The Underground Railroad by William Still (1877), p.90-91
“The following are of the Cambridge party, above alluded to. They all left together, but for prudential reasons separated before reaching Philadelphia… we had twenty-eight in one arrival, as hearty-looking, brave, and interesting specimens of Slavery as could be well produced from Maryland. Before setting out, they counted well the cost. Being aware that fifteen had left their neighborhood only a few days ahead of them and that every slave-holder, and slave-catcher were on the alert, and raging furiously against the inroads of the Underground Railroad, they provided themselves with the following weapons of defense: three revolvers, three double-barreled pistols, three single-barreled pistols, three sword-canes, four butcher knives, one bowie-knife, and one paw (A paw is a weapon with iron prongs, four inches long, to be grasped with the hand and used in close encounter.). Thus resolved upon freedom or death, with scarcely enough provisions for a single day, while the rain and storm was piteously descending, fathers and mothers with children in their arms (Aaron Cornish had two)—the entire party started. Of course, their provisions gave out before they were fairly on the way, but not so with the storm. It continued to pour upon them for nearly three days. With nothing to appease the gnawings of hunger but parched corn, and a few dry crackers, wet and cold, with several sick children, some of their feet bare and worn, and one of the mothers with an infant in her arms incapable of partaking of the diet—it is impossible to imagine the ordeal they were passing. It was enough to cause the bravest of hearts to falter. But not for a moment did they allow themselves to look back. It was exceedingly agreeable to hear even the little children testify that in the most trying hour on the road, not for a moment did they want to go back. The following advertisement, taken from the Cambridge Democrat of November 4, tells how the Rev. Levi Traverse felt about Aaron—
‘$300 Reward.—Ran away from the subscriber, from the neighborhood of Town Point, on Saturday night, the 24th inst., my negro man, AARON CORNISH, about 35 years old. He is about five feet ten inches high, black, good looking, rather pleasant countenance, and carries himself with a confident manner. He went off with his wife, DAFFNEY, a negro woman belonging to Reuben E. Phillips. I will give the above reward if taken out of the county, and $200 if taken in the county; in either case to be lodged in Cambridge jail. October 25, 1857. Levi D. Traverse.’”
Friday, August 30, 2013
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, EXCERPT...
The Underground Railroad by William Still (1877), p.90-91
“The following are of the Cambridge party, above alluded to. They all left together, but for prudential reasons separated before reaching Philadelphia… we had twenty-eight in one arrival, as hearty-looking, brave, and interesting specimens of Slavery as could be well produced from Maryland. Before setting out, they counted well the cost. Being aware that fifteen had left their neighborhood only a few days ahead of them and that every slave-holder, and slave-catcher were on the alert, and raging furiously against the inroads of the Underground Railroad, they provided themselves with the following weapons of defense: three revolvers, three double-barreled pistols, three single-barreled pistols, three sword-canes, four butcher knives, one bowie-knife, and one paw (A paw is a weapon with iron prongs, four inches long, to be grasped with the hand and used in close encounter.). Thus resolved upon freedom or death, with scarcely enough provisions for a single day, while the rain and storm was piteously descending, fathers and mothers with children in their arms (Aaron Cornish had two)—the entire party started. Of course, their provisions gave out before they were fairly on the way, but not so with the storm. It continued to pour upon them for nearly three days. With nothing to appease the gnawings of hunger but parched corn, and a few dry crackers, wet and cold, with several sick children, some of their feet bare and worn, and one of the mothers with an infant in her arms incapable of partaking of the diet—it is impossible to imagine the ordeal they were passing. It was enough to cause the bravest of hearts to falter. But not for a moment did they allow themselves to look back. It was exceedingly agreeable to hear even the little children testify that in the most trying hour on the road, not for a moment did they want to go back. The following advertisement, taken from the Cambridge Democrat of November 4, tells how the Rev. Levi Traverse felt about Aaron—
‘$300 Reward.—Ran away from the subscriber, from the neighborhood of Town Point, on Saturday night, the 24th inst., my negro man, AARON CORNISH, about 35 years old. He is about five feet ten inches high, black, good looking, rather pleasant countenance, and carries himself with a confident manner. He went off with his wife, DAFFNEY, a negro woman belonging to Reuben E. Phillips. I will give the above reward if taken out of the county, and $200 if taken in the county; in either case to be lodged in Cambridge jail. October 25, 1857. Levi D. Traverse.’”