1869.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869,

BY WILLIAM G. WISE,

In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court for the Northern District
of New York.

STEREOTYPED BY
DENNIS BRO’S & CO.,
AUBURN, N. Y.

INTRODUCTION.

The following little story was written by Mrs. Sarah H. Bradford, of
Geneva, with the single object of furnishing some help to the subject of
the memoir. Harriet Tubman’s services and sufferings during the
rebellion, which are acknowledged in the letters of Gen. Saxton, and
others, it was thought by many, would justify the bestowment of a
pension by the Government. But the difficulties in the way of procuring
such relief, suggested other methods, and finally the present one. The
narrative was prepared on the eve of the author’s departure for Europe,
where she still remains. It makes no claim whatever to literary merit.
Her hope was merely that the considerably numerous public already in
part acquainted with Harriet’s story, would furnish purchasers enough to
secure a little fund for the relief of this remarkable woman. Outside
that circle she did not suppose the memoir was likely to meet with much
if any sale.

In furtherance of the same benevolent scheme, and in order to secure the
whole avails of the work for Harriet’s benefit, a subscription has been
raised more than sufficient to defray the entire cost of publication.
This has been effected by the generous exertions of Wm. G. Wise, Esq.,
of this city. The whole amount was contributed by citizens of Auburn,
with the exception of two liberal subscriptions by Gerrit Smith, Esq.,
and Mr. Wendell Phillips.

Mr. Wise has also consented, at Mrs. Bradford’s request, to act as
trustee for Harriet; and will receive, invest, and apply, for her
benefit, whatever may accrue from the sale of this book.

The spirited wood-cut likeness of Harriet, in her costume as scout, was
furnished by the kindness of Mr. J. C. Darby, of this city.

S. M. H.

AUBURN, Dec. 1, 1868.

PREFACE.

It is proposed in this little book to give a plain and unvarnished
account of some scenes and adventures in the life of a woman who, though
one of earth’s lowly ones, and of dark-hued skin, has shown an amount of
heroism in her character rarely possessed by those of any station in
life. Her name (we say it advisedly and without exaggeration) deserves
to be handed down to posterity side by side with the names of Joan of
Arc, Grace Darling, and Florence Nightingale; for not one of these women
has shown more courage and power of endurance in facing danger and death
to relieve human suffering, than has this woman in her heroic and
successful endeavors to reach and save all whom she might of her
oppressed and suffering race, and to pilot them from the land of Bondage
to the promised land of Liberty. Well has she been called “_Moses_,” for
she has been a leader and deliverer unto hundreds of her people.

Worn down by her sufferings and fatigues, her health permanently
affected by the cruelties to which she has been subjected, she is still
laboring to the utmost limit of her strength for the support of her aged
parents, and still also for her afflicted people–by her own efforts
supporting two schools for Freedmen at the South, and supplying them
with clothes and books; never obtruding herself, never asking for
charity, except for “her people.”

It is for the purpose of aiding her in ministering to the wants of her
aged parents, and in the hope of securing to them the little home which
they are in danger of losing from inability to pay the whole amount
due–which amount was partly paid when our heroine left them to throw
herself into the work of aiding our suffering soldiers–that this little
account, drawn from her by persevering endeavor, is given to the friends
of humanity.

The writer of this story has till very lately known less personally of
the subject of it, than many others to whom she has for years been an
object of interest and care. But through relations and friends in
Auburn, and also through Mrs. Commodore Swift of Geneva, and her
sisters, who have for many years known and esteemed this wonderful
woman, she has heard tales of her deeds of heroism which seemed almost
too strange for belief, and were invested with the charm of romance.

During a sojourn of some months in the city of Auburn, while the war was
in progress, the writer used to see occasionally in her Sunday-school
class the aged mother of Harriet, and also some of those girls who had
been brought from the South by this remarkable woman. She also wrote
letters for the old people to commanding officers at the South, making
inquiries about Harriet, and received answers telling of her untiring
devotion to our wounded and sick soldiers, and of her efficient aid in
various ways to the cause of the Union.

By the graphic pen of Mrs. Stowe, the incidents of such a life as that
of the subject of this little memoir might be wrought up into a tale of
thrilling interest, equaling, if not exceeding, anything in her
world-renowned “Uncle Tom’s Cabin;” but the story of Harriet Tubman
needs not the drapery of fiction; the bare unadorned facts are enough to
stir the hearts of the friends of humanity, the friends of liberty, the
lovers of their country.

There are those who will sneer, there are those who have already done
so, at this _quixotic attempt_ to make a heroine of a black woman, and a
slave; but it may possibly be that there are some natures, though
concealed under fairer skins, who have not the capacity to comprehend
such general and self-sacrificing devotion to the cause of others as
that here delineated, and therefore they resort to scorn and ridicule,
in order to throw discredit upon the whole story.