CHAPTER XLVII.
MISS LULU C. FLEMING.
Miss L. C. Fleming was born in Hibernia, Clay county, Florida, in 1862, at the time the great hostile armies North and South were gathering for the mighty conflict over slavery. Her mother was half Congo and her father half Caucasian, under the yoke of bondage, but not without deeply throbbing hearts for freedom.
When little Lulu was only about six weeks old her father resolved to go to the war. Thus taking his wife and children and as many young slaves as were willing to join the army and fight for liberty, he bravely attempted to carry into execution his bold resolve.
Concerting with the captain of a Union gun-boat, who had deserted from the Rebel army, the father not only found his own dear little band seeking refuge in the ship, but many others who were under bondage were of a similar spirit, and in a short time the gun-boat was well loaded with fugitives. But the bright hopes of the father only lasted for a very brief space of time. The captain now deserted the Union side and landed all the fugitives in Jacksonville, prisoners—Lulu's father in irons—and narrowly did he escape being hanged (some did not escape). Thus again he with wife and little ones were reduced to slavery, although Lulu was too young to know what her father suffered in the days of slavery, for very soon after he was released from his imprisonment he was found in the Union army
