Slaves in the Family by Edward Ball

Author:Edward Ball
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Published: 2017-09-29T04:00:00+00:00

For several months King found himself again taken captive, this time by whites in Brunswick, New Jersey. Then he escaped once more. Held by rebel forces, Brunswick lay against the Raritan River, while the British camp stood several miles away, on Staten Island. King wrote:

I … observed, that when it was low water the people waded across the river; tho’ at the same time I saw there were guards posted at the place to prevent the escape of prisoners and slaves. … [At the end of a Sunday, his captors in bed, King made his way to the bank.] [A]bout one o’clock in the morning I went down to the riverside, and found the guards were either asleep or in the tavern. I instantly entered into the river, but when I was a little distance from the opposite shore, I heard the sentinels disputing among themselves: One said, ‘I am sure I saw a man cross the river.’ Another replied, ‘There is no such thing.’ It seems they were afraid to fire at me, or make an alarm, lest they should be punished for their negligence. … I traveled till about five in the morning. … [King hid himself the following day, and the next night, stole a boat.] I proceeded forward, thro’ bushes and marshes, near the road, for fear of being discovered. When I came to the river, opposite Staten Island, I found a boat; and altho’ it was very near a whale-boat, yet I ventured into it, and cutting the rope, got safe over. The [British] commanding officer, when informed of my case, gave me a passport, and I proceeded to New-York.

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