Journal C of Station No. 2, William Still, 1856, 10
May 25/56
Arrived_ Charlotte Giles[1] & Harriet Eglan[2] both escaped from Baltimore; (2) Charlotte was owned by Captain Wm Applegarth, shipping Merchants; & Harriet was owned by John Delahay, Dry Goods merchants_ Both are interesting and good looking young woman, 23, & 18 years of age, They left because they got tired of working for whites people_
Considering, they had not been used very hard_ though had been dealt with rigedly.
In the cars after they had started, while yet at Baltimore, the owner, in Search of them appeared and asked them their names_ and was answered, but nevertheless he did not know them ficticious names being given_
May 29th 1856
Arrived_(3) Robert Smith, Chas. H. Ringold, John Henry Richards[3] all arrived from Baltimore_
Robt. owned by Wm H. Norris, Chas. by James Hodges and so was John_ all living in Baltimore.
These young men are from 20 to 24 yr’s of age J good looking, dark complected &c
(6)
June 3/56_ Arrived. Chas. Bird[4], Geo. Dorsey[5], Angelina Brown[6], Chas.[7] do. Albert[8] do. & Jane Scott[9], all safely arrived from near Hagerstown Md.
Chas. is quite dark, 24 yr’s of age and Smart_ Had been a laborer on a farm, He left because he was tired of working for nothing. His owner, David Claggart, was considered a moderate man_ had never been married_ Chas. left 4 Sisters, all slaves, owned by the Same man who owned him.
Jane is about 14 yr’s of age, chesnut color, good looking intelligent &c She was owned by Geo. Sheaffer, Miller_ Jane to keep from being sold_ of her owner she had no word of praise to Speake_ he was a pretty hard man_
Geo. is a molato, medium size, intelligent brave
He was attacked, in coming, not a great ways from home, by several men who came out of the woods, they caught his horse & himself at the same time (he on horse back) but with the use of a big club he left two of the men lying in the road_ put spurs to his horse and soon left them behind_ Two other of his Company were also on horse back, but were not assailed_ Five were likewise in a carriage; they broke down about nine miles from home_ hence had to the the carriage with all their baggage in it, in the road_ They then had to all get on horse back so two horse, three mounting on each. Coming thus for 30 or forty miles they left the horse & walked. For a whole week they left out, fared as they could in the wood_ along the mountains &c.
George was owned by Geo. Shaffer a weather man in the miling business_
Angeline is a sister to George_ She is a nice looking young woman, small of Stature molato, intelligent &c, with to two children, boys. She also was owned by Mr. Shaffer_ They each testify that Mr. Shaffer was any thing other than a nice man_ Often threatened to Sell, and was hard to please with work. They left their mother & ten Bros. & Sisters_ She was formerly free but liable to be taken at any moment.
[1] Charlotte Giles and her companion, Harriet Eglin, eluded capture when they fled Baltimore dressed in heavy mourning clothes and veils, weeping quietly in their seats on the train. Their disguise was so effective that the master of one of them did not recognize her when he boarded the car to search for the runaways, even though he lifted her veil! Charlotte stayed only briefly in Philadelphia, from where she was forwarded to agents in western New York. Not comfortable there either, she removed to Canada. While in Canada, she wrote a letter back to Baltimore which was intercepted and used to imprison a man who had helped her in that city. Still, Underground Rail Road, 214-15, 221-23.
[2] Harriet Eglin escaped slavery in Baltimore with Charlotte Giles dressed in deep mourning with veils and weeping softly. Harriet settled in western New York where she worked in the household of the Reverend Charles Anderson. She wrote several letters to William Still, thanking him for his assistance, seeking her clothes in Baltimore, and apologizing for the problems Charlotte Giles may have created by revealing too much about the mechanics of her escape in a letter subsequently intercepted by city authorities. Still, Underground Rail Road, 214-15, 221-23.
[3] Charles Ringold, Robert Smith, and John Henry Richards were all briefly mentioned in Still, Underground Rail Road, 217.
[4] The life of Charles Bird in slavery is summarized in Still, Underground Rail Road, 219-20. In Still’s book, he includes Charles among the men attacking their white assailants.
[5] George Dorsey is briefly mentioned in Still, Underground Rail Road, 220. In Still’s book, he is included among the men who attacked their white assailants.
[6] Angeline Brown is briefly mentioned in Still, Underground Rail Road, 221.
[7] William Still does not mention Charles Brown in his book.
[8] William Still does not mention Albert Brown in his book.
[9] Jane Scott is briefly mentioned in Still, Underground Rail Road, 221.