Dana Vacca's Blog: Freedom Calling A Civil War Slave Escapes By Sea - Posts Tagged "melungeon"
FREEDOM CALLING Book: The Great Dismal Swamp People
FREEDOM CALLING - Book Highlights
THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMP
During the American Civil War, many runaways took refuge in the Great Dismal Swamp that spans the border of Virginia and North Carolina. But the Dismal had been a used as a safe haven even long before 1861. Many Native Americans, African-Americans, and even Portuguese and English seamen, for various reasons, inhabited the swamp from as early as the 1600s. Some were outlaws, some fled bondage, some were born there.
The Dismal was millions of acres of thick vegetation and deep, soggy bogs. Much of it was wetland and mire, but the interior had large hummocks with higher ground that was solid and dry.
The swamp was also home to many species of poisonous rattlesnakes and cottonmouths, cougar, alligators and other dangerous animals. Most folks kept to the edges of the swamp, if they entered it at all, and even the brave ones who dared push further in ended up losing their way, sometimes for days, - and afterward would never consider venturing into it a second time!
SEE PHOTOS ON FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/CivilWarHist...
Freedom Calling: A Civil War Slave Escapes By Sea
THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMP
During the American Civil War, many runaways took refuge in the Great Dismal Swamp that spans the border of Virginia and North Carolina. But the Dismal had been a used as a safe haven even long before 1861. Many Native Americans, African-Americans, and even Portuguese and English seamen, for various reasons, inhabited the swamp from as early as the 1600s. Some were outlaws, some fled bondage, some were born there.
The Dismal was millions of acres of thick vegetation and deep, soggy bogs. Much of it was wetland and mire, but the interior had large hummocks with higher ground that was solid and dry.
The swamp was also home to many species of poisonous rattlesnakes and cottonmouths, cougar, alligators and other dangerous animals. Most folks kept to the edges of the swamp, if they entered it at all, and even the brave ones who dared push further in ended up losing their way, sometimes for days, - and afterward would never consider venturing into it a second time!
SEE PHOTOS ON FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/CivilWarHist...
Freedom Calling: A Civil War Slave Escapes By Sea
FREEDOM CALLING Book: The Great Dismal Swamp
FREEDOM CALLING - Book Highlights
By the 1800's the inhabitants of the Great Dismal Swamp were known by many names,... Melungeons, Outliers, Maroons, Swampers... Some lived their whole lives without ever leaving the swamp.
The term Melungeon means a person of mixed race,... a combination of African-American, Native American and European descent, but freed and fugitive African-Americans, Native Americans from various tribes and white Caucasians also lived in the Dismal.
Their shelters were simple and small and rather crude but serviceable, (like the one in the photo below), and often cobbled together from logs, scavenaged board planks and bark. Usually living in small groups, their little communities, tucked in the secluded thickets of dry hummocks, were scattered within the interior of the swamp. The Outliers were almost completely self-sufficient, and lived off the land by hunting, gathering and planting. To make tools they reworked whatever iron and metal they found, traded for, or brought with them.
The swamp was a rich hunting ground with a large fresh-water lake (Lake Drummond; see photo) at the center. The water in Lake Drummond, though amber colored, is especially pure because of the tannic acids of the juniper, cypree and gum trees forests in the swamp. Kegs of the Dismal's swampwater was sold as drinking water for sailing ships since the water stayed fresh for a very long time! It was also thought to have magical qualities - that if regularly drunk would prevent illness and ensure long life!
SEE COOL PHOTOS of Dismal Swamp ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/CivilWarHist...
Freedom Calling: A Civil War Slave Escapes By Sea
By the 1800's the inhabitants of the Great Dismal Swamp were known by many names,... Melungeons, Outliers, Maroons, Swampers... Some lived their whole lives without ever leaving the swamp.
The term Melungeon means a person of mixed race,... a combination of African-American, Native American and European descent, but freed and fugitive African-Americans, Native Americans from various tribes and white Caucasians also lived in the Dismal.
Their shelters were simple and small and rather crude but serviceable, (like the one in the photo below), and often cobbled together from logs, scavenaged board planks and bark. Usually living in small groups, their little communities, tucked in the secluded thickets of dry hummocks, were scattered within the interior of the swamp. The Outliers were almost completely self-sufficient, and lived off the land by hunting, gathering and planting. To make tools they reworked whatever iron and metal they found, traded for, or brought with them.
The swamp was a rich hunting ground with a large fresh-water lake (Lake Drummond; see photo) at the center. The water in Lake Drummond, though amber colored, is especially pure because of the tannic acids of the juniper, cypree and gum trees forests in the swamp. Kegs of the Dismal's swampwater was sold as drinking water for sailing ships since the water stayed fresh for a very long time! It was also thought to have magical qualities - that if regularly drunk would prevent illness and ensure long life!
SEE COOL PHOTOS of Dismal Swamp ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/CivilWarHist...
Freedom Calling: A Civil War Slave Escapes By Sea
Freedom Calling A Civil War Slave Escapes By Sea
FREEDOM CALLING is a page-turner packed with action, emotion, romance and adventure - vibrantly painted with powerful characters, vivid imagery and factual details of the Civil War era.
Runaway slaves ...more
Runaway slaves ...more
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