rete themselves in the city, and would
have remained undetected had it not been for a traitor who pledged
himself to keep the secret. But King Whiskey fired up his brain one
evening, and out popped the secret. My mother and sister were
consequently taken and committed to the trader's yard. My little
brother was then eight years of age, my sister sixteen, and myself
eighteen. We remained there two weeks, when a rough looking man,
called Capt. Tirrell, came to the yard and enquired for our family.
After he had examined us he remarked that we were a fine looking
family, and bid us retire. In about two hours he returned, at the edge
of the evening, with a covered wagon, and took my mother and brother
and sister and left me. My mother refused to go without me, and told
him she would raise an alarm. He advised her to remain as quiet as
possible. At length she was compelled to go. When she entered the
wagon there was a man standing behind with his hands on each side of
the wagon to prevent her from making her escape. She sprang to her
feet and gave this man a desperate blow, and leaping to the ground she
made an alarm. The watchmen came to her assistance immediately, and
there was quite a number of Union policemen guarding the city at that
time, who rendered her due justice as far as possible. This was before
the emancipation proclamation was issued. After she leaped from the
wagon they drove on, taking her children to the boat. The police
questioned my mother. She told them that Capt. Tirrell had put her
children on board the boat, and was going to take them to Memphis and
sell them into hard slavery. They accompanied her to the boat, and
arrived just as they were casting off. The police ordered them to stop
and immediately deliver up the children, who had been secreted in the
Captain's private apartment. They were brought forth and returned.
Slave speculation was forbidden in St. Louis at that time. The Union
soldiers had possession of the city, but their power was limited to
the suppression of the selling of slaves to got out of the city.
Considerable smuggling was done, however, by pretending Unionism,
which was the case with our family.

RELEASED FROM THE TRADER'S YARD AND TAKEN TO HER NEW MASTER

Immediately after dinner my mother called for me to accompany her to
our new home, the residence of the Captain, together with my brother
and sister. We fared very well while we were there. Mrs. Tirrell was
insane, and