Harriet, The Moses of Her People by Sarah H. Bradford

S >> Sarah H. Bradford >> Harriet, The Moses of Her People

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

She was soon missed, and all the girls in the house were set to
looking for Catherine. Presently they saw coming up from the river
a well-dressed little darkey boy, and they all ceased looking for
Catherine, and stared at him. He walked directly by them, round
the house, and out of the gate, without the slightest suspicion
being excited as to who he was. In a few weeks from that time,
this party were all safe in Canada.

William Henry died in Canada, but I have seen and talked with
Catherine at Harriet's house.

I am not quite certain which company it was that was under her
guidance on their Northward way, but at one time when a number of
men were following her, she received one of her sudden intimations
that danger was ahead. "Chillen," she said, "we must stop here and
cross dis ribber." They were on the bank of a stream of some
width, and apparently a deep and rapid one. The men were afraid to
cross; there was no bridge and no boat; but like her great
pattern, she went forward into the waters, and the men not knowing
what else to do, followed, but with fear and trembling. The stream
did not divide to make a way for them to cross over, but to her
was literally fulfilled the promise:

"When through the deep waters I cause thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow."

"For," said she, "Missus, de water never came above my chin; when
we thought surely we were all going under, it became shallower and
shallower, and we came out safe on the odder side." Then there was
another stream to cross, which was also passed in safety. They
found afterward that a few rods ahead of them the advertisement of
these escaping fugitives was posted up, and the officers,
forewarned of their coming, were waiting for them. But though the
Lord thus marvelously protected her from capture, she did not
always escape the consequences of exposure like this. It was in
March that this passage of the streams was effected, and the
weather was raw and cold; Harriet traveled a long distance in her
wet clothing, and was afterward very ill for a long time with a
very severe cold. I have often heard her tell this story; but some
of the incidents, particularly that of her illness, were not
mentioned by herself, but were written me by friend Garrett.

I hardly know how to approach the subject of the spiritual
experiences of my sable heroine. They seem so to enter into the
realm of the supernatural, that I can hardly wonder that those who
never knew her are ready to throw discredit upon the story.
Ridicule has been cast upon the whole tale of her adventures by
the advocates of human slavery; and perhaps by those who would
tell with awe-struck countenance some tale of ghostly visitation,
or spiritual manifestation, at a dimly lighted "_seance_."

Had I not known so well her deeply religious character, and her
conscientious veracity, and had I not since the war, and when she
was an inmate of my own house, seen such remarkable instances of
what seemed to be her direct intercourse with heaven, I should not
dare to risk my own character for veracity by making these things
public in this manner.

But when I add that I have the strongest testimonials to her
character for integrity from William H. Seward, Gerritt Smith,
Wendell Phillips, Fred. Douglass, and my brother, Prof. S.M.
Hopkins, who has known her for many years, I do not fear to brave
the incredulity of any reader.

Governor Seward wrote of her:

"I have known Harriet long, and a nobler, higher spirit, or a
truer, seldom dwells in human form."

Gerritt Smith, the distinguished philanthropist, was so kind as to
write me expressing his gratification that I had undertaken this
work, and added:

"I have often listened to Harriet with delight on her visits to my
family, and I am convinced that she is not only truthful, but that
she has a rare discernment, and a deep and sublime philanthropy."

Wendell Phillips wrote me, mentioning that in Boston, Harriet
earned the confidence and admiration of all those who were working
for freedom; and speaking of her labors during the war, he added:
"In my opinion there are few captains, perhaps few colonels, who
have done more for the loyal cause since the war began, and few
men who did more before that time, for the colored race, than our
fearless and sagacious friend."

Many other letters I received; from Mr. Sanborn, Secretary of the
Massachusetts Board of Charities, from Fred. Douglass, from Rev.
Henry Fowler, and from Union officers at the South during the war,
all speaking in the highest praise and admiration of the character
and labors of my black heroine.

Many of her passes also were sent me; in which she is spoken of as
"Moses," for by that name she was universally known. For the story
of her heroic deeds had gone before her, and the testimony of all
who knew her accorded with the words of Mr. Seward:

"The cause of freedom owes her much; the country owes her much."
And yet the country was not willing to pay her anything. Mr.
Seward's efforts, seconded by other distinguished men, to get a
pension for her, were sneered at in Congress as absurd and
quixotic, and the effort failed.

Secretary Seward, from whom Harriet purchased her little place
near Auburn, died. The place had been mortgaged when this noble
woman left her home, and threw herself into the work needed for
the Union cause; the mortgage was to be foreclosed. The old
parents, then nearly approaching their centennial year, were to be
turned out to die in a poor-house, when the sudden determination
was taken to send out a little sketch of her life to the
benevolent public, in the hope of redeeming the little home. This
object, through the kindness of friends, was accomplished. The old
people died in Harriet's own home, breathing blessings upon her
for her devotion to them.

Now another necessity has arisen, and our sable friend, who never
has been known to beg for herself, asks once more for help in
accomplishing a favorite project for the good of her people. This,
as she says, is "her last work, and she only prays de Lord to let
her live till it is well started, and den she is ready to go."
This work is the building of a hospital for old and disabled
colored people; and in this she has already had the sympathy and
aid of the good people of Auburn; the mayor and his noble wife
having given her great assistance in the meetings she has held in
aid of this object. It is partly to aid her in this work, on which
she has so set her heart, that this story of her life and labors
is being re-written.

At one time, when she felt called upon to go down for some company
of slaves, she was, as she knew, watched for everywhere (for there
had been an excited meeting of slave-holders, and they were
determined to catch her, dead or alive), her friends gathered
round her, imploring her not to go on in the face of danger and
death, for they were sure she would never be allowed to return.
And this was her answer:

"Now look yer! John saw de City, didn't he?" "Yes, John saw de
City." "Well, what did he see? He saw twelve gates, didn't he?
Three of dose gates was on de north; three of 'em was on de east;
an' three of 'em was on de west; but dere was three more, an' dem
was on de _south_; an' I reckon, if dey kill me down dere, I'll
git into one of dem gates, don't you?"

Whether Harriet's ideas of the geographical bearings of the gates
of the Celestial City as seen in the apocalyptic vision, were
correct or not, we cannot doubt that she was right in the
deduction her faith drew from them; and that somewhere, whether
North, East, South, or West, to our dim vision, there is a gate
that will be opened for our good Harriet, where the welcome will
be given, "Come in, thou blessed of my Father."

It is a peculiarity of Harriet, that she had seldom been known to
intimate a wish that anything should be given to herself; but when
her people are in need, no scruples of delicacy stand in the way
of her petitions, nay, almost her _demands_ for help.

When, after rescuing so many others, and all of her brothers and
sisters that could be reached, with their children, she received
an intimation in some mysterious or supernatural way, that the old
people were in trouble and needed her, she asked the Lord where
she should go for the money to enable her to go for them. She was
in some way, as she supposed, directed to the office of a certain
gentleman, a friend of the slaves, in New York. When she left the
house of the friends with whom she was staying, she said: "I'm
gwine to Mr. ------'s office, an' I ain't gwine to lebe dere, an'
I ain't gwine to eat or drink, till I get money enough to take me
down after de ole people."

She went into this gentleman's office.

"How do you do, Harriet? What do you want?" was the first
greeting.

"I want some money, sir."

"_You do_! How much do you want?"

"I want twenty dollars, sir!"

"_Twenty dollars_! Who told you to come here for twenty dollars!"

"De Lord tole me, sir."

"He did; well I guess the Lord's mistaken this time."

"No, sir; de Lord's nebber mistaken! Anyhow I'm gwine to sit here
till I get it."

So she sat down and went to sleep. All the morning, and all the
afternoon, she sat there still; sometimes sleeping, sometimes
rousing up, often finding the office full of gentlemen; sometimes
finding herself alone. Many fugitives were passing through New
York at this time, and those who came in supposed her to be one of
them, tired out, and resting. Sometimes she would be roused up
with the words:

"Come, Harriet! You had better go; there's no money for you here."

"No, sir; I'm not gwine to stir from here till I git my twenty
dollars!"

She does not know all that happened, for deep sleep fell upon her;
probably one of the turns of somnolency to which she has always
been subject; but without doubt her story was whispered from one
to another, and as her name and exploits were well known to many
persons, the sympathies of some of those visitors to the office
were aroused; at all events she came to full consciousness, at
last, to find herself the happy possessor of _sixty dollars_, the
contribution of these strangers. She went on her way rejoicing to
bring her old parents from the land of bondage.

When she reached their home, she found that her old father was to
be tried the next Monday for helping off slaves. And so, as she
says in her forcible language, "I just removed my father's trial
to a higher court, and brought him off to Canada."

The manner of their escape is detailed in the following letter
from friend Garrett:

WILMINGTON, 6th Mo., 1868.

MY FRIEND: Thy favor of the 12th reached me yesterday, requesting
such reminiscences as I could give respecting the remarkable
labors of Harriet Tubman, in aiding her colored friends from
bondage. I may begin by saying, living as I have in a slave State,
and the laws being very severe where any proof could be made of
any one aiding slaves on their way to freedom, I have not felt at
liberty to keep any written word of Harriet's or my own labors,
except in numbering those whom I have aided. For that reason I
cannot furnish so interesting an account of Harriet's labors as I
otherwise could, and now would be glad to do; for in truth I never
met with any person, of any color, who had more confidence in the
voice of God, as spoken direct to her soul. She has frequently
told me that she talked with God, and he talked with her every day
of her life, and she has declared to me that she felt no more fear
of being arrested by her former master, or any other person, when
in his immediate neighborhood, than she did in the State of New
York, or Canada, for she said she never ventured only where God
sent her, and her faith in the Supreme Power truly was great.

I have now been confined to my room with indisposition more than
four weeks, and cannot sit to write much; but I feel so much
interested in Harriet, that I will try to give some of the most
remarkable incidents that now present themselves to my mind. The
date of the commencement of her labors, I cannot certainly give;
but I think it must have been about 1845; from that time till
1860, I think she must have brought from the neighborhood where
she had been held as a slave, from 60 to 80 persons,[C] from
Maryland, some 80 miles from here. No slave who placed himself
under her care, was ever arrested that I have heard of; she mostly
had her regular stopping places on her route; but in one instance,
when she had several stout men with her, some 30 miles below here,
she said that God told her to stop, which she did; and then asked
him what she must do. He told her to leave the road, and turn to
the left; she obeyed, and soon came to a small stream of tide
water; there was no boat, no bridge; she again inquired of her
Guide what she was to do. She was told to go through. It was cold,
in the month of March; but having confidence in her Guide, she
went in; the water came up to her armpits; the men refused to
follow till they saw her safe on the opposite shore. They then
followed, and, if I mistake not, she had soon to wade a second
stream; soon after which she came to a cabin of colored people,
who took them all in, put them to bed, and dried their clothes,
ready to proceed next night on their journey. Harriet had run out
of money, and gave them some of her underclothing to pay for their
kindness. When she called on me two days after, she was so hoarse
she could hardly speak, and was also suffering with violent
toothache. The strange part of the story we found to be, that the
masters of these men had put up the previous day, at the railroad
station near where she left, an advertisement for them, offering a
large reward for their apprehension; but they made a safe exit.
She at one time brought as many as seven or eight, several of whom
were women and children. She was well known here in Chester County
and Philadelphia, and respected by all true abolitionists. I had
been in the habit of furnishing her and those who accompanied her,
as she returned from her acts of mercy, with new shoes; and on one
occasion when I had not seen her for three months, she came into
my store. I said, "Harriet, I am glad to see thee! I suppose thee
wants a pair of new shoes." Her reply was, "I want more than
that." I, in jest, said, "I have always been liberal with thee,
and wish to be; but I am not rich, and cannot afford to give
much." Her reply was: "God tells me you have money for me." I
asked her "if God never deceived her?" She said, "No!" "Well! how
much does thee want?" After studying a moment, she said: "About
twenty-three dollars." I then gave her twenty-four dollars and
some odd cents, the net proceeds of five pounds sterling, received
through Eliza Wigham, of Scotland, for her. I had given some
accounts of Harriet's labor to the Anti-Slavery Society of
Edinburgh, of which Eliza Wigham was Secretary. On the reading of
my letter, a gentleman present said he would send Harriet four
pounds if he knew of any way to get it to her. Eliza Wigham
offered to forward it to me for her, and that was the first money
ever received by me for her. Some twelve months after, she called
on me again, and said that God told her I had some money for her,
but not so much as before. I had, a few days previous, received
the net proceeds of one pound ten shillings from Europe for her.
To say the least there was something remarkable in these facts,
whether clairvoyance, or the divine impression on her mind from
the source of all power, I cannot tell; but certain it was she had
a guide within herself other than the written word, for she never
had any education. She brought away her aged parents in a singular
manner. They started with an old horse, fitted out in primitive
style with a _straw collar_, a pair of old chaise wheels, with a
board on the axle to sit on, another board swung with ropes,
fastened to the axle, to rest their feet on. She got her parents,
who were both slaves belonging to different masters, on this rude
vehicle to the railroad, put them in the cars, turned Jehu
herself, and drove to town in a style that no human being ever did
before or since; but she was happy at having arrived safe. Next
day, I furnished her with money to take them all to Canada. I
afterward sold their horse, and sent them the balance of the
proceeds. I believe that Harriet succeeded in freeing all her
relatives but one sister and her three children. Etc., etc.
Thy friend,

THOS. GARRETT.

[Footnote C: Friend Garrett probably refers here to those who
passed through his hands. Harriet was obliged to come by many
different routes on her different journeys, and though she never
counted those whom she brought away with her, it would seem, by
the computation of others, that there must have been somewhat over
three hundred brought by her to the Northern States and Canada.]

As I have before stated, with all Harriet's reluctance to ask for
anything for herself, no matter how great her needs may be, no
such scruples trouble her if any of her people are in need. She
never hesitates to call upon her kind friends in Auburn and in
other places for help when her people are in want. At one time,
when some such emergency had arisen, she went to see her friend,
Governor Seward, and boldly presented her case to him.

"Harriet," he said, "you have worked for others long enough. If
you would ever ask anything for yourself, I would gladly give it
to you, but I will not help you to rob yourself for others any
longer."

In spite of this apparent roughness, we may be sure Harriet did
not leave this noble man's house empty handed.

And here I am reminded of a touching little circumstance that
occurred at the funeral of Secretary Seward.

The great man lay in his coffin. Friends, children, and admirers
were gathered there. Everything that love and wealth could do had
been done; around him were floral emblems of every possible shape
and design, that human ingenuity could suggest, or money could
purchase. Just before the coffin was to be closed, a woman black
as night stole quietly in, and laying a wreath of field flowers
_on his feet_, as quietly glided out again. This was the simple
tribute of our sable friend, and her last token of love and
gratitude to her kind benefactor. I think he would have said,
"This woman hath done more than ye all."

While preparing this second edition of Harriet's story, I have
been much pleased to find that that good man, Oliver Johnson, is
still living and in New York City. And I have just returned from a
very pleasant interview with him. He remembers Harriet with great
pleasure, though he has not seen her for many years. He speaks, as
all who knew her do, of his entire confidence in her truthfulness
and in the perfect integrity of her character.

He remembered her coming into his office with Joe, as I have
stated it, and said he wished he could recall to me other
incidents connected with her. But during those years, there were
such numbers of fugitive slaves coming into the Anti-Slavery
Office, that he might not tell the incidents of any one group
correctly. No records were kept, as that would be so unsafe for
the poor creatures, and those who aided them. He said, "You know
Harriet never spoke of anything she had done, as if it was at all
remarkable, or as if it deserved any commendation, but I remember
one day, when she came into the office there was a Boston lady
there, a warm-hearted, impulsive woman, who was engaged heart and
hand in the Anti-Slavery cause.

"Harriet was telling, in her simple way, the story of her last
journey. A party of fugitives were to meet her in a wood, that she
might conduct them North. For some unexplained reason they did not
come. Night came on and with it a blinding snow storm and a raging
wind. She protected herself behind a tree as well as she could,
and remained all night alone exposed to the fury of the storm."

"'Why, Harriet!' said this lady, 'didn't you almost feel when you
were lying alone, as if there was _no God_?' 'Oh, no! missus,'
said Harriet, looking up in her child-like, simple way, 'I jest
asked Jesus to take keer of me, an' He never let me git _frost-bitten_
one bit.'"

In 1860 the first gun was fired from Fort Sumter; and this was the
signal for a rush to arms at the North and the South, and the war
of the rebellion was begun. Troops were hurried off from the North
to the West and the South, and battles raged in every part of the
Southern States. By land and by sea, and on the Southern rivers,
the conflict raged, and thousands and thousands of brave men shed
their blood for what was maintained by each side to be the true
principle.

This war our brave heroine had expected, and its result, the
emancipation of the slaves. Three years before, while staying with
the Rev. Henry Highland Garnet in New York, a vision came to her
in the night of the emancipation of her people. Whether a dream,
or one of those glimpses into the future, which sometimes seem to
have been granted to her, no one can say, but the effect upon her
was very remarkable.

She rose singing, "_My people are free!" "My people are free_!"
She came down to breakfast singing the words in a sort of ecstasy.
She could not eat. The dream or vision filled her whole soul, and
physical needs were forgotten.

Mr. Garnet said to her:

"Oh, Harriet! Harriet! You've come to torment us before the time;
do cease this noise! My grandchildren may see the day of the
emancipation of our people, but you and I will never see it."

"I tell you, sir, you'll see it, and you'll see it soon. My people
are free! My people are free."

When, three years later, President Lincoln's proclamation of
emancipation was given forth, and there was a great jubilee among
the friends of the slaves, Harriet was continually asked, "Why do
you not join with the rest in their rejoicing!" "Oh," she
answered, "I had _my_ jubilee three years ago. I rejoiced all I
could den; I can't rejoice no more."

In some of the Southern States, spies and scouts were needed to
lead our armies into the interior. The ignorant and degraded
slaves feared the "Yankee Buckra" more than they did their own
masters, and after the proclamation of President Lincoln, giving
freedom to the slaves, a person in whom these poor creatures could
trust, was needed to assure them that these white Northern men
were friends, and that they would be safe, trusting themselves in
their hands.

In the early days of the war, Governor Andrew of Massachusetts,
knowing well the brave and sagacious character of Harriet, sent
for her, and asked her if she could go at a moment's notice, to
act as spy and scout for our armies, and, if need be, to act as
hospital nurse, in short, to be ready to give any required service
to the Union cause.

There was much to be thought of; there were the old folks in the
little home up in Auburn, there was the little farm of which she
had taken the sole care; there were many dependents for whom she
had provided by her daily toil. What was to become of them all if
she deserted them? But the cause of the Union seemed to need her
services, and after a few moments of reflection, she determined to
leave all else, and go where it seemed that duty called her.

During those few years, the wants of the old people and of
Harriet's other dependents were attended to by the kind people of
Auburn. At that time, I often saw the old people, and wrote
letters for them to officers at the South, asking from them
tidings of Harriet. I received many letters in reply, all
testifying to her faithfulness and bravery, and her untiring zeal
for the welfare of our soldiers, black and white. She was often
under fire from both armies; she led our forces through the jungle
and the swamp, guided by an unseen hand. She gained the confidence
of the slaves by her cheery words, and songs, and sacred hymns,
and obtained from them much valuable information. She nursed our
soldiers in the hospitals, and knew how, when they were dying by
numbers of some malignant disease, with cunning skill to extract
from roots and herbs, which grew near the source of the disease,
the healing draught, which allayed the fever and restored numbers
to health.

It is a shame to our government that such a valuable helper as
this woman was not allowed pay or pension; but even was obliged to
support herself during those days of incessant toil. Officers and
men were paid. Indeed many enlisted from no patriotic motive, but
because they were insured a support which they could not procure
for themselves at home. But this woman sacrificed everything, and
left her nearest and dearest, and risked her life hundreds of
times for the cause of the Union, without one cent of recompense.
She returned at last to her little home, to find it a scene of
desolation. Her little place about to be sold to satisfy a
mortgage, and herself without the means to redeem it.

Harriet was one of John Brown's "men." His brave and daring spirit
found ready sympathy in her courageous heart; she sheltered him in
her home in Canada, and helped him to plan his campaigns. I find
in the life and letters of this remarkable man, written by Mr. F.
B. Sanborn, occasional mention of Harriet, and her deep interest
in Captain Brown's enterprises.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8