The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-11-17
A VERY STRANGE STORY.
How a Negro Confederate Spy Was Ar
rested After the War and Sold into
Slavery ia Cuba.
Washington tSIiss.) Gazette.l

Washington tSIss.) Gazette.l
In 1868 General Pemberton com
manded at this point Colonel Heming-
way owned a faithful slave-Peyton bv
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 Treasurer of Mississippi, joined the
old /" Carroll Rifles, he took Peyton
along as a trusted servant. He went
with him into Virginia and returned
home in 1863. In February or March of
that year faithful spy was needed to
visit the Federal gImboats then coming
down the river ON Fort Pemberton. Pey-
ton at once undertook the mission, and
representing himself as fugitive slave
to the commanders of the boats, was well
received Being bright far beyond Or
dinary, he managed to secrete their Of
fetal papers, maps, etc, and escaped
with these documents to Fort Pember
ton. After the fall of Vicksburg, in
July following, Peyton went with his
young master again to Virginia, where
he remained until the surrender of Gen.
Lee. The former being compelled to re-
main a number of days thereafter in or
der to comply with the fOrmalities 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 confederate as the spy
who had deceived them above Fort Penn
bertOn, was captured and carried in irons
to New York, thence to Cuba, and sold
as q slave, together with many others.
The vessel on which he was taken was q
Federal gunboat In Cuba he worked as
slave in factories for nearly fifteen
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, be-
ing successful. Finally he found an
American vessel, commanded by south
erner, to whom he related the history of
his capture, enslavement and forced
exile, and begged to be returned to home
and family The captain secreted him
in the hold of his vessel, carried him to
Costa Rice, thence to New York. Pey-
ton 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
$780, PeytOn says that numbers of the
mulattO women are being constantly
sold in Cuba as slaves. Northern men
marry them, take them to Cuba con 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 man and recognized
him who sold her in Cuba. The facts
above given are from one of the most re-
liable and responsible gentlemen in Mis-
gissippi, written to a WOst 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 alb
sence, though her second husband was
drowned several months ago. Hence he
found her a widow. With both husband
and wife it was like a return to life from
death. Peyton is an exceedingly intelH-
gent negro, and says that he can hardly
realize the changes that have taken place
He left his children babies, and finds
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.
F. Jones, Winona Miss, or to Q. Y. F.
Mer1iwether, Oakland, Yalobusha County,
same State.