-
the commanders of the boats was Weli
received. Being bright far beyond
ordinary, be managed to secrete their
official papers, maps, etc., and escaped
with these documents to Fort Penn
berton. After the fall Of Vicks-
burg, in July following. Peyton went
with his young master again to virgil
MIA, where he remained until after the
surrender of Gen. Lee. The former be-
ing compelled to remain a number OF
days thereafter, in order to comply with
the formalities of the surrender, sent
Peyton ahead of him to his home, near
Carrolton, Miss. On his way, however,
he was betrayed to the enemy by some
Confederate as the spy who had deceiv-
ed them above Fort Pemberton, was
captured and carried in irons to New
York, thence to Cuba, aud sold as a
slave, together with many others. The
vessel on which he was taken was 9
Federal gunboat. In Cuba, be worked
as a slave in factories for nearly fifteen
years, being entirely cut eff from any
communication with home and friends
, He made seven attempts to escape from
bondage, all but the last, Of course, be
ing unsuccessful. Finally he found a,
r American yessel, commanded by South
erner, to whom he related the histor.
, of his capture, enslavement aud force'
G exile, and begged to be returned to hi
home and family. The captain secrete'
. him in the hold of his vessel. carrie'
him to Costa Rica, thence to New lorl
peytou then worked his way to Viz
!, cinia. where a number OF ladies raise
Q the means to return him to his HON
: after an absence of l. years. He reache
Winona, Miss, on the 18th of April
Q 1880. Peyton says that numbers OF mi
# latto women are being constantly sol'
e in Cuba as slaves. Northern men MARI
r. them. take them to Cuba ION brid'
j. tour" and there sell them as cooks an
fancy house servants. He saw one sol
last fall, by the man who married he
for $500; and further, that as he can
through Cincinnati on his way hom
lie saw the man and recognized hir
y who sold her in Cuba. The facts abo'
- eiyen are from one of the most reliab
20 and responsible gentlemen in Mississip
= written to distinguished member
Congress from that State. Closing b
=, letter, he says Of Peyton:
ar "He was delighted to again meet h
:, wife, who had married in his long a
ao sence though her second husband W
at drowned several months ago. Hent
X he found her widow. With both hu
10 band and wife, it was like return
-. ~, life from death. Peyton is an excee
III ingly intelligent negro, land says he G.
th hardly realize the changes that ha
ep taken place. He left his children babl
~ and finds them married and with cE
dren of their own
~ na If any one doubts the truth Of t
od. story, he or she can write to Capt.
~ +. Jones, Winona, Miss, or to e. \.
.ho Merriwether, Oakland, Yallabusha co.
,r somo State