Go Down, Moses-e

The Story of Harriet Tubman—Slave, Conductor on the Underground Railroad and Spy for the Union Army

By Arline Chase

Harriet Tubman was born into the soul-crushing system of slavery in America. Through her wits, intelligence, determination, and bravery, she not only changed the course of her own life, but that of her family and countless other African-Americans.

ISBN 0-152-5-8 Historical/Fictional Biography-

Cover Art/Louise Thellian.

Also available in RTF and HTML formats.



Chapter One

“I grew up like a neglected weed.” — Harriet Tubman, to journalist Benjamin Drew.

Minty Lou Ross was the second daughter of Benjamin Ross and Harriet (sometimes called Hattie) Green.

Her father ran a saw mill. Her mother was a laundress and later a cook. Both were slaves, but they were not owned by the same people.

They were allowed to marry, and set up housekeeping in a cabin on the Broadas Plantation. But they had to ask permission from their slave-holders first.

Minty Lou’s older sister was named after their mother, Harriet. It was the custom then to name the oldest girl for the mother and the oldest boy for the father. Minty Lou had ten brothers and sisters.

She never went to school. Slaves had no schools. Back then, it was against the law to teach a slave to read. Minty Lou Ross never learned to read or write. She never had riches, or sought fame. She was just a girl who loved her family and wanted to help them. No one would have thought she could ever grow up to do anything special.

When she was five years old, Minty Lou was sent to tend the baby of a neighbor. If she did well at her task it could mean a life of easier work as a “house-slave”.

Minty Lou was told by her mother and father, to be good and do as she was told. She understood. If she did well enough, she would not have to spend her days working in the fields under a burning sun.

Minty Lou was told to keep the baby safe and quiet. But the baby had colic. It cried all the time.

When she talked to the baby, it cried. When she rocked the baby, it cried. When she told it stories and tried to get it to sleep, that baby just cried and cried!

Then Minty Lou remembered how her mother tied a spoonful of sugar into a handkerchief and gave it to a crying baby to suck. She took some sugar from the table, tied it in a handkerchief and gave it to the baby. Her plan worked.

For the first time in days, the baby was quiet. Minty Lou thought the mother would be pleased. She was wrong. Minty Lou was whipped for “stealing” the sugar and sent home in disgrace.