Year: 1874

One warm afternoon in tho sum-
mer Of 1862, balf>doaen little slave
boys we're playing carelessly about cot
ton.press about sixteen miles from New
bern, N. c., whom one of the smallest and
youngest Of them overheard something
that attracted his attention, and which
soon had the effect to stop the play. From
the conversation between two adult slaves.
he learned that all Of them we're to be ia
ken, in few days, back to the interior
part Of the State, out of the way Of tho
Yankee invaders. This set him to think
ing. A council Of war was held by tho
little fellows, Then was made one Of the
most fervent speeches if favor of liberty
that was ever uttered by Southern
slave. The possessor Of the sharp ears
had the reputation Of miscbievous aud
headstrong boy among his pluymates, but





now they listened to him with a kind of
wonder. With boyish enthusiasm be rap.
idly sketched plot for an escape to the
Yankee lines. The time was 6xeo.
They were to start the next afternoon.
Bat about 8 o'clock the next morning he
heared the booming Of the guns at the
battle at Newben. He knew precisely
what they meant Rising stealthily, be
reused his companions in the plot, but sv
last moment their hearts failed them.
Nothing daunted, the little fellow, not
yet II years of age, with such clothes as
he had on him, and with supreme trust
in himself and in "Massa Lincoln, started
off in the direction Of the cannonading.
He took circuit around the town, and
came in at the rear of the Union lines
about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The
distance was about twenty miles. lie
says now he don't remembered that he was
tired. On the journey he was revolving
in his mind a magnificent scheme of going
back stealthly to organic, company Of
boys on the Old plantation, with which be
proposed t., JOIN the Union forces. He
was taken on board of the gunboat
Chasseur, where he was soon advanced
from the position of officers mess.boy to
the more honorable one of powder>boy.
Until 1864 be was engaged in various
capacities as boy in the Union army
aud navy. Then he came North, and OBJ
tained the position OF ofice-boy for the
late Henry J. Raymond. While he was
50 employed in the Times office he re-
visited the old plantation. His father,
mother, and all his relatives were dead,
hut an affection for the place carried him
back. lie was heartily welcomed, and
by none more so than tho widow Of bis
former master, Col. Streets, to whom he
made present Of $2j. The family was
still wealthy in land, but at that timS
sadly in needof ready cash. Col.Streets
was killed in the war.


This was the first of several visits to
his cid home. During his residence at
the North he had come in contact with
many public men, and had cultivated the
art Of public speaking. This accomplish
ment gave him great ascendcncy over
the minds Of bis old friends. On lis visit
in 1872 they insisted for long time that
they would nominate him for Sheriff, and
it was only his inability To qualify on
account Of age that enabled him to silence
their entreaties. He is regarded by them
as patron, and scearcely colored man
in his native county, to whom he is not.
personally known, ever comes TO New
York without letter Of recon mendatioh
to David, as he is familiarly called. He
has secured positions Of one kind and an
other for over fifty Of his people from the
old North State.