Fifty Years in Chains, or the Life of an American Slave

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
3636403Fifty Years in Chains, or the Life of an American Slave — Main Page1860Charles Ball

FIFTY YEARS IN CHAINS;

OR,

THE LIFE OF AN

AMERICAN SLAVE.

"My God! can such things be?
Hast Thou not said that whatsoe'er is done
Unto thy weakest and thy humblest one,
Is even done to Thee?" — Whittier.

New-York:

H. DAYTON, PUBLISHER,

107 NASSAU STREET.

INDIANA: INDIANAPOLIS — DAYTON & ASHER.

1859.

Copyright


Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1858, by

H. DAYTON,

in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York


J. J. Reed,
printer & stereotyper

43 Centre St. N.Y.

Preface

PREFACE.


The story which follows is "true" in every particular. Responsible citizens of a neighboring State can vouch for the reality of the narrative. The language of the slave has not at all times been strictly adhered to, as a half century of bondage unfitted him for literary work. The subject of the story "is still a slave" by the laws of this country, and it would net be wise to reveal his name.

Contents

CONTENTS

Chapter I. Separated from my mother 9
Chapter II. Some short time after my wife 25
Chapter III. It was manifest that I was now 49
Chapter IV. It was now about the middle of June 73
Chapter V. We had been stationed in the old 93
Chapter VI. By the laws of the United States 110
Chapter VII. The overseer was calling over the names 124
Chapter VIII. At the time of which I now speak 144
Chapter IX. It is impossible to reconcile the mind 148
Chapter X. I have before observed that the 193
Chapter XI. Early in March, my seine being now 211
Chapter XII. After this the fishing season passed 240
Chapter XIII. An affair was now in progress 262
Chapter XIV. The country I now lived in was new 278
Chapter XV. My master died in the month of May 307
Chapter XVI. I could not believe it possible 324
Chapter XVII. On the twenty-fourth of October 344
Chapter XVIII. The month of November is, in all years 360
Chapter XIX. In the month of June 18 390
Chapter XX. The name of my new master was 407