The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-03-13
FIRST SLAVE
TO Be FREED.
Michigan Regiment That Libsr-
atGd This NsgrO Boy.
DooR TO PEN WAS OPENED.
Claimant Of Human ChaiieI Had a Warm
RscspiOn When Hs Wanted His
klIsgsd Property.
DooR TO PEN WAS OPENED.

IL Is stated as an undisputed fact that
, Colonel Charles Il. Lincoln, OF Chicago
was the first man 10 set slave free af-
ter the breaking out of the late civil war,
says the Washington Star. Referring 10
the incident. Colonel Lincoln. In a recent
conversation with reporter. said:
1T is q matter OF history that the First
Michigan regiment or infantry three
months mem, under command of Colonel
(afterward generaD Orlando Il. Wilcox,
who still later was governor OF the Sol
diers' Home in Chicago was the first reg
iment 10 cross the long bridge over the
Potomac at the beginning OF the war OF
the rebellion.
This was the night of May g. 1861. the
command reaching Alexandria about day
light the morning of the 24th. The New
! York Fire zouaves. under command OF
Colonel Ellsworth. reached Alexandria by
steamer from Washington at the same
hour.
Company C. First Michigan Regiment
was from Coidwater. 1t was commanded
by Captain Ebenezer Butterworth. who
was wounded and made prisoner at the
first battle Of Bull Run. and died while
"A prisoner al Charlottesville. Va. / was
then a lad OF is years of age, and was
the orderly sergeant Of the company.
''As the regiment filed into Fairfax
street, what subsequently, proved TO be
Ellsworth's troops were seen to our left,
and were supposed 10 be the enemy. and
company G was called upon TO deploy as
skir1nishers upon center 10 right and left
REBELS TRIED TO ESCAPE.
"As orderly sergeant. 7 was at the ex-
treme right OF the company, and as we
were deploying double quick TO the right
along Fairfax street, we saw some forty
rebei soldiers rush out on a large build
attempt To mount their horses with the
view OF escaping.
AT this>Sfoment two pieces of Ricketts,
battery came by, their horses under whip
and spur, and Immediately at our right,
unlimoered and prepared TO fire upon the
"rhe battery occupied the street. and,
possibly the enemy so near at hand on
our right Hank put stop To our deploy.
Al once the rebel captain tBalD advanced.
and handed his sword TO captain Wilcox,
and the enemy was ours.
The building occupied by these rebel
troops as Headquarters proved to be a
commodious structure, with large court
or slave pen, on each side of which and
across the entrance was a sign which
read. Price, Burch &c Co. dealers In
'As a sort of recognition of company
c's yaloi. IN SO promptly responding 10 the
command to act as skirmishers IL was
assigned quarters in this building and
placed i'm charge OF the captured enemy.
The slave pen on either side of the
main building consisted merely OF a large
court formed OF high walls, near the top
and on the inner side of which there was
q narrow shed roof running around the
entire square or court This served as a
protection from sunshine or storm 10 the
occupants, who. by standing close TO the
wall, would be under the roof.
BOY FOUND IN SLAVE PEN.
in one of these Enclosures was a coll
ored boy about IS years OF age, who soon
became known 20 US as George Washing
ton. We ascertained that ne had been
sold and was there held for safe keeping.
pending the arrival of his purchaser OF
new master. IL was not long, however,
before we found that he was not at ali
averse to being liberated.
Il had discovered In a desk drawer in
one OF the office rooms a bunch of Keys,
one of which proved to he the key to an
immense paddock by which the grated
iron door 10 the slave psn Was fastened.
In the presence of several OF the boys,
among whom, as now yecall. were Will
liam III. Bryan, now OF Ravenswood, H..
Smith w. Fisk. OF Minneapolis. Mimi:
locked the door, and we bade our colored
brother TO step out into the air of free
dom and declare himself for the old flag
This he did with many expressions of
pleasure and gratitude. declaring that he
would stay with the company and 20
with II through purgatory, If need be.
'"rho ex-slave became at once an inn
portant factor as a sort OF auxiliary MEM
ber of our company. Soon after this the
company Joined the regiment upon Shut
ers HILL near Alexandria.
During that period a man with two at
tendants came into camp and called upon
Colonel Wilcox the former demanding
the immediate delivery OF the negro. who.
he claimed. had been taken from the
custody of the proper authorities In the
old slave-pen building.
"Coionel Wilcox. having no authority
TO detain such property. advised the man
that he was at perfect liberty TO take the
negro II he found him within the camp.
The young fellow, who had learned what
was happening. soon tried 10 escape.
COULDN'T CATCH GEORGE.
"An attempt was made by the man and
his attend9nts - gSaptnas S nsr.s nim' nHt ns .ne
I'm a moment missiles few thick and fast
through the air. making the place so un-
comfortable that the Shareholder ana his
aids beat n hasty retreat from the camp.
and did not again attempt 10 molest
George Washington or his newly found
friends.
sThc colored boy accompanied tho COM
panv and regiment into the Bull Run
tight, Joining the others ana DOING good
service with "a musket IN hanu. lie
went with the company on Us return I"
ployed as a porter in the southern Michi-
gan hotel In that place.
''He enlisted In the nrst coiorsd re&l.
ment. organized I'm Michigan. pnd served
with IA until the close of the war. Later
he returned to Cnldwatcr. whore ne re-
i,,ained until about 1866. aud subsequently,
H. came Co Washington, where ne dlcd
AT my suggestion he became mem
her of Charles sumner post, -. a. IL,
department OF The Potomac. FOR many
as George G. smith. lie was without
doubt the first slave actually liberated
and made free during the rebellion TO re-