xt73j9605z02 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt73j9605z02/data/mets.xml Jackson, Andrew, b. 1814. 1847  books b92e444j1318472009 English Daily and Weekly Star Office : Syracuse, New York Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Slavery --United States --Controversial literature --1847. Narrative and writings of Andrew Jackson, of Kentucky; containing an account of his birth, and twenty-six years of his life while a slave; his escape; five years of freedom, together with anecdotes relating to slavery; journal of one year s travels; sketches, etc. Narrated by himself; written by a friend. text Narrative and writings of Andrew Jackson, of Kentucky; containing an account of his birth, and twenty-six years of his life while a slave; his escape; five years of freedom, together with anecdotes relating to slavery; journal of one year s travels; sketches, etc. Narrated by himself; written by a friend. 1847 2009 true xt73j9605z02 section xt73j9605z02 
  
  
  
  
  
  
NARRATIVE AND WRITINGS

ANDREW

JACKSON,

OF KENTUCKY;

' C O N T A I N I N G A N A C C O U N T O F H I S B I R T H , A N D T W E N T Y - S I X TEAR-* 9 F the b l e s s i n g s o f l i f e a n d h i m s e l f a c r u s h e d , d e g r a d e d b e i n g . D e s i r i n g t o a r i s e , but u n a b l e to d o s o . T h e n i m a g i n e yours e l f o n t h e r o a d , flying f o r l i b e r t y a m o n g y o u r e n e m i e s , a l o n e , u n a r m e d , t r e m b l i n g at e v e r y step w i t h t he greatest a n x i e t y a n d w i t h f ear. S l e e p i n g d u r i n g the d a y a l o n e i n the w i l d e r n e s s , e x p o s e d to w i l d b easts a n d serpents ; h u n g r y , l a m e , a n d a l m o s t s p i r i t b r o k e n     s t a r t i n g u p f r o m a disturbed s leep, w ith f r i g h t f u l d r e a m s o f a r r e s t a n d t o r t u r e . H u n t e d a n d c h a s e d d u r i n g the d a y by m e n o f n o heart, a n d w i t h feroc i o u s d o g s , t r a i n e d to t h e p u r s u i t     t h e f a i n t g l e a m s o f freed o m n o w s h o o t i n g u p , a n d t h e n lost i n d a r k n e s s     h o p e and

  
ANDREW

JACKSON

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d espair c o n s t a n t l y t i l l i n g y o u r heart. T h i s was spy s i t u a t i o n lor w e e k s . B u t t h u n k G o d , I c a n n o w look back u p o n that v o l u m e o f t r y i n g s c e n e s a n d f eel    they aye past, a n d r e j o i c e in the sweet behests of m y G o d - g i v e n rights. I n t he m o r n i n g o f the n e x t d a y , as I w a s t r a v e l i n g l e i s u r e l y a l o n g , I s a w a boy w a t c h i n g m e v e r y c l o s e l y . As I c a m e u p w i t h i n a f e w r o d s o f t h e h o u s e , he d a r t e d i n t o i t .     I suspected his errand, and instead of g o i n g o n     t u r n e d b a c k , c a r e f u l l y c r o u c h i n g i n t h e shade o f the f e n c e u n t i l I c a m e t o a g r o u p o f b u s h e s : b e h i n d these I r a n o n u n t i l I c a m e i nto a n o p e n field, i n a n o p p o s i t e d i r e c t i o n f r o m that t hey h a d s u p p o s e d m e t o be g o i n g , l ittle d r e a m i n g that I h a d b een w a t c h e d b y o t h e r s , who w e r e i n p u r s u i t o f m e a n d h ad t a k e n a m b u s h i n s e v e r a l p l a c e s . B u t I w a s not l o n g i n t h i s i g n o r a n c e     f o r as I w a s u r g i n g m y w a y t h r o u g h the f ield t o a l a r g e r p i e c e o f w o o d s , a n d j u s t u p o n the p o i n t o f s c a l i n g a f e n c e , a m a n s p r a n g up l i k e a t i g e r f r o m t h e side o f a l o g a n d s t r u c k at m e . Q u i c k as I could, I turned a n d r a n a f ew steps a n d b o u n d e d over the f e n c e . J u s t as m y f eet s t r u c k the g r o u n d , a c l u b g r a z e d m y s h o u l d e r , b u t d i d m e n o h a r m ; a l ittle w a y a h e a d , I s a w a n o t h e r m a n a n d d o g , w i t h a b oy a n d h o r s e . T h e m a n had a g u n . Now, t hought I , a r e m y h o p e s b lasted. I had heard about the I s r a elites w h e n they fled f r o m the s l a v e r y o f E g y p t . I thought I was like them. B e f o r e a n d b e h i n d m e are death. I a l m o s t s a n k d o w n w i t h d e s p a i r     b u t r a l l i e d a g a i n , d e t e r m i n e d to s ell m y l i f e a n d l i b e r t y t o g e t h e r , o r to g a i n t h e m . A n d with t hat s trength, w h i c h e v e n s u r p r i s e d m e , I r a n f o r the bushes     t h e d o g p u r s u i n g m e i n the l e a d , f o l l o w e d b y the two m e n and boy   the m a n being o n horseback. A s the d o g c a m e u p , I s e i z e d a stone a n d f o r t u n a t e l y hit h i m i n the h e a d , l e a v i n g h i m s t i f f u p o n the g r o u n d . T h e m a n o n the horse s o o n c a m e u p a n d u t t e r i n g oaths w h i c h m a d e m y b l o o d c h i l l , a l m o s t , c o m m a n d e d m e to stop. I d i d s o     b u t o n l y to d r a w b a c k m y t r u s t y h i c k o r y , a u d by a w e l l d i r e c t e d b l o w s e n t h i m r e e l i n g f r o m h i s u n s a d d l e d horse. H e s o o n r e c o v e r e d , h o w e v e r , as the b l o w o n l y s t u n n e d h i m for a m o m e n t , a n d r e n e w e d the p ursuit. A s he c a m e u p the s e c o n d t i m e , b efore h e reached m e he t r i e d to fire u p o n m e , but as f o r t u n e ordered i t , h i s g u n m i s s e d a n d left h i m i n a r a g e . H e then r o d e o n , w i t h t he w e a p o n r a i s e d i n h i s h a n d , c o m m a n d i n g m e to stop. I had a r ound " stone i n m y h a n d , a n d w h e n he c a m e n ear e n o u g h . I B

  
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LIFE A N D ADVENTURES O

d e t e r m i n e d to g i v e h i m what we used to c a l l a " h a r d b i s c u i t , " a n d t hrew the stone, w h i c h , from the c r y lie g a v e , 1 k n e w had h it h i m s o m e w h e r e , a n d c a u s e d h i m to halt u n t i l h i s c o m p a n i o n c a m e u p w ith h i m . S o m e m a y t h i n k I d i d w r o n g i n t his, a n d I a m v e r y s u r e it w as v e r y h a z a r d o u s , for the p e n a l t y i s v e r y severe u p o n slaves w h o s t r i k e a w