I was so severely punished,
which has left a mark on my head which will ever remind me of my
treatment while in slavery. Thanks be to God, though tortured by wrong
and goaded by oppression, the hearts that would madden with misery
have broken the iron yoke.

MR. LEWIS CALLS AT THE BOARDING HOUSE

At the expiration of three weeks Mr. Lewis called at my boarding
house, accompanied by his brother-in-law, and enquired for me, and the
General informed him where I was. He then told me my mother was very
anxious for me to come home, and I returned. The General had ordered
Mr. Lewis to call at headquarters, when he told him if he had treated
me right I would not have been compelled to seek protection of him;
that my first appearance was sufficient proof of his cruelty. Mr. L.
promised to take me home and treat me kindly. Instead of fulfilling
his promise he carried me to the trader's yard, where, to my great
surprise, I found my mother. She had been there during my absence,
where she was kept for fear she would find me and take my brother and
sister and make her escape. There was so much excitement at that time,
(1861), by the Union soldiers rendering the fugitives shelter and
protection, he was aware that if she applied to them, as he did not
fulfill his promise in my case, he would stand a poor chance. If my
mother made application to them for protection they would learn that
he did not return me home, and immediately detect the intrigue. After
I was safely secured in the trader's yard, Mr. L. took my mother home.
I remained in the yard three months. Near the termination of the time
of my confinement I was passing by the office when the cook of the
Arsenal saw and recognized me and informed the General that Mr. L. had
disobeyed his orders, and had put me in the trader's yard instead of
taking me home. The General immediately arrested Mr. L. and gave him
one hundred lashes with the cowhide, so that they might identify him
by a scarred back, as well as his slaves. My mother had the pleasure
of washing his stained clothes, otherwise it would not have been
known. My master was compelled to pay three thousand dollars and let
me out. He then put me to service, where I remained seven months,
after which he came in great haste and took me into the city and put
me into the trader's yard again. After he received the punishment he
treated my mother and the children worse than ever, which caused her
to take her children and sec