search Negro houses and premises, and break up illegal gatherings. They
were on duty from nine at night until dawn.

By 1845 there were many laws on the Statute books of Georgia concerning
the duties of patrols. The justice of the peace in each captain's
district of the state was empowered to decide who was eligible to patrol
duty and to appoint the patrol. Every member of the patrol was required
to carry a pistol while on duty. They were required to arrest all slaves
found outside their master's domain without a pass, or who was not in
company with some white person. He was empowered to whip such slave with
twenty lashes. He also had power to search for offensive weapons and
fugitive slaves. Every time a person evaded patrol duty he was required
to pay the sum of five dollars fine.

The entire life of the slave was hedged about with rules and
regulations. Beside those passed by individual masters for their own
plantations there were many city and state laws. Severe punishment, such
as whipping on the bare skin, was the exception rather than the rule,
though some slaves have told of treatment that was actually inhuman.

In 1845 the following laws had been passed in Georgia, the violation of
which brought the death penalty:

"Capital crimes when punished with death: The following shall
be considered as capital offenses, when committed by a slave or
free person of color: insurrection or an attempt to excite it;
committing a rape, or attempting it on a free white female;
murder of a free white person, or murder of a slave or free
person of color, or poisoning a human being; every and each of
these offenses shall, on conviction, be punished with death."

There were severe punishments for a slave striking a white person,
burning or attempting to burn a house, for circulating documents to
incite insurrection, conspiracy or resistance of slaves. It was against
the law for slaves to harbor other fugitive slaves, to preach without a
license, or to kill or brand cattle without instructions.

In Section Forty-Five of the Ordinances of the City of Augusta, passed
on Feb. 7, 1862, were the following restrictions:

"Any slave or free person of color found riding or driving
about the city, not having a written pass from his or her
owner, hirer, or guardian, expressing the date of such pass,
the name of the negro to whom it is given, the place or places
to which he or