Resistance to Slavery at Antebellum Plantation - Essay Example

Resistance to Slavery at Antebellum Plantation The chapter 10 of the History of slaves from slaveholder’s records is a take-through of slaves’ life in the antebellum plantation, owned by James Hammond. Hammond had instructed his farm’s overseers to treat his slaves in a humane way and work them moderately. However, the plantation overseers often mistreated, whipped, flogged, and chained them (Drew E. Fausts, 1980). As a way of salvaging themselves of their masters’ brutality, they resorted to resistance against the overseers that included fleeing, deception, and disloyalty. Freeing as a Form of Resistance Fleeing was a major resort for resistance by slaves in the antebellum plantation as it was enormously employed to escape the suffering they experienced at the farm. Instead of ultimately trying to avoid the new ascendancy of slavery by Hammond’s men, the slaves resorted to turning to fire-raising and flight (Drew E. Fausts, 1980) to pre-empt the look of rebelliousness. Amid the escaping process, several mysterious fires broke out in the plantation, on one occasion at the gin house, another at the milling house and yet another at the plantation hospital. As Hammond noted in his records, although he was not able to link the destruction to particular individuals, and since the effects on the plantation were minimal, the flight of slaves proved as a potentially more valuable means of instantaneous resistance to master’s authority (Drew E. Fausts, 1980). The substantiation from the respondents excerpts shows that the freeing course of action was not easy but rather a courageous undertaking that demanded resilience and hard work. In an interview of Uncle Ben by Mary white, Ben narrates that some men were not able to stand. Instead “they’d take to the woods, an’ then the dogs ‘ud ketch ‘em (Uncle Ben, 1910).” Fleeing was always a last resort from brutality. Another instance of those who were fortunate to flee earlier is well brought out by a letter by Henry Bibb to his former master William Gatewood (Henry B Windsor, 1844). Because of being rebellious, Henry was sold by his master and in his letter he writes how he is happy not to his former master’s property. Fleeing was the last resort of defense against the brutality of the former master. Henry writes that the former master slashed his wife even after trying to offer protection by offering himself to suffer. The pain was unbearable, as Henry narrates how the Deception as Form of Resistance Master’s mistress did not spare even his infant child. Fleeing was a perfect resort of resistance. This is clearly narrated by Henry whereby he notes, “I have but one approach to make for it, which is: I have only to regret that I did not start at earlier period (Henry B Windsor, 1844).” Deception is another significant tool that the slaves at antebellum employed as resistance to slavery by their masters. The “Niggers” mostly invoked its application as they used religion to deceive their masters and mistresses. The masters who at times were referred to as white folks used to attend church during the day whereas the slaves attend at night. While they expected that their slaves like them would attend their services at night, they were totally deceived as the slaves spent the whole night stealing properties especially food from the masters. This is evidently articulated by Sara Fitzpatrick in an interview with Thomas Campbell in Alabama, whereby she notes “they stole hogs, n kill’um, un’clean’um at night and den dey dig a pit in the woods … To cook them later (Sarah Fitzpatrick, 1938).” They deceived them that they could be attending services at night; while in the actual sense, they were around stealing this and that. However they did not call it stealing but rather taking and this is evident as they say “I ain’t takin’fo’m nobody but ma mistrus an’ master an’ I’m doin’ dat co’se I’se hungry (Sarah Fitzpatrick, 1938)”. They further said that they did steal as a justification, because that is what their masters considered them to be- thieves. Deception is also evident with the women working for mistresses. The mistresses as narrated by Sara not only gave them everything they asked, but also trusted them to the level of not hiding their money from them. Despite the generosity and openness, a retaliate-like resistance was apparent as they deceived the mistresses to be trustworthy when in reality they were stealing things from them. The mistresses’ hospitality is apparent as narrated by Sara as she stated “cos’m’ white folks, wux high class, deir house gals didn’t have a right to steal because the mistresses gave them anything dey wanted” and only asked them not take but use and return. One of them said, “Dey taught us not to take things (Sarah Fitzpatrick, 1938).” Their resistance was reactive as they relentlessly deceived their mistresses as frustration for enslaving them. Another incident of deception during the antebellum is illustrated by an African tale whereby slave stories about animals’ traits were assigned human qualities. They illustrate the traits that Brer or brother Rabbit used to survive against much stronger Brer Fox. This metaphor is used to portray the way slaves employed some tactics to survive against the suppressing masters. The entire theme is that of deceit whereby Rabbit deceived to a might Fox brother that he could get some breakfast in some man’s house (Brer Rabbit and Outsmarts Brer Fox). Mr. Fox fell for the trap only to realize later that he was the target as rabbit said “… but dey will eat you for breakfus’ and supper to-night (Sarah Fitzpatrick, 1938).” Deception was a well-orchestrated form of resistance that the slaves employed in a number of instances and the tale story is its clear picture Disloyal to their Masters Immediately after Hammond took reign at the antebellum farm, he noticed a great extent of disloyalty from his slaves. Hammond notes that, unlike at the start when he noticed anything wrong and wanted to treat the in a humane way, that the slaves were very anxious and inflexible to tell whose side they were. He noted in his records that they slaves had already started combating with guns at silver Bluff and there his when he apprehended the growing sense of disobedience and disloyalty among his slaves especially the Negroes who he referred as very demoralized (Sarah Fitzpatrick, 1938). They openly resented him as he recorded “a peculiar furtive glance with which they regard me and hanging off from me I do not like” (Drew E. Fausts, 1980) at the Union’s turn around. Another instance of disloyalty is women slaves at the mistress’s houses who did not replicate the master’s loyalty back. They often let them wear their jewelry to church and return them after church. Albeit such level of hospitality by some mistresses, they went ahead and stole some of the jewelry (Sarah Fitzpatrick, 1938). Conclusively, it is clear that the brutality of masters at antebellum plantation was momentous, and slaves were justified at times to opt to some forms of resistance. With several tiresome efforts, many slaves resorted to fleeing, deception, and disloyalty as form of confrontation. Even though few slaves were able to escape, a huge chunk of slaves who endeavored to flee showed their master’s of their resentment. Those who remained took deception as a tool to show their frustration by deceiving their masters, steal from them, and burn properties. Others became disloyal and disobedient, something that provoked their masters to sell them like Henry. As the end of slavery came into play towards the end of civil war, it is undeniable that the resistance was a last resort to brutal and cruel actions of the slave owners. Work Cited Hollitz, Ideas in History: Race in Jeffersons Republic, Chapter 6. Print. Read More