Editor's Preface

(2)

Introductory---Ancestry---The Northup Family---Birth and Parentage---Mintus Northup---Marriage with Anne Hampton---Good Resolutions---Champlain Canal---Rafting Excursion to Canada---Farming---The Violin---Cooking---Removal to Saratoga---Parker and Perry---Slaves and Slavery---The Children---The Beginning of Sorrow

(11)

The Two Strangers---The Circus Company---Departure from Saratoga---Ventriloquism and Legerdemain---Journey to New-York---Free Papers---Brown and Hamilton---The haste to reach the Circus---Arrival in Washington---Funeral of Harrison---The Sudden Sickness---The Torment of Thirst---The Receding Light---Insensibility---Chains and Darkness

(12)

Painful Meditations---James H. Burch---Williams' Slave Pen in Washington---The Lackey, Radburn---Assert my Freedom---The Anger of the Trader---The Paddle and Cat-o'-nine-tails---The Whipping---New Acquaintances---Ray, Williams, and Randall---Arrival of Little Emily and her Mother in the Pen---Maternal Sorrows---The Story of Eliza

(14)

Eliza's Sorrows---Preparation to Embark---Driven Through the Streets of Washington---Hail, Columbia---The Tomb of Washington---Clem Ray---The Breakfast on the Steamer---The happy Birds---Aquia Creek---Fredericksburgh---Arrival in Richmond---Goodin and his Slave Pen---Robert, of Cincinnati---David and his Wife---Mary and Lethe---Clem's Return---His subsequent Escape to Canada---The Brig Orleans---James H. Burch

(11)

Arrival at Norfolk---Frederick and Maria---Arthur, the Freeman---Appointed Steward---Jim, Cuffee, and Jenny---The Storm---Bahama Banks---The Calm---The Conspiracy---The Long Boat---The Small-Pox---Death of Robert---Manning, the Sailor---The Meeting in the Forecastle---The Letter---Arrival at New-Orleans---Arthur's Rescue---Theophilus Freeman, the Consignee---Platt---First Nigth in the New-Orleans Slave Pen

(13)

Freeman's Industry---Cleanliness and Clothes---Exercising in the Show Room---The Dance---Bob, the Fiddler---Arrival of Customers---Slaves Examined---The Old Gentleman of New-Orleans---Sale of David, Caroline, and Lethe---Parting of Randall and Eliza---Small-Pox---The Hospital---Recovery and Return to Freeman's Slave Pen---The Purchaser of Eliza, Harry, and Platt---Eliza's Agony on Parting fro Little, Emily

(11)

The Steamboat Rodolph---Departure from New-Orleans---William Ford---Arrival at Alexandria, on Red River---Resolutions---The Great Pine Woods---Wild Cattle---Martin's Summer Residence---The Texas Road---Arrival at Master Ford's---Rose---Mistress Ford---Sally and her Children---John, the Cook---Walter, Sam, and Antony---The Mills on Indian Creek---Sabbath Days---Sam's Conversion---The Profit of Kindness---Rafting---Adam Taydem, the Little White Man---Cascalla and his Tribe---The Indian Ball---John M. Tibeats---The Storm approaching

(16)

Ford's Embarrassments---The Sale to Tibeats---The Chattel---Mortgage---Mistress Ford's Plantation on Bayou Boeuf---Description of the Latter---Ford's Brother-in-law, Peter Tanner---Meeting with Eliza---She still Mourns for her Children---Ford's Overseer, Chapin---Tibeats' Abuse---The Keg of Nails---The First Fight with Tibeats---His Discomfiture and Castigation---The attempt to Hang me---Chapin's Interference and Speech---Unhappy Reflections---Abrupt Depature of Tibeats, Cook, and Ramsey---Lawson and the Brown Mule---Message to the Pine Woods

105

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The Hot Sun---Yet bound---The Cords sink into my Flesh---Chapin's Uneasiness---Speculation---Rachel, and her Cup of Water---Suffering increases---The Happiness of Slavery---Arrival of Ford---He cuts the Cords which bind me, and takes the Rope from my Neck---Misery---The gathering of the Slaves in Eliza's Cabin---Their Kindness---Rachel Repeats the Occurrences of the Day---Lawson entertains his Companions with an Account of his Ride---Chapin's apprehensions---of Tibeats---Hired to Peter Tanner---Peter expounds the Scriptures---Description of the Stocks

118

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Return to Tibeats---Impossibility of pleasing him---He attacks me with a Hatchet---The Struggle over the Broad Axe---The Temptation to Murder him---Escape across the Plantation---Observations from the Fence---Tibeats approaches, followed by the Hounds---They take my Track---Their loud Yells---They almost overtake me---I reach the Water---The Hounds confused---Moccasin Snakes---Alligators---Night in the ``Great Pacoudrie Swamp''---The Sounds of Life---North-West Course---Emerge into the Pine Woods---Slave and his Young Master---Arrival at Ford's---Food and Rest

131

(15)

The Mistress' Garden---The Crimson and Golden Fruit---Orange and Pomegranate Trees---Return to Bayou Boeuf---Master Ford's Remarks on the way---The Meeting with Tibeats---His Account of the Chase---Ford censures his Brutality---Arrival at the Plantation---Astonishment of the Slaves on seeing me---The anticipated Flogging---Kentucky John---Mr. Eldret, the Planter---Eldret's Sam---Trip to the ``Big Cane Brake''---The Tradition of ``Sutton's Field''---Forest Trees---Gnats and Mosquitoes---The Arrival of Black Women in the Big Cane---Lumber Women---Sudden Appearance of Tibeats---His Provoking Treatment---Visit to Bayou Boeuf---The Slave Pass---Southern Hospitality---The Last of Eliza---Sale to Edwin Epps

146

(16)

Personal Appearance of Epps---Epps, Drunk and Sober---A Glimpse of his History---Cotton Growing---The Mode of Ploughing and Preparing Ground---Of Planting, of Hoeing, of Picking, of Treating Raw Hands---The difference in Cotton Pickers---Patsey a remarkable one---Tasked according to Ability---Beauty of a Cotton Field---The Slave's Labors---Fear of Approaching the Gin-House---Weighing---``Chores''---Cabin Life---The Corn Mill---The Uses of the Gourd---Fear of Oversleeping---Fear continually---Mode of Cultivating Corn---Sweet Potatoes---Fertility of the Soil---Fattening Hogs---Preserving Bacon---Raising Cattle---Shooting-Matches---Garden Products---Flowers and Verdure

162

(14)

The Curious Axe-Helve---Symptoms of approaching Illness---Continue to decline---The Whip ineffectual---Confined to the Cabin---Visit by Dr. Wines---Partial Recovery---Failure at Cotton Picking---What may be heard on Epps' Plantation---Lashes Graduated---Epps in a Whipping Mood---Epps in a Dancing Mood---Description of the Dance---Loss of Rest no Excuse---Epps' Characteristics---Jim Barns---Removal from Huff Power to Bayou Boeuf---Description of Uncle Abram; of Wiley; of Aunt Phebe; of Bob, Henry, and Edward; of Patsey; with a Genealogical Account of each---Something of their Past History, and Peculiar-Characteristics---Jealousy and Lust---Patsey, the Victim

176

(15)

Destruction of the Cotton Crop in 1845---Demand for Laborers in St. Mary's Parish---Sent thither in a Drove---The Order of the March---The Grand Coteau---Hired to Judge Turner on Bayou Salle---Appointed Driver in his Sugar House---Sunday Services---Slave Furniture; how obtained---The Party at Yarney's, in Centreville---Good Fortune---The Captain of the Steamer---His Refusal to Secrete me---Return to Bayou Boeuf---Sight of Tibeats---Patsey's Sorrows---Tumult and Contention---Hunting the Coon and Opossum---The Cunning of the latter---The Lean Condition of the Slave---Description of the Fish Trap---The Murder of the Man from Natchez---Epps Chalenged by Marshall---The Influence of Slavery---The Love of Freedom

191

(17)

Labors on Sugar Plantations---The Mode of Planting Cane---of Hoeing Cane---Cane Ricks---Cutting Cane---Description of the Cane Knife---Winrowing---Preparing for Succeeding Crops---Description of Hawkin's Sugar Mill on Bayou Boeuf---The Christmas Holidays---The Carnival Season of the Children of Bondage---The Christmas Supper---Red, the Favorite Color---The Violin, and the Consolation it afforded---The Christmas Dance---Lively, the Coquette---Sam Roberts, and his Rivals---Slave Songs---Southern Life as it is---Three Days in the Year---The System of Marriage---Uncle Abram's Contempt of Matrimony

208

(20)

Overseers---How they are Armed and Accompanied---The Homicide---His Execution at Marksville---Slave Drivers---Appointed Driver on removing to Bayou Boeuf---Practice makes perfect---Epps's Attempt to Cut Platt's Throat---The Escape from him---Protected by the Mistress---Forbids Reading and Writing---Obtain a Sheet of Paper after Nine Years' Effort---The Letter---Armsby, the Mean White---Partially confide in him---His Treachery---Epps' Suspicions---How they were quieted---Burning the Letter---Armsby leaves the Bayou---Disappointment and Despair

228

(8)

Wiley disregards the counsels of Aunt Phebe and Uncle Abram, and is caught by the Patrollers---The Organization and Duties of the latter---Wiley Runs Away---Speculations in regard to him---His Unexpected Return---His Capture on the Red River, and Confinement in Alexandria Jail---Discovered by Joseph B. Roberts---Subduing Dogs in anticipation of Escape---The Fugitives in the Great Pine Woods---Captured by Adam Taydem and the Indians---Augustus killed by Dogs---Nelly, Eldret's Slave Woman---The Story of Celeste---The Concerted Movement---Lew Cheney, the Traitor---The Idea of Insurrection

236

(14)

O'Niel, the Tanner---Conversation with Aunt Phebe overheard---Epps in the Tanning Business---Stabbing of Uncle Abram---The Ugly Wound---Epps is Jealous---Patsey is Missing---Her Return from Shaw's---Harriet, Shaw's Black Wife---Epps Enraged---Patsey denies his Charges---She is Tied Down Naked to Four Stakes---The Inhuman Flogging---Flaying of Patsey---The Beauty of the Day---The Bucket of Salt Water---The Dress stiff with Blood---Patsey grows---Melancholy---Her Idea of God and Eternity---Of Heaven and Freedom---The Effect of Slave-Whipping---Epps' Oldest Son---``The Child is Father to the Man,''

250

(13)

A very, on Bayou Rouge---Peculiarity of Dwellings---Epps builds a New House---Bass, the Carpenter---His Noble Qualities---His Personal Appearance and Eccentricites---Bass and Epps discuss the Question of Slavery---Epps' Opinion of Bass---I make myself known to him---Our Conversation---His Surprise---The Midnight Meeting on the Bayou Bank---Bass' Assurances---Declares War against Slavery---Why I did not Disclose my History---Bass writes Letters---Copy of his Letter to Messrs. Parker and Perry---The Fever of Suspense---Disappointments---Bass endeavors to cheer me---My Faith in him

263

(16)

Bass faithful to his word---His Arrival on Christmas Eve---The Difficulty of Obtaining an Interview---The Meeting in the Cabin---Non-arrival of the Letter---Bass announces his---Intention to proceed North---Christmas---Conversation between Epps and Bass---Young Mistress McCoy, the Beauty of Bayou Boeuf---The ``Ne plus ultra'' of Dinners---Music and Dancing---Presence of the Mistress---Her Exceeding Beauty---The Last Slave Dance---William Pierce---Oversleep myself---The Last Whipping---Despondency---Cold Morning---Epps' Threats---The Passing Carriage---Strangers---approaching through the Cotton-Field---Last Hour on Bayou Boeuf

279

(10)

The Letter reaches Saratoga---Is forwarded to Anne---Is laid before Henry B. Northup---The Statute of May 14, 1840---Its Provisions---Anne's Memorial to the Governor---The affidavits Accompanying it---Senator Soule's Letter---Departure of the Agent appointed by the Governor---Arrival at Marksville---The Hon. John P. Waddill---The Conversation on New-York Politics---It suggests a Fortunate Idea---The Meeting with Bass---The Secret out---Legal Proceedings instituted---Departure of Northup and the Sheriff from Marksville---for Bayou Boeuf---Arrangements on the Way---Reach Epps' Plantation---Discover his Slaves in the Cotton-Field---The Meeting---The Farewell

289

(21)

Arrival in New-Orleans---Glimpse of Freeman---Genois, the Recorder---His Description of Solomon---Reach Charleston Interrupted by Custom House Officers---Pass through Richmond---Arrival in Washington---Burch Arrested---Shekels and Thorn---Their Testimony---Burch Acquitted---Arrest of Solomon---Burch withdraws the Complaint---The Higher Tribunal---Departure from Washington---Arrival at Sandy Hill---Old Friends and Familiar Scenes---Proceed to Glens Falls---Meeting with Anne, Margaret, and Elizabeth---Solomon Northup Staunton---Incidents---Conclusion

310

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Appendix

323