The National tribune., 1907-01-03
A CIVIL WAR "REMINISCENCES.
A Runaway Slave Becomes Valuable
Citizen.

A Runway slave Becomes Valuable
Citizen.
Editor National Tribune: Just after
the first battle of Bull Run, in the latter
part of July, 1851, :here came into our
camp hear Alexandria, Va, n bright
young colored man. a fugitive slave.
who desired a position of some kind
that he might assist in the war which
he believed to be in the interest of his
people. He happened to meet Capt.
Frank Crosse.t, leader Of the regimen
tai band, who asked the colored man
what he could do He replied that he
could cook. take care of horses, or do
most anything to make the boys COM
Portable. He was taken to Col. Whit
ing, the commander of the regimen,
who assigned him to the band as cook.
reminding him that slavery was still In
existence, and that he might be cap
tured and taken back to his master.
Crosset. assured the Colonel that he
would look after the negro, so Louis
Sanders was Installed as the bands
cook. His rags were replaced with
neat uniform of blue, and a clean shave,
hair cut and bath created a lightning
change that would have deceived the
sharp eyes of his master himself Louis
proved to be as intelligent as he was
faithful, and. as was the case of many
of the slaves, his greatest desire was
to learn to read and write. Primary
books We're procured for him. and all
took hand as teachers, so that in a
few months he was we'll started on he
way to an education. The band went
home the middle of December of the
same year, and Louis's name was placed
upon the rolls as a full-fledged MEM
Der in order to get him out of Virginia
and thru Maryland. Fortunately we
had no trouble, and upon reaching Phil
adelphia Louis realized he was free
man. In ':he meantime a place had
been procured for him with a Mr.. Fos>
ter, a farmer of Spencerport, N. Y,
and relation of one of the boys. He
met us in New York. and took Louis
to his home. Nothing was heard from
him since that time until short time
ago, when 1 received a letter from him
in which he gives a brief history of his
career, which may be interesting az
told by himself He says: "I was
born in Virginia, and ran away from
my master because / wanted to be free.
There were six Of us left the plantation
together; five were captured and taken
back; I was supposed 20 be dead and
thrown into the Potomac River. Be-
fore the war my father was owned by
Gen. Cook, of Revolutionary fame and
my mother belonged to a Mr.. Clifton.
After his death she fell to Mr. Waller,
who sold 80 of his slaves to go to Geor-
gia, among them Two of my sisters,
Winnie and Liza, who were never heard
of after. 1 was taken from my mother
at the time and hired out at 50 a year.
AS far as L know all my brothers and
sisters are dead; also my mother and
father. You know of my escape to the
Union lines, and of the good home pro-
vfded for me by your comrade. Mr..
Foster look me into his family and
treated me very kindly. His son, IA
years of age, and his daughter con-
afltr on n ;r-a1 vr-ff &h1v-x
80 years, until the death of Mr. Foster.
The family was then broken up. and
went to Chicago with .he son and
bought farm, which I now carry on.
1 have never been sick, but always
happy and very thankful that I fell in
with Capt. Crossett and the members
of the I'd VT. Band. God bless them
one and all wherever they may be-
Do you remember the old log shanty
at Camp Griffin where I cooked break
fast, dinner and supper for you, and
sometimes how I took hold of the bass
drum with John Kehoe on dress pa
rade? That was the proudest event In
| my life at that time"
This Is only one instance in thou
sands where men were saved to them
selves in the early SOS, and brings
vividly to the minds of those members
of the band now living a circumstance
most pleasant to remember. So far as
l. Cdu learn tHtIe are DuJ VI lHc 90
| members of Crossett's famous I'd W.
Band now living. Two, Thomas A.
Hutohins and myself, reside here: the
other four are scattered thru the West.
The band left Bennington June Is, 1851.
joined the regiment at Burlington, and
started for the seat of war on the goth.
| 1t marched proudly thru the city of
| Baltimore at the head of the regiment
| playing "Vive PAmerica,' Capt. James
H. Walbridge, of Co. A. leading with
| loaded muskets and fixed bayonets, ex-
pecting every moment 20 be attacked
by the mob that filled the streets, as
| was the 9Th Mass. only few days be-
| fore. Fortunately we reached Wash
| ington without serious trouble, and his
| tory gives the balance of the service of
| this gallant old command in the follow
| ing three years of its campaigning
N NJ Puffer. I'd Vt. Band, and Co. E,
| 10th VT, Bennington, VT.