In the days when slavery was legal in this country, all slaves did not willingly resign to the grim fate cast upon them. The human spirit longs to be free. In some individuals, that longing beats so strong in their breasts that they will take large personal risks, against great odds, to rebel against tyranny that has transformed their lives into a tool for someone else’s will and whim.

Slaves who had the temerity to run away from their plantation “home” paid dearly if they were caught and returned. Measures were taken to make them an example to others who might harbor similar thoughts about freedom.