The Washington times., 1903-04-26

death, signed Harrison's certificate of
freedom. This was in 1850.
Two years afterward, at the age of
twelve, Harrison went down to Rich
mond 10 try his fortunes. He quickly
found employment In the Exchange and
Ballard Hotel, to this day an old Rich
mond landmark In this environment as
an ''al1-round" hotel boy he rapidly ac-
Quired worldly wisdom. As a slave and
the descendant OF slaves, ne was al
ready, by instinct, as il we're. well
equipped with circumspection- Although
now laboring under the disadvantage of
being a free boy in slave community,
Harrison soon wormed himself into the
good graees of the hotels clientele and
loungers about town. albeit ne was
good-naturedly spoken Of as sharp"
one.
Fell in With Southern Sports"
As general runner Of errands for the
hotel and its guests he became known
to many of the1eading people of fashion
Of that day all over the South. and was
an expert in the duties of d gentlemen's
attendant. Among his patrons OF that
early day were a trio of young, welI-to-
do virginians of good family, who we're
nevertheless fuII-fedged sports. They
frequented the race course, played po-
ker. bucked the tiger, fought bulldogs
and game chickens, and carried with
them a faro layout" and roulette FIX
lures. In short, under the guise Of gen
tlemen, they were professional gam
blers.
In the course of the next six or seven
years, as the servant Of these gentlemen
gamblers, Terrell visited every promi-
nent city of the South over and over
again. In this period he saw life in all
its Kaleidoscope changes, and mostly
on its worst side
Enlisted With the Famous Blues"
When the crisis OF secession came the
party happened to be in Mobile horse
racing and fighting chickens and dogs
in the day time. and gambling at cards
al night. The Southern war fever
swept them into new and more hon
orable line of employment. They sold
their racing stock. gave away their faro
"Iayouts.' smashed their roulette ia
bles, threw up their cards. and started
for Virginia. Here they at once en-
listed as private soldiers in the Confed-
crate army. by pre-conceTt IN the same
command, the Richmond Blues" Har-
rison volunteered 70 accompany his old
patrons to the front as their mutual
servant.
The regiment to which the 'R-ch-
mond Blues were assigned early took
the field in Virginia. and within sixty
days Of his enlistment, one OF Harri-
sons masters was killed in the action
at Bull Run. July q, 1861. The other
two passed through the bloody Peninsu-
lar campaign against Mcclellan IN
scathed, but on the 8th of August, 1862,
a second fell at Cedar Mountain, hardly
a dozen miles from Harrison TerrelIs
birthplace. The faithful servant search
ed out their bodies and gave them de-
cent burial
Surrendered at Appomattox-
The survivor Of this remarkable trio
was more fortunate. With him Harrison
made all the campaigns Of the army OF
northern Virginia. He trudged the toll
some journey to Gettysburg and back
across the Potomac; was in the wilder
ness where Grant first appeared to pit
himself against Lee; heard the cannon
and musketry of spottsylvania and Cold
Harbor: saw the weary siege Of Peters
burg. finally to surrender with his mas
ter al Appomattoz, where was c!inched
the great fame Of his future patron and
friend. General Grant.
To be sure. Harrison, the ex-sIave.
carried no musker in these campaigns
and participated in none Of the battles.
His duty as a field servant was simply
to care for and see 10 the transport OF
his masters effects That in all these
tremendous vtcissitudes he performed
his duties well. is made manifest by
the fact that he served one set Of mas
ters through them ali, first and last. for
ten years. Tie surviving master and