In this captivating tale; Randolph Paul Runyon follows the trail of the first woman imprisoned for assisting runaway slaves and explores the mystery surrounding her life and work. In September 1844; Delia Webster took a break from her teaching responsibilities at Lexington Female Academy and accompanied Calvin Fairbank; a Methodist preacher from Oberlin College; on a Saturdary drive in the country. At the end of their trip; their passengers―Lewis Hayden and his family―remained in southern Ohio; ticketed for the Underground Railroad. Webster and Fairbank returned to a near riot and jail cells. Webster earned a sentence to the state penitentiary in Frankfort; where the warden; Newton Craig; married and a father; became enamored of her and was tempted into a compromising relationship he would come to regret. Hayden reached freedom in Boston; where he became a prominent businessman; the ringleader in the courthouse rescue of a fugitive slave; and the last link in the chain of events that led to the Harpers Ferry Raid. Webster; the focal point at which these lives intersect; remains an enigma. Was she; as one contemporary noted; "A young lady of irreproachable character?" Or; as another observed; "a very bold and defiant kind of woman; without a spark of feminine modesty; and; withal; very shrewd and cunning?" Runyon has doggedly pursued every historical lead to bring color and shape to the tale of these fascinating characters.
#3492904 in Books University Press of Florida 2010-11-21Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.30 x 1.10 x 6.20l; 1.50 #File Name: 0813035163368 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Particularly enjoyed hearing about the role that Alcatraz and San Francisco ...By Jim C.Excellently written providing Naval history of the West Coast and Hawaiian Chain. An in depth look at life aboard one of the Navy's early steam powered vessels. Provides an insight to operations on the Pacific Coast during the Civil War which is often overlooked in other history books. Particularly enjoyed hearing about the role that Alcatraz and San Francisco played during this period. A great read.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Cruises and Shipwrecks on the PacificBy A. A. NofiAn excerpt from the review on StrategyPage.Com:"The USS Saginaw; a 450 ton sidewheel wooden hulled vessel; was the first U.S. warship built on the West Coast; at the new Mare Island shipyard between 1858 and 1860; and this is an excellent "biography" of her life and adventures."A volume in the series "New Perspectives on Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology"; A Civil War Gunboat in Pacific Waters is highly recommended for those interested in the Navy in the period of the Civil War; and will also appeal to anyone with a general interest in naval history."For the rest of the review; see StrategyPage.Com
