page_title: Charles Nalle
hierarchical_section_title: Charles Nalle
caption_attribution_description: English: This plaque honors the escape of fugitive slave Charles Nalle on April 27, 1860, from the local Troy authorities who were going to send him back to his owner in Virginia. The local abolitionists of Troy raised money to buy his freedom.
context_page_description: Charles Nalle was born in Stevensburg, Virginia in 1821 into slavery. At the age of 16, he was given to a Virginia plantation owner, Blucher Hansbrough.
  Nalle and another slave, Jim Banks, made their escape from the plantation in October 1858 during an auction.
  Through the Underground Railroad, Nalle settled in Troy, New York where he worked as a coachman and groom for the wife of a wealthy Rensselaer man, Uri Gilbert, in Troy at the time. On April 27, 1860, Nalle was turned in to the local authorities. Nalle was arrested for being a fugitive slave and was slated to be sent back to Virginia. As word got out, a large crowd gathered around the Mutual Building in Troy where he was being held. A clash between authorities and rioters, among whom was Harriet Tubman, occurred making it so that Nalle could escape across the Hudson River to West Troy. The authorities were waiting for him on the other side and once again arrested him. Another clash occurred in West Troy, and during this time locals raised enough money for Nalle to be freed. He was bought freedom for 650 U.S dollars.
  Nalle spent most of the Civil War in Troy. He had several children with his wife, Kitty.
context_section_description: Charles Nalle was born in Stevensburg, Virginia in 1821 into slavery. At the age of 16, he was given to a Virginia plantation owner, Blucher Hansbrough.
  Nalle and another slave, Jim Banks, made their escape from the plantation in October 1858 during an auction.
  Through the Underground Railroad, Nalle settled in Troy, New York where he worked as a coachman and groom for the wife of a wealthy Rensselaer man, Uri Gilbert, in Troy at the time. On April 27, 1860, Nalle was turned in to the local authorities.  Nalle was arrested for being a fugitive slave and was slated to be sent back to Virginia. As word got out, a large crowd gathered around the Mutual Building in Troy where he was being held. A clash between authorities and rioters, among whom was Harriet Tubman, occurred making it so that Nalle could escape across the Hudson River to West Troy (modern-day Watervliet). The authorities were waiting for him on the other side and once again arrested him. Another clash occurred in West Troy, and during this time locals raised enough money for Nalle to be freed. He was bought freedom for 650 U.S dollars.
  Nalle spent most of the Civil War in Troy. He had several children with his wife, Kitty. He died in 1875 in Washington D.C. of heart disease.
caption: Plaque in downtown Troy at the intersection of State St. and 1st St.
exif: {}