Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad

Throughout the 1850s, the tension between the northern and southern states escalates, and Harriet continues to travel south to guide slaves to freedom. She conducts 11 missions in total between 1851 and 1857. In 1856, Harriet guides four people out of slavery: Peter Pennington, Joe Bailey, William Bailey, and Eliza Nokey. Harriet is concerned that they will be caught because Joe is considered a very valuable slave. His new master, who paid $2,000 for him, recently beat him badly, and Harriet worries that his open wounds will make him conspicuous and more identifiable. Feeling stressed, Harriet hurries the group along until her head begins to ache, and she suddenly falls asleep.

The others wait for her, and when she wakes up, they run into the forest. Some of her followers begin to doubt her sense of direction and panic when they have to wade across a river. She assures them that she has seen them follow this path in a dream. When Peter Pennington turns around to leave the group, Harriet threatens him with her gun, and he relents, agreeing to follow her. Harriet feels unsure and afraid and hates using threats but trusts her visions. Harriet and her four followers all successfully wade through the deep, icy river and arrive at a cabin owned by a family of free Black people. This family feeds them and shelters them for the night.

The next day they return to their usual route and are frightened to see evidence of patrollers, such as flattened grass, cigarette butts, and a sign advertising a reward for the capture of Peter, Joe, and William. Frightened, Joe takes the poster down, and the group hurries along their route, with Joe motivating them by telling stories about the slave ships that transported their ancestors from Africa to America. He also sings Christian songs in a whisper. Harriet is too worried and ill to speak since she feels surrounded by danger. When the group arrives at a bridge, they wait in the forest while Harriet carefully goes out to take down more posters. In addition to more advertisements for capturing the men in her group, there is another “wanted” poster for Harriet Tubman that promises a $12,000 reward for her capture. Harriet laughs off this news, feeling confident no one would ever capture her.

Garrett, one of the conductors on the “railroad,” sends a servant to Harriet’s group with a message. They wait until night and then board a bricklayer’s wagon. Harriet and the others lay flat at the bottom of the wagon while the bricklayers put boards on top of them and cover them with bricks. Harriet feels as though they are in a shared coffin, and Eliza is frightened, but Harriet reminds her they “got to go free or die” (180).

The wagon drivers are stopped on their way by people looking for the runaways. The drivers claim they haven’t seen any runaway slaves but will join the search soon. The group arrives safely at Garrett’s home, and Harriet is still feeling unwell; she has a sore throat and a toothache. The group soon reaches Philadelphia, where Still records their name in the Committee records. Harriet continues with the group to take them up to Canada. When Joe learns that his master has advertised his capture in the northern states with a reward of $2,000, he urges the group to continue without him since he feels that his presence endangers them. However, Harriet refuses to leave without Joe and persuades him to continue to Canada. On their train rides through New York, Joe is silent and worried until Harriet tells him they have crossed the border into Canada. Joe cries with relief and sings a song of gratitude to God.