The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-02-26


They supposed we were going back b!
the way we came, and they had effectual
ly cut off our retreat by that route. Gen
Foster had, however, ordered a sufficient
number of transports to sail round from
New Berne and meet him above plymouth
to carry his army back by water, and al
the close of the day we hurried across
the country to board these transports and
put out into Albemarle Sound under
cover of the night. There was barely
transport room for the soldiers. The
slaves could not be taken on board the
transports. Their faces were sad and
their hearts were heavier than before as
we reluctantly turned from them, leaving
them not only in slavery when freedom
seemed just within their grasp, but to
probable punishment and suffering be.
cause of their attempt at escape.
PRESIDENT LINCoLN's PROCLAMATION.
That raid was in the Autumn of 1867
President Lincoln had issued his procia-
nation under date of SEPT. %, declar'
ing that all slaves should be enamel
pated on Jan. /, 1868, in every State
where armed rebellion still existed. We
We're interested to learn how this news
affected the slaves and their masters.
While we rested at Hamilton, as the
gunboats on the stocks were burning, we
chatted with the slaves who stood about
watching proceedings An intelligent slave
who was assistant foreman of the Ship
yard, was good specimen of the shrewd,
reticent, observing negro. Evidently his
family lived in the neighborhOod, and all
his worldly interests centered there. lie
was not going to say or do anything,
while we were present, which could be
reported to his injury when We had gone,
hence he was cautious and non-committal
in answering our questions
Uncle, have you heard about President
Lincoln'S proclamation q
Use heard suthin'."
"What have you heard?"
''Some says one thin, and some says
another"
well, what do they say?"
''Some say, Massa Linkum says fus' O.
Janeway all de slaves go free. TOthers
say faint SO, der's' nOt'in' in it,
''But what do you think, Uncle!"
'sChile," said the old man, looking his
questioner straight in the eye, .! don't
t'ink not'in'. l JUS STAINS a-waitin, an
keeps a-hopin'."
And that told the whole story for him,
and for many another in those days.
Gov. Andrew, of Massachusetts, gave
me an illustration of this shrewdness OF
the negro in avoiding the compromising
of himself when he was seeking inform a.
ton on a point of intensest personal in
terest. A friend of the Governor FROM
Boston was at hotel liz CharlestOwn,
w. Va, during the hurried trial of John
Brown, in 1859. In the early morning,
before he had arisen, a slave came into
his room, according to Southern custom,
to kindle fire for him to dress by. The
excitement concerning John Brown was
then at its hight. knowing that the
guest was from the North, the negro
wanted to get his opinion of the case; yet
he was not sure that it would be safe to
disclose his own views.
Nasal he said, 'yer hear bout dis
man John Brown, dey's tryin' hyar"
''Oh, yes! I've heard about him."
''What dey goin' to do wild him!"
ooh! they'll convict him."
Convict i'm. What ien:"
They'll hang him-sure as fate"
There was yet no sign of the Northern
er's sympathies. The negro waited a
minute, and then asked cautiously:
Wouldn't dat be q little abrup,
nassau
SEEKING FOR KNOWLEDGE.
Those who were within our lines in
nominal freedom seemed impressed with
the idea that, because learning to read had
been forbidden them while in slavery,
reading was somehow a means of power,
which they must strive to acquire in
order to fit themselves for their new
sphere of being and acting, IN competition
how anxious they were to know how to
read, and how jealous and earnest they
were in endeavors to learn.
While we were in camp on St Helena
Island, opposite Port Royal, South Caro-
lima, there were 20 or so of these freed
slaves who were personal servants of
our regimental officers, field, staff, and
L.. Al. L. Il
spelling-books, or small readers, and these
were in constant use among them. Not
only in the intervals of active work during
the day, but all through the night, some
of these boys were porting over those
books. Having got n start in their reading
from some of the officers or priyates, the
= more favored ones were always ready to
help the others by their knowledge. They
seemed TO arrange among themselves Sc
that all should have share in the valued
helps to learning at some time in each
"a hours.
As l lay in my tent at night, and walked
from time to time, / would hear low ne.
gro voices, back of the tent, repeating
words as from an elementary school read
er-"The hen is in the yard. The dog
banks at the hen" 'Puss sits by the
fire. She is warm" This boy is
James. He drives hoop" "Now is
Hearing these sounds night after night. ]
was led TO go out and look up theil
meaning. / found that back of the field
and staff tents there was built blazing
fire Of pine branches, under the moss
hung live oaks, before which some OF
these boys were porting over their treasur
cd books, learning their lesson for tho
night. The Pickering light in the deer
shadows gave weird look to the strange
scene, but it was vivid reality. AND
this, l found, was continued all through
the night, week after week. 1t evidenced
and illustrated the earnestness among til,
freed slave boys in their determination
to learn how to read, in order to fill thei
sphere in freedom.
SCHOOL FOR FREED SLAVES.
Those who We're too old, when they wer,
freed, to learn to read, or to gain tn,
advantages of an education. were all tn,
more DESTROYS that their children should
attain the prize of knowledge which the,
had missed. This secured q full attend
ance at all the many schools for freet
slaves, started along the coast within ou
lines by the various missionary associa
tons and frecdmen's ai5 societies Mt III,
North that undertook this work. TIL,
first school Of this sort that l saw il
operation was on st. Helena Island, il
March, 1863, although later saw man,
others.
With my friend and terminate, Adj
Camp, l rode the length of the long islant
to opposite Beaufort, on a pleasant Sprin,
day. The scenery of the island was typi
cally Southern. There was n tropica
luxuriancc of forest AID foliage and al
vegetation. Live-oaks Of massive growth
from whicl, tho lonp Crnv mace cw,p,