Aware that her father was
still a slave owner, Clotelle determined to
use all her persuasive power to induce him
to set them free, and in this effort she
found a substantial supporter in her
husband.
"I have always treated my slaves well," said
Mr. Linwood to Jerome, as the latter
expressed his abhorrence of the system; "and
my neighbors, too, are generally good men;
for slavery in Virginia is not like slavery
in the other States," continued the proud
son of the Old Dominion. "Their right to be
free, Mr. Linwood," said Jerome, "is taken
from them, and they have no security for
their comfort, but the humanity and
generosity of men, who have been trained to
regard them not as brethren, but as mere
property. Humanity and generosity are, at
best, but poor guaranties for the protection
of those who cannot assert their rights, and
over whom law throws no protection."
It was with pleasure that Clotelle obtained
from her father a promise that he would
liberate all his slaves on his return to
Richmond. In a beautiful little villa,
situated in a pleasant spot, fringed with
hoary rocks and thick dark woods, within
sight of the deep blue waters of Lake Leman,
Mr. Linwood, his daughter, and her husband,
took up their residence for a short time.
For more than three weeks, this little party
spent their time in visiting the birth place
of Rousseau, and the former abodes of Byron,
Gibbon, Voltaire, De Stael, Shelley, and
other literary characters.
We can scarcely contemplate a visit to a
more historic and interesting place than
Geneva and its vicinity. Here, Calvin, that
great luminary in the Church, lived and
ruled for years; here, Voltaire, the mighty
genius, who laid the foundation of the
French Revolution, and who boasted, "When I
shake my wig, I powder the whole republic,"
governed in the higher walks of life.
Fame is generally the recompense, not of the
living, but of the dead, not always do they
reap and gather in the harvest who sow the
seed; the flame of its altar is too often
kindled from the ashes of the great. A
distinguished critic has beautifully said,
"The sound which the stream of high thought,
carried down to future ages, makes, as it
flows deep, distant, murmuring ever more,
like the waters of the mighty ocean." No
reputation can be called great that will no
endure this test. The distinguished men who
had lived in Geneva transfused their spirit,
by their writings, into the spirit of other
lovers of literature and everything that
treated of great authors. Jerome and
Clotelle lingered long in and about the
haunts of Geneva and Lake Leman.
An autumn sun sent down her bright rays, and
bathed every object in her glorious light,
as Clotelle, accompanied by her husband and
father set out one fine morning on her
return home to France. Throughout the whole
route, Mr. Linwood saw by the deference paid
to Jerome, whose black complexion excited
astonishment in those who met him, that
there was no hatred to the man in Europe, on
account of his color; that what is called
prejudice against color is the offspring of
the institution of slavery; and he felt
ashamed of his own countrymen, when he
thought of the complexion as distinctions,
made in the United States, and resolved to
dedicate the remainder of his life to the
eradication of this unrepublican and
unchristian feeling from the land of his
birth, on his return home.
After a stay of four weeks at Dunkirk, the
home of the Fletchers, Mr. Linwood set out
for America, with the full determination of
freeing his slaves, and settling them in one
of the Northern States, and then to return
to France to end his days in the society of
his beloved daughter.
The Return Home
The first gun fired at the American Flag, on
the 12th of April, 1861, at Fort Sumter,
reverberated all over Europe, and was hailed
with joy by the crowned heads of the Old
World, who hated republican institutions,
and who thought they saw, in this act of
treason, the downfall of the great American
experiment. Most citizens, however, of the
United States, who were then sojourning
abroad, hastened home to take part in the
struggle, some to side with the rebels,
others to take their stand with the friends
of liberty. Among the latter, none came with
swifter steps or more zeal than Jerome and
Clotelle Fletcher. They arrived in New
Orleans a week after the capture of that
city by the expedition under the command of
Major Gen. B. F. Butler. But how changed was
society since Clotelle had last set feet in
the Crescent City! Twenty-two years had
passed; her own chequered life had been
through many shifting scenes; her old
acquaintances in New Orleans had all
disappeared; and with the exception of the
black faces which she beheld at every turn,
and which in her younger days were her
associates, she felt herself in the midst of
strangers; and these were arrayed against
each other in mortal combat. Possessed with
ample means, Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher set about
the work of assisting those whom the
rebellion had placed in a state of
starvation and sickness.
With a heart overflowing with the milk of
human kindness, and a tear for every
sufferer, no matter of what color or sect,
Clotelle was soon known as the "Angel of
Mercy."
The "General Order No. 63," issued on the
22nd of August, 1862, by Gen. Butler,
recognizing, and calling into the service of
the Federal Government, the battalion of
colored men known as the "Native Guard," at
once gave full scope to Jerome's military
enthusiasm; and he made haste to enlist in
the organization.
The "Native Guard" did good service in New
Orleans and vicinity, till ordered to take
part in the siege of Port Hudson, where they
appeared under the name of the "First
Louisiana," and under the immediate command
of Lieut.-Col. Bassett. The heroic attack of
this regiment, made on the 27th of May,
1863, its unsurpassed "charge," its great
loss, and its severe endurance on the field
of battle, are incidents which have passed
into history. The noble daring of the First
Louisiana gained for the black soldiers in
our army the praise of all Americans who
value Republican institutions.
There was, however, one scene, the closing
one in the first day's attack on Port
Hudson, which, while it reflects undying
credit upon the bravery of the Negro, pays
but a sorry tribute to the humanity of the
white general who brought the scene into
existence. The field was strewn with the
dead, the dying, and the wounded; and as the
jaded regiments were leaving the ground,
after their unsuccessful attack, it was
found that Capt. Payne, of the Third
Louisiana, had been killed; and his body,
which was easily distinguished by the
uniform, was still on the battle field. The
colonel of the regiment, pointing to where
the body lay, asked, "Are there four men
here who will fetch the body of Capt. Payne
from the field?" Four men stepped out, and
at once started. But, as the body lay
directly under the range of the rebel
batteries, they were all swept down by the
grape, canister, and shell which were let
loose by the enemy. The question was again
repeated, "Are there four men who will go
for the body?" The required number came
forth, and started upon a run; but, ere they
could reach the spot, they were cut down.
"Are there four more who will try?" The
third call was answered in the affirmative,
and the men started upon the double quick.
They, however, fell before getting as far as
the preceding four. Twelve men had been
killed in the effort to obtain the body of
the brave Payne, but to no purpose. Humanity
forbade another trial, and yet it was made.
"Are there four more men in the regiment who
will volunteer to go for Capt. Payne's
body?" shouted the officer. Four men sprang
forward, as if fearful that they would miss
the opportunity of these last: one was
Jerome Fletcher, the hero of our story. They
started upon the run; and, strange to tell,
all of them reached the body, and had nearly
borne it from the field, when two of the
number were cut down. Of these, one was
Jerome. His head was entirely torn off by a
shell. The body of the deceased officer
having been rescued, an end was put t the
human sacrifice.
Clotelle or The Colored Heroine, A tale of the Southern States