"They would have to take me dead or crippled”

The dramatic story of Robert Jackson and the Matterson brothers' flight from slavery in Harpers Ferry became famous in "The Underground Railroad" by William Still and established Harpers Ferry as part of the Underground Railroad.

"The Underground Railroad" by William Still

Wesley Harris*, alias Robert Jackson, and the Matterson Brothers

Summary

In setting out for freedom, Wesley was the leader of this party. After
two nights of fatiguing travel at a distance of about sixty miles from
home, the young aspirants for liberty were betrayed, and in an attempt
made to capture them a most bloody conflict ensued. Both fugitives and
pursuers were the recipients of severe wounds from gun shots, and other
weapons used in the contest.

Wesley bravely used his fire arms until almost fatally wounded by one of
the pursuers, who with a heavily loaded gun discharged the contents with
deadly aim in his left arm, which raked the flesh from the bone for a
space of about six inches in length. One of Wesley's companions also
fought heroically and only yielded when badly wounded and quite
overpowered. The two younger (brothers of C. Matterson) it seemed made
no resistance.

Full Story

In order to recall the adventures of this struggle, and the success of
Wesley Harris, it is only necessary to copy the report as then penned
from the lips of this young hero, while on the Underground Rail Road,
even then in a very critical state. Most fearful indeed was his
condition when he was brought to the Vigilance Committee in this City.

November 2d, 1853.--Arrived: Robert Jackson (shot man), alias Wesley
Harris; age twenty-two years; dark color; medium height, and of slender
stature.

Robert was born in Martinsburg, Va., and was owned by Philip Pendleton.
From a boy he had always been hired out. At the first of this year he
commenced services with Mrs. Carroll, proprietress of the United States
Hotel at Harper's Ferry. Of Mrs. Carroll he speaks in very grateful
terms, saying that she was kind to him and all the servants, and
promised them their freedom at her death. She excused herself for not
giving them their freedom on the ground that her husband died insolvent,
leaving her the responsibility of settling his debts.

But while Mrs. Carroll was very kind to her servants, her manager was
equally as cruel. About a month before Wesley left, the overseer, for
some trifling cause, attempted to flog him, but was resisted, and
himself flogged. This resistance of the slave was regarded by the
overseer as an unpardonable offence; consequently he communicated the
intelligence to his owner, which had the desired effect on his mind as
appeared from his answer to the overseer, which was nothing less than
instructions that if he should again attempt to correct Wesley and he
should repel the wholesome treatment, the overseer was to put him in
prison and sell him. Whether he offended again or not, the following
Christmas he was to be sold without fail.

Wesley's mistress was kind enough to apprise him of the intention of his
owner and the overseer, and told him that if he could help himself he
had better do so. So from that time Wesley began to contemplate how he
should escape the doom which had been planned for him.

"A friend," says he, "by the name of C. Matterson, told me that he was
going off. Then I told him of my master's writing to Mrs. Carroll
concerning selling, etc., and that I was going off too. We then
concluded to go together. There were two others--brothers of
Matterson--who were told of our plan to escape, and readily joined with
us in the undertaking. So one Saturday night, at twelve o'clock, we set
out for the North. After traveling upwards of two days and over sixty
miles, we found ourselves unexpectedly in Terrytown, Md. There we were
informed by a friendly colored man of the danger we were in and of the
bad character of the place towards colored people, especially those who
were escaping to freedom; and he advised us to hide as quickly as we
could. We at once went to the woods and hid. Soon after we had secreted
ourselves a man came near by and commenced splitting wood, or rails,
which alarmed us. We then moved to another hiding-place in a thicket
near a farmer's barn, where we were soon startled again by a dog
approaching and barking at us. The attention of the owner of the dog was
drawn to his barking and to where we were. The owner of the dog was a
farmer. He asked us where we were going. We replied to Gettysburg--to
visit some relatives, etc. He told us that we were running off. He then
offered friendly advice, talked like a Quaker, and urged us to go with
him to his barn for protection. After much persuasion, we consented to
go with him.

"Soon after putting us in his barn, himself and daughter prepared us a
nice breakfast, which cheered our spirits, as we were hungry. For this
kindness we paid him one dollar. He next told us to hide on the mow till
eve, when he would safely direct us on our road to Gettysburg. All, very
much fatigued from traveling, fell asleep, excepting myself; I could not
sleep; I felt as if all was not right.

"About noon men were heard talking around the barn. I woke my companions
up and told them that that man had betrayed us. At first they did not
believe me. In a moment afterwards the barn door was opened, and in came
the men, eight in number. One of the men asked the owner of the barn if
he had any long straw. 'Yes,' was the answer. So up on the mow came
three of the men, when, to their great surprise, as they pretended, we
were discovered. The question was then asked the owner of the barn by
one of the men, if he harbored runaway negroes in his barn? He answered,
'No,' and pretended to be entirely ignorant of their being in his barn.
One of the men replied that four negroes were on the mow, and he knew of
it. The men then asked us where we were, going. We told them to
Gettysburg, that we had aunts and a mother there. Also we spoke of a Mr.
Houghman, a gentleman we happened to have some knowledge of, having seen
him in Virginia. We were next asked for our passes. We told them that we
hadn't any, that we had not been required to carry them where we came
from. They then said that we would have to go before a magistrate, and
if he allowed us to go on, well and good. The men all being armed and
furnished with ropes, we were ordered to be tied. I told them if they
took me they would have to take me dead or crippled. At that instant one
of my friends cried out--'Where is the man that betrayed us?' Spying him
at the same moment, he shot him (badly wounding him). Then the conflict
fairly began. The constable seized me by the collar, or rather behind my
shoulder. I at once shot him with my pistol, but in consequence of his
throwing up his arm, which hit mine as I fired, the effect of the load
of my pistol was much turned aside; his face, however, was badly burned,
besides his shoulder being wounded. I again fired on the pursuers, but
do not know whether I hit anybody or not. I then drew a sword, I had
brought with me, and was about cutting my way to the door, when I was
shot by one of the men, receiving the entire contents of one load of a
double barreled gun in my left arm, that being the arm with which I was
defending myself. The load brought me to the ground, and I was unable to
make further struggle for myself. I was then badly beaten with guns, &c.
In the meantime, my friend Craven, who was defending himself, was shot
badly in the face, and most violently beaten until he was conquered and
tied. The two young brothers of Craven stood still, without making the
least resistance. After we were fairly captured, we were taken to
Terrytown, which was in sight of where we were betrayed. By this time I
had lost so much blood from my wounds, that they concluded my situation
was too dangerous to admit of being taken further; so I was made a
prisoner at a tavern, kept by a man named Fisher. There my wounds were
dressed, and thirty-two shot were taken from my arm. For three days I
was crazy, and they thought I would die. During the first two weeks,
while I was a prisoner at the tavern, I raised a great deal of blood,
and was considered in a very dangerous condition--so much so that
persons desiring to see me were not permitted. Afterwards I began to get
better, and was then kept privately--was strictly watched day and night.
Occasionally, however, the cook, a colored woman (Mrs. Smith), would
manage to get to see me. Also James Matthews succeeded in getting to see
me; consequently, as my wounds healed, and my senses came to me, I began
to plan how to make another effort to escape. I asked one of the
friends, alluded to above, to get me a rope. He got it. I kept it about
me four days in my pocket; in the meantime I procured three nails. On
Friday night, October 14th, I fastened my nails in under the window
sill; tied my rope to the nails, threw my shoes out of the window, put
the rope in my mouth, then took hold of it with my well hand, clambered
into the window, very weak, but I managed to let myself down to the
ground. I was so weak, that I could scarcely walk, but I managed to
hobble off to a place three quarters of a mile from the tavern, where a
friend had fixed upon for me to go, if I succeeded in making my escape.
There I was found by my friend, who kept me secure till Saturday eve,
when a swift horse was furnished by James Rogers, and a colored man
found to conduct me to Gettysburg. Instead of going direct to
Gettysburg, we took a different road, in order to shun our pursuers, as
the news of my escape had created general excitement. My three other
companions, who were captured, were sent to Westminster jail, where they
were kept three weeks, and afterwards sent to Baltimore and sold for
twelve hundred dollars a piece, as I was informed while at the tavern in
Terrytown."

The Vigilance Committee procured good medical attention and afforded the
fugitive time for recuperation, furnished him with clothing and a free
ticket, and sent him on his way greatly improved in health, and strong
in the faith that, "He who would be free, himself must strike the blow."
His safe arrival in Canada, with his thanks, were duly announced. And
some time after becoming naturalized, in one of his letters, he wrote
that he was a brakesman on the Great Western R.R., (in Canada--promoted
from the U.G.R.R.,) the result of being under the protection of the
British Lion.

[*Footnote: Shot by slave-hunters.]

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