Stopping Slave Runaways
Protecting the Peculiar Institution
One of the horrible misconceptions in American history is the belief that black slaves were content being someone else’s property. Fueled by the writings of southern historians, like U.B. Phillips, who argued the “Lost Cause” was a just war; they presented a viewpoint that was unduly sympathetic to the southern planter. Central to this viewpoint was that assumption that all slaveholders saw their role in the master – slave dynamic as that of the paternalistic and benevolent caretaker. As such, they were more concerned with the civilizing of black slaves and not their own economic benefit. This Phillipsian view of slavery dominated the American consciousness for several generations. Thankfully, the New Deal’s cataloguing of 19th century newspapers along with the Slave Narratives exposed a different truth: blacks were never content as slaves and slaveholders were constantly aware that blacks would escape if given the chance.
Throughout the Confederacy the planter elite used such mechanisms as patrols and newspaper ads to prevent and recover runaway slaves. In many regions the attempts to reclaim slaves were compounded by their proximity to areas that did not support slavery. In particular, Texas slaveholders faced the daunting task of discouraging runaways due to the relative closeness to Mexico and the American west.
For example, The Houston Telegraph and Texas Ranger reported in 1854 that twenty-five slaves escaped from a Bastrop, Texas, plantation, and were believed to be headed towards the Rio Grande with the help of several Mexicans. The escape was facilitated by a group of unknown Mexicans and all were seen headed toward the Rio Grande. Likewise, local officials in Goliad, Texas, also accused local Mexicans of “stealing” slaves.(1)
To further discourage runaways, slave owners often enlisted the help of the white community through personal correspondence or the local newspapers. For example, a planter from Victoria, Texas, wrote to a neighbor asking for help in finding a slave who apparently made a habit of escaping, because he said he was looking for “my Negro man Bill who left again on Saturday night.”(2) Another example is found in the Texas Ranger where a reward of $50 was offered for the return of a forty-five year old slave and another $100 for the arrest of the individual suspected of aiding in the escape.(3) Lastly, local authorities also participated in the capture and return of runaway slaves. The sheriff of Travis County, Texas, reported the capture of a slave, but also charged the owner a fee for the slave’s housing and care until the owner could take possession again.(4)
Even though the Phillipsian view of slavery portrayed the slaveholder as the quintessential father figure, there is enough evidence to suggest this portrayal was less than accurate. Antebellum newspapers often illustrated the frequency of slave runaways and the efforts used by slaveholders to reclaim their property. While the penalties of running away were often severe, slaves routinely accepted the risks for the even the slightest chance of freedom. Therefore, Phillips and his contemporaries were not really arguing that slaves were content, but rather attempted a revision of the slaveholder from that of villain to an innocent participant in the saga of American slavery.
Endnotes
[1] Texas State Gazette, September 23, 1854, Box 4H350, WPA Records, The University of Texas, Center for American History.
[2] Letter from John Cook to P. Rose, March 4, 1849, University of Texas, Center for American History, Preston Rose Papers.
[3] Texas Ranger, December 15, 1855, Box 4H350, WPA Records, The University of Texas, Center for American History.
[4] Letter from G.W. Scott to Thomas Chambers, June 5, 1854, Center for American History, University of Texas, Thomas Chambers Papers.
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