Slaves who ran away were dangerous to the establishment of the slave system. War equipped the opportunity for mass escapes. Numerous slaves became free during the War of 1812 and the War of Independence. Slaves had no or little intelligence of geography. Harriet Tubman escaped slavery and drove hundreds of enslaved people to freedom utilizing the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman was born Araminta “Minty” Ross in late February or early March of 1822. She was born on the plantation of Anthony Thompson in the district of Dorchester County, Maryland. Tubman indicated in later years that she was born in Cambridge (Humez 12). She was the fifth of nine children born to Ben Ross and Harriet “Rit” Green. Both of her parents were slaves, but were
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She decided to flee to Philadelphia because her owner had died. She feared her own destiny “as a sickly slave of low economic value” (Biography). Harriet originally abandoned Maryland with two of her brothers, Henry and Ben, on September 17. The Cambridge Democrat granted a three hundred dollar reward for their return. Once they had left, Harriet’s brothers had second thoughts and returned to the plantation. She had no desires to remain in bondage (Biography). Tubman drew into an underground organization that was already working smoothly on the Eastern Shore. They traveled by night, used the North Star and instructions from white and black helpers (Larson XVII). Tubman later recalled “when I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; the sun came like gold through the trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in Heaven” …show more content…
A white friend and perhaps Benjamin Ross later gave in Canada in 1863. The brother “‘Henry Stewart’” told how he and his brother made one effort to get away, but ‘“got surrounded and went back”’ (Humez 22). Harriet escorted a group of eleven slaves in December 1851. There is proof to suggest that the group stopped at the home of Frederick Douglas, a former slave and abolitionist (Biography). In the Christmas of 1854 at least two (and maybe three) of Harriet’s brothers were favorably brought to Philadelphia as part of a larger party. Ben Ross covertly brought food to Harriet and her brothers who were hidden in an outbuilding. He tied a handkerchief over his eyes so that he could “credibly testify to authorities that ‘“he hadn’t seen one of his children this Christmas”’ (Humez 23). Ben bought Rit Ross on June 11, 1855, for the total of $20. Although Harriet’s parents were legally free they proceeded to live in their old neighborhood (23). Tubman remained effective during the Civil War. She worked as a nurse and cook for the Union Army. Harriet rapidly became an armed spy and scout. On June 2, 1863, she supervised the Combahee River Raid, which saved more than eight hundred slaves in South Carolina. By January 1863 she received $100 in “‘secret service money’” by the Department of the South (Humez
She decided to flee to Philadelphia because her owner had died. She feared her own destiny “as a sickly slave of low economic value” (Biography). Harriet originally abandoned Maryland with two of her brothers, Henry and Ben, on September 17. The Cambridge Democrat granted a three hundred dollar reward for their return. Once they had left, Harriet’s brothers had second thoughts and returned to the plantation. She had no desires to remain in bondage (Biography). Tubman drew into an underground organization that was already working smoothly on the Eastern Shore. They traveled by night, used the North Star and instructions from white and black helpers (Larson XVII). Tubman later recalled “when I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; the sun came like gold through the trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in Heaven” …show more content…
A white friend and perhaps Benjamin Ross later gave in Canada in 1863. The brother “‘Henry Stewart’” told how he and his brother made one effort to get away, but ‘“got surrounded and went back”’ (Humez 22). Harriet escorted a group of eleven slaves in December 1851. There is proof to suggest that the group stopped at the home of Frederick Douglas, a former slave and abolitionist (Biography). In the Christmas of 1854 at least two (and maybe three) of Harriet’s brothers were favorably brought to Philadelphia as part of a larger party. Ben Ross covertly brought food to Harriet and her brothers who were hidden in an outbuilding. He tied a handkerchief over his eyes so that he could “credibly testify to authorities that ‘“he hadn’t seen one of his children this Christmas”’ (Humez 23). Ben bought Rit Ross on June 11, 1855, for the total of $20. Although Harriet’s parents were legally free they proceeded to live in their old neighborhood (23). Tubman remained effective during the Civil War. She worked as a nurse and cook for the Union Army. Harriet rapidly became an armed spy and scout. On June 2, 1863, she supervised the Combahee River Raid, which saved more than eight hundred slaves in South Carolina. By January 1863 she received $100 in “‘secret service money’” by the Department of the South (Humez