Chapter I: Preface

In presenting the following pages to the public, without the trace of an excellent scholar or eloquent orator, I fully realize my inability to compete with writers of the nineteenth century. With this incompetency in view, I have hesitated and delayed until three-score and thirteen years are closing over me. Yet as I am still spared to toil on a little longer in the great field so white to harvest, praying the Lord of the harvest to arm and send forth more laborers, because they are too few, I ask an indulgent public to allow my deep and abiding sympathies for the oppressed and sorrowing of every nation, class, or color, to plead my excuse for sending forth simple, unvarnished facts and experiences, hoping they may increase an aspiration for the active doing, instead of saying what ought to be done, with excusing self for want of ability, when it is to be found in Him who is saying, "My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is perfect in weakness."

LAURA S. HAVILAND.

OCTOBER, 1881.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.

EARLY LIFE.

Parentage--Early Impressions--Childhood Skepticism--Religious Experience--The Great Leveler--Marriage--Removal to Michigan--The Semi-Christian--The Despairing Backslider Restored--Proscription--Withdrawal from the Society of Friends--Founded "Raisin Institute,"

CHAPTER II.

BEREAVEMENTS.

Dream--Bereavements--Early Widowhood--Trials--Dreamy--Victory by Faith--A Fugitive Slave Escapes--Marriage of two Older Children,

CHAPTER III.

ANTI-SLAVERY EXPERIENCES.

Baptist Deacon Convicted of the Sin of Slavery by his Slave--Willis Hamilton's Escape with his Slave-wife, Elsie, to Canada--Removal to Michigan--Whereabouts Discovered by Elsie's Master--Deeply Laid Scheme to Capture the Hamilton Family--Threats of Violence--Second Attempt and Defeat--Death of the two Slave-holders,

CHAPTER IV.

AN OHIO SCHOOL-TEACHER.

A Traveling Agent--Slave Claimant--John White--Threats--Visit to Jane White--Interview with William Allen--Escape of Slaves--In Suspense--Death of First-born--Comforting Dream--John White a Prisoner--His Release and Subsequent History,

CHAPTER V.

THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY.

Two Slave Families Escape--Story of George and James--A Mother and Daughter Leave a Boat bound for the Lower Market--Sarah and two Young Men join our Party--Seven are Conducted to Canada--Raisin Institute Suspended for an Academic Year--Return to Cincinnati--Maria--Threats of her Master--The Escape of two Young Men

CHAPTER VI.

FUGITIVE SLAVES ASSISTED.

Clara and Three Children Rescued--Jack Betrayed and Returned to Bondage--A Little Nurse Girl taken from her Owners in Cincinnati--How Zack was Saved--Calvin Fairbanks Visited in Prison--Fugitive Slaves Forwarded

CHAPTER VII.

CHRISTIAN AND EDUCATIONAL WORK.

Visiting and Nursing the Sick--Nine Slaves Arrive from Kentucky--Richard Dillingham Dies in Tennessee Penitentiary--Seven Slaves Conducted to Freedom--Teach Six Months in Toledo

CHAPTER VIII.

FUGITIVES IN CANADA.

Mission Among the Fugitives in Canada--Religious Revival--Organization of a Christian Union Church--Efforts of Missourians to Retake the Fugitive Slave, William Anderson, from Canada--The Kentucky Slave-owner Whipped in the Old Barracks in Windsor in his Effort to Decoy Three Young Men back to Slavery--Reopening School

CHAPTER IX.

RESCUE OF SLAVES.

Escape of a Slave Family of Six--A Slave Man Travels for a White Man and Succeeds--Trip to Arkansas--The Story of George Wilson--The Slave-daughter under Mortgage Released by her Mother--Mintie Berry Purchases her Husband--John Brown Hanged--The War Opens and takes Seventeen Students of Raisin Institute--First Trip to the Front with Supplies

CHAPTER X.

HOSPITAL WORK.

Cairo--Incidents Preparatory to Removing Freedmen's Camp to Island No. 10--Death of a Child--Disbursing Supplies and other Mission Work on the Island--Story of Uncle Stephen--Hospital Visiting in Memphis, Tennessee--Surgeon Powers Reported--Forty Slaves come into Camp Shiloh--Seven Slaves come from a Plantation seven miles below Memphis--First Enlistment of Colored Soldiers--Mission Work in Columbus, Kentucky--Young Colored Man Shot by his Young Master--Turning of Tables--Return Home--Our Principal, E. A. Haight, Enlisted

CHAPTER XI.

SANITARY WORK.

Organized Freedmen's Relief Association--Solicit Supplies--Academic Year Opened for 1863-4--Sister Backus and Self leave for Fields of Suffering--Incidents on the Way--Mission Work in Natchez, Mississippi--Four Hundred Slaves Hanged and otherwise Tortured--Visit to the Calaboose--Mission Work in Baton Rouge--Arrival at New Orleans--Sketch of Persecutions

CHAPTER XII.

MISSION WORK IN NEW ORLEANS.

Mission Work in New Orleans--Soldiers and Prisoners Visited on Ship Island--Petition of Seventy Soldier Prisoners in behalf of Three Thousand of their Fellow Prisoners--Appeal in behalf of Ship Island and Tortugas Prisoners--Mission Work at Plaquemine--Natchez--Capture of a Rebel steamer--Arrival at Home--Release of the Three Thousand Banished Union Soldiers

CHAPTER XIII.

FREEDMEN'S AID COMMISSION.

Refugees in Kansas--Children of Want--Afflicted Family--Scenes of Distress--Agnes Everett--Quantrell's Raid--Poor White Trash--Hospitals--Supplies Distributed--Refugee Buildings--Orphan Children--Haviland Home--Thomas Dean a Prisoner--Petition for Pardon--Pardon Granted--A Southern Clergyman--Mission School--At Harper's Ferry and Washington.

CHAPTER XIV.

HOME MISSION WORK.

Mission Work and Incidents in Washington--Murders--Alexandria--Richmond, Virginia--Williamsburg--Fort Magruder--Yorktown--Suicide--Gloucester Court-house--Fortress Monroe--Norfolk--Return to Washington--White Woman Whipped.

CHAPTER XV.

EXPERIENCES AMONG FREEDMEN.

A Soldier Prisoner--Interesting Statistics--Schools--Plantations--Incidents--Return to Washington--Return Home with Fifteen Orphans and Fifty Laborers--Change in Orphan Asylum--Mission Work in Covington and Newport, Kentucky--Mission Work in Memphis, Tennessee--Uncle Philip a Remarkable Man--Return Home.

CHAPTER XVI.

STATE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

Board of Directors Arrange for Closing the Home--Discouragements--Relief Comes by Sleigh-loads--Encouragements--Petitions to the State Legislature to make the Home a State Institution--Petitions Granted, and the Orphan's Home becomes the "State Public School," located at Coldwater--Work in State Public School.

CHAPTER XVII.

CHRISTIAN LABOR AND RESULTS.

Work for the Asylum--Again in Washington--Mission Work--Trial of Henry Wirtz--Inspecting Soup-houses--Incidents connected with Kendal Green Camp--Peremptory Order of J. R. Shipherd Closing Asylum--Children Scattered--Returned Home with Authority from American Missionary Association to Reopen Asylum--Dangerous Fall--Restored to Asylum Work--Overtaken with Convulsions--Answer to Prayer in being Restored.

CHAPTER XVIII.

PRESENT CONDITION OF THE FREEDMEN.

Kansas Freedmen's Relief Association--Testimony of Perry Bradley--Incidents--Persecutions--Prof. Greener--Colored Republicans--Further Testimony--Negro Woman Killed--Letter from the South--Atrocities--Refugees in Kansas--Bull-dosing--Kansas Overfull--Protection Needed--Michael Walsh--Silver Linings.

CHAPTER XIX.

PROSPECTS OF THE FREEDMEN.

Supplies Furnished--Relief Association at Work--Northern Outrages--Prudence Crandall--Colored Schools--Freedmen's Aid Schools--Industrial and Agricultural Institute.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

STEEL PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR
THE SLAVEHOLDERS' THREATS.
SLAVE IRONS.
CLARK UNIVERSITY FOR FREEDMEN (CHRISMAN HALL).
MEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE.