Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-05-08
Negroes and Escaping Prisoners.


ing in Comrade A. T. Lamson's story
of escape from the confederate prison
at Columbia, South Carolina. Among
other things he mentioned there was
the oft-repeated story Of the help
given him and his companions by the
negroes with whom they came in con
tact These colored people, being
told that the fugitives were union sol
diers, were cheerfully willing to run
the risk of their lives to give food and
shelter and information, and to go as
far as they could, as guides to the
poor fellows who were thus fleeing
from the abuse and starvation of pris-
on pens. | do not wonder that Com
rade Lamson gives all honor to those
people who were so ready under all
circumstances to give aid and encour-
agement, and who never betrayed the
confidence placed in them
have. during the past few months,
read the stories of a dozen escaped
war prisoners, and have listened to
the "reminiscences of several others,
and find that every one tells the
same thing about the colored folks
help, aid and encouragement, but
never a betrayal. In many cases they
might have been we'll rewarded if
they would give such information as
they could of escaping prisoners, but
no hope of reward led them to be
false to the men they believed to be
fighting for their freedom.
bovo oil ~ood s,+oyioe ernYYo 4 bo
south of the faithfulness of slaves lett
on the plantations while their masters
were away in the army. | have heard
it said that they would not betray
their trust,-that they zealously
guarded the interests of "Missus and
de chilluns" while the master was
gone. Yet there is no doubt but that
if an escaping 1nion prisoner came
that way trose same slaves would go
without their own food to feed the
hungry fugitives.
1t is not easy to understand how
there could be everywhere among the
negroes so general an understanding
of matters concerning the war. They
not only had pretty coed knowledge
of 'Marse Linkum and his sojers,
but there seemed to be something of
system among them in giving aid
to escaping prisoners. Comrade LAM
son spoke of what he called the I'M
derground railroad method of send
ing the prisoners on their way, This
concert of action among different
communities required considerable
knowledge and some system, also an
absolute trustworthiness in those who
had part in it, Without such intelli-
gence very few prisoners could ever
have escaped.
A Camp of Contrabands.
From Ny Diary of June, 1853
Early in the war the negroes came
everywhere to know that its result
would be big in Importance to them.
They seemed almost instinctively to
understand that if the north should
succeed they would be free; If the
south, the chains of slavery would be
all the more closely rivited Natural
ly. then, they fed by thousands to the
camps of our army, having faith that
in some way "Marse Linkum's ,ojers"
would help them to freedom and pro-
tect them in it.
Several hundreds of these poor peo-
pie have gathered here at Grand Gulf,
and have been formed into camp on
high bluff overlooking the Missis-
sippi river, and there they are fed
from government rations They have
AZ he va
and now Uncle Sam must of necessity
keep them from starving. But, for all
that, a great problem is now before
them, The question is, What next?
Though some of them, especially the
younger ones, think now of nothing
but to revel in their newly-gotten
freedom, great many Of them under
stand that this question is one of no
little consequence. If we soldiers find
ourselves in an uneasy speculative
state of mind concerning the outcoma
of the great Vicksburg campaign, the
sojourners on the hill over yonder
have double reason for uneasy specu-
lation concerning the outcome of their
bold campaign for freedom.
NOt DeluS ESeu 10 camp lie, ana
there being no controlling influence
over them. the physical condition of
some of them is becoming wretched
Crowded together in their camp, with
no sanitary regulations they sicken
and die in large numbers. When
death is a constant visitor either at
home or in camp the very atmosphere
becomes gloomy; and so it already is
among the contrabands on the hill
and the condition of things there is
pitiable.
Two or three guards are sent up
there every DAY TO see that order is
maintained in camp. 1t was my turn
week ago to spend twenty-four
hours among them, and l am sure
that no day of my life has made
stronger impressions upon me- In
one part of the camp a space has been
set apart as a burying ground, and
during that day several of the poor
contrabands were laid away in the
only freedom Mother Earth has for
her dark-skinned children,-rest in
her own loving bosom This Is all
Mother Earth can do for them. but
he Father of US all can give to their