Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-06-08
A VERY STRANGE STORY.
How a Negro Confederate Spy
Was Arrested After the War
aud Sold into Slavery
In Cubn.
washington lMiss.l Garetts.l

Washington CMiss.) Gazette.l
In 1863 General Pemberton com
manded at this point. Colonel Hem
ingway owned a faithful slave-Pey-
ton by name, a noted negro fiddler,
known for miles around, and highly
respected by both black and white.
When his young master, w. Lynn
Hemingway, at present state treas
urer Of Mississippi, joined the old
Carroll Rifles" he took Peyton
along as a trusted servant. He went
with him into Virginia aud returned
home in 1863. In February or March
Of that year a faithful spy was needed
to visit the federal gunboats then
coming down the river on Fort Penn
berton. Peyton at once undertook the
mission, and representing himself as a
fugitive slave to the commanders
Of the boats, was we'll received. Being
bright, far beyond ordinary, he man
aged to secrete their official papers,
maps, etc., and escape with these doc
uments to Fort Pemberton. After
the fall Of V~icksburg, in July follow
ing, Peyton went with his young mas
ter again 10 Virginia, where he re-
NAMED until the surrender of General
Lee. The former being compelled to
remain a number Of DAYS thereafter
in order to. comply with the formallties
Of the surrender, sent Peyton ahead of
him to his home, near Carrollton.
Miss. On his way, however, he was
betrayed to the enemy by some SON
federate as the spy who had deceived
them above Fort Pemberton, was cap
tured and carried in irons to New
York, thence to Cuba, and sold as a
slave, together with many others. The
vessel on which he was taken was a
federal gunboat. In Cuba he worked
as a slave in factories for nearly If
teen years, being entirely cut off from
all communication with home and
friends. He made seven attempts TO
escape from bondage, all but the last,
of course, being unsuccessful. Final
ly he found an American vessel, COM
manded by a southerner, to whom he
related the history of his capture,
%enslavement and forced exile, and
begged to be returned to his home
and family. The captain secreted
him in the hold of his vessel, carried
him to Costa Rica, thence to New
York. Peyton then worked his way
to Virginia, where a number of ladies
raised the means to return him to his
home after an absence of seventeen
years. He reached Winona, Miss
on the 18th of April, 1880. Peyton
says that numbers of mulatto women
are being constantly sold in Cuba as
slaves. Northern men marry them.
take them to Cuba ION a bridal tour"
and there sell them as cooks and fancy.
house servants. He saw one sold last
fall, by the man who married her, for
$500; and further, that as he came
through Cincinnati on his way home,
he saw the mau and recognized him
who sold her in Cuba. The facts
above given are from one Of the most
reliable and responsible gentlemen in
Mississippi, written to a distinguished
member Of congress from that state.
Closing his letter, he says Of Peyton;
He was delighted to again meet
his wife, who had married in his long
absence, though her second husband
was drowned several months ago.
Hence he found her a widow. With
both husband and wife it was like az
return to life from death. Peyton is
an exceedingly intelligent negro, and
says that he can hardly realize the
changes that have taken place. He
left his children babes, and finds them
married and with children of their
own"
If any one doubts the truth of this
story, he or she can write to Captain
B. +. Jones, Winona, Miss, or to G.
Y. I. Merriwether, Oakland, Yalo-
busha county, same state.