The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1920-05-05
MIR. SALINA
LIVED ON
SLAVE ship
Lived with Slaves and Later
Fought to Free Them
from Slavery

Few men have had more unique
experience than the late Julius {.
Saiina, who died in St. Johnsbury
last week. He had during his chill t.
hood q most remarkable experience
II c crossed the ocean on Il ship loaded
with human slaves and then, when
h grew to manhood, he fought in :
,hc Civil wal for then liberation, and
after the war he saw b ycars O. the
countIy's Development.
MI. Salina was Il Spaniard, having
)ccn born on board his fathers vessel
ust of the docks at Madrid after thc
family hal taken the ship ~ come
to America. The family wa, taken
20 Charleston, S. c., and nude thcil
home there until the death of THO
mother, the tathcr continuing his
trade Of plying y slave ship between
Aulca ana havana. While very
youne Nj. Salina accompanied his
'athcr on one Of the trips after slaves
lie had very little memory Of that
rip, but says the method was for his
athcr to load the ship at Charleston
nd Havana with rum, moiaSses ara
snowy trinkets and start fol Africa
a nen he ship reached the African
cast negro chiefs Woull visit the
raider and then disappear inland. The
ext day they would return with
hrcc OF foul hundred followers anG
ncy would be packed on the ship IN
exchange for the cheap merchandise
he trader hal to offer.
Sometimes the passage would be
ladc with a comparatively small 10 $
nd at other times over 100 bodies
would be thrown ovelb board. This OF
curse cut down tho profits, but Us
who'll *he business was q profitable
one. The elder Salina followed i.
4.i il IS supposed he was drowned.
he only trace ever found being his
rcat Spanish coat foAting on the
water. After the death of his Wifc
he children had been let out to God
mothers, and at thc fathers death
hey were left entirely to the care OF
hese people. This was far from cori-
ortable for the children as they wecc
,iven no education, Charleston having
eiused to maintain public schools.
The oldest brother of the family
made his escape North and located
n Montpelier. Julius c. remained in
Charleston and was a member of the
harlo 3ton Light Infantry, military !
organization that entered the Con- |
eleratc Army. Mr.. Salina refused |
20 90 to war and while everything |
possible was done to influence him TO
they could not compel him as he was
still a Spanish citizen. Things were |
made so uncomfortable he resolved |
o come to his brother in Montpelier.
He drew his cash, $125 in gold, from !
the Charleston bank and the day at
ter that institution suspended the
payment Of gold. He first went to
Montreal, but one day while looking
over a paper saw the name Mont
pelier and realized that was where
ne wanted to 20. He came here and
found his oldest brother. He found
employment here and soon married
Then the war broke out and he vol
unteered July 80, 1862 as a member
of Co. b, Tenth Vermont As he
started away with his oldest brother,
a sympathizcr with the South, said
he hoped he would be shot in the
first battle he was in. His two young
er brothers Joined the Confederate
army One was killed in battle and
thc other died on the battlefield, Ju-
Illus c. being in the Union forces in
th7t conflict.
He also had sister who was a
large slave owner in New Orleans.
bu4 all her proDertv was conhscated
and she came to Vermont to spend
he closin~ days with her brothers.
He suffered sun stroke on the
three DAYS march to Fairfax Court
House. This was followed by brain
fever and cpileptic commissions which
have bothered him for many years.
He never acquired a great compe-
ter cc but Il pension which aided ma
terially in dcfraying living expenses.
Quiet AMI unassumin" he could spend
many hours recalling the thrilling and
unusual experiences that came to
him before he shouldered his musket
in defence of the haq and finally be-
came an American citizen.