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Escape on the Pearl: The Heroic Bid for Freedom on the Underground Railroad
On the evening of April 15, 1848, seventy-seven slaves attempted one of history's most audacious escapes—and put in motion a furiously fought battle over slavery in America that would consume Congress, the streets of the capital, and the White House itself. Setting sail from Washington, D.C., on a schooner named the Pearl, the fugitives began a daring 225-mile journey to freedom in the North. Mary Kay Ricks's unforgettable chronicle brings to life the Underground Railroad's largest escape attempt, the seemingly immutable politics of slavery, and the individuals who struggled to end it. All the while, Ricks focuses her narrative on the intimate story of two young sisters who were onboard the Pearl, and sets their struggle for liberation against the powerful historical forces that would nearly tear the country apart.
After a terrifyingly calm night, the wind came up as the sun rose the next morning, and the small schooner shot off down the Potomac River. Hours later, stunned owners—including a former first lady, a shipping magnate, a former congressman, a federal marshal, and a Baptist minister—raised the alarm. Authorities quickly formed a posse that chased the fugitives down the river. But with a head start and a robust wind that filled their sails, the Pearl raced ahead—unaware that a violent squall was moving into their path and would halt their bid for freedom.
Escape on the Pearl reveals the incredible odyssey of those who were onboard, including the remarkable lives of fugitives Mary and Emily Edmonson, the two sisters at the heart of the story, who would trade servitude in elite Washington homes for slave pens in three states. Through the efforts of the sisters' father and the northern "conductor" who had helped organize the escape, an abolitionist outcry arose in the North, calling for the two girls to be rescued. Ultimately, Mary and Emily would go on to stand shoulder to shoulder with such abolitionist luminaries as Frederick Douglass and attend Oberlin College under the sponsorship of Harriet Beecher Stowe.
A story of courage and determination, Escape on the Pearl revives one of the most poignant chapters of U.S. history. The Edmonsons, the other fugitives of the Pearl, and those who helped them can now take their rightful place as American heroes.
After a terrifyingly calm night, the wind came up as the sun rose the next morning, and the small schooner shot off down the Potomac River. Hours later, stunned owners—including a former first lady, a shipping magnate, a former congressman, a federal marshal, and a Baptist minister—raised the alarm. Authorities quickly formed a posse that chased the fugitives down the river. But with a head start and a robust wind that filled their sails, the Pearl raced ahead—unaware that a violent squall was moving into their path and would halt their bid for freedom.
Escape on the Pearl reveals the incredible odyssey of those who were onboard, including the remarkable lives of fugitives Mary and Emily Edmonson, the two sisters at the heart of the story, who would trade servitude in elite Washington homes for slave pens in three states. Through the efforts of the sisters' father and the northern "conductor" who had helped organize the escape, an abolitionist outcry arose in the North, calling for the two girls to be rescued. Ultimately, Mary and Emily would go on to stand shoulder to shoulder with such abolitionist luminaries as Frederick Douglass and attend Oberlin College under the sponsorship of Harriet Beecher Stowe.
A story of courage and determination, Escape on the Pearl revives one of the most poignant chapters of U.S. history. The Edmonsons, the other fugitives of the Pearl, and those who helped them can now take their rightful place as American heroes.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 30, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 8, 2017
Fascinating
I did not enjoy the book for at least the first hundred pages. It was difficult to connect with members of the family and seemed quite dry. However, on picking it up again, I thought it was fascinating. I enjoy American history , and this became a very good textbook read after that. I lived in Washington DC for 35 years, so I found all the descriptions of buildings and streets interesting. I could place much of it. I also grew up in the Hartford, Connecticut area so know a lot about Harriet Beecher Stowe. That part was interesting. It also helped with confirming some of the other books I've read, fiction and nonfiction, regarding slavery. I do rather strongly think that you need to like reading about early American history to enjoy it. Otherwise, it might not be such a fascinating read. The one thing I came away with was the strength and nobility of the family. And what a horrible Injustice slavery was, and how evil and hard headed some people could be. And how Congress has not really changed, but for the gunfights.
I did not enjoy the book for at least the first hundred pages. It was difficult to connect with members of the family and seemed quite dry. However, on picking it up again, I thought it was fascinating. I enjoy American history , and this became a very good textbook read after that. I lived in Washington DC for 35 years, so I found all the descriptions of buildings and streets interesting. I could place much of it. I also grew up in the Hartford, Connecticut area so know a lot about Harriet Beecher Stowe. That part was interesting. It also helped with confirming some of the other books I've read, fiction and nonfiction, regarding slavery. I do rather strongly think that you need to like reading about early American history to enjoy it. Otherwise, it might not be such a fascinating read. The one thing I came away with was the strength and nobility of the family. And what a horrible Injustice slavery was, and how evil and hard headed some people could be. And how Congress has not really changed, but for the gunfights.
May 23, 2017
This book is an excellent non-fiction history of slavery and the slave trade in Washington, D.C., the Upper and Lower South, and includes a bit of New Orleans history as well. One of my book clubs read it because two of the major characters, Mary and Emily Edmundson, spent their early years on their free Black father's farm on land which is now included in Leisure World of Maryland, where I live and where The Edmundson Society was founded in 2013.
The title might lead one to think this is historical fiction about one slave escape, and indeed, this escape was the catalyst for Washington D.C.'s end of slavery, but it is a very detailed history, and a difficult read, both because of the subject matter, and the attention to every detail the author researched.
It is a must-read for Washingtonians and anyone else interested in the history of slavery in this country.
The title might lead one to think this is historical fiction about one slave escape, and indeed, this escape was the catalyst for Washington D.C.'s end of slavery, but it is a very detailed history, and a difficult read, both because of the subject matter, and the attention to every detail the author researched.
It is a must-read for Washingtonians and anyone else interested in the history of slavery in this country.
May 26, 2018
Let me start with this: the title of the book is misleading. The escape is over in the first 50 pages. The rest of the book is a history of slavery in and around the nation's capital. Not that I mind learning about that... but it wasn't what I chose this book for. Also, the storytelling for the other 90% of the book is dry and disjointed, jumping around the various characters in a way that made it a painful read. Much of the details are unnecessary... for example, which lot in a certain neighborhood a certain family lived in. It's as if the author felt the need to include every single detail she uncovered in her research. A more aggressive editor could have helped this book a lot. I forced myself to finish it, only because that's how I am.
June 1, 2008
A fascinating story about life on the underground railroad and slavery right here in the DC area. I would recommend this to anyone in the area.
March 4, 2021
This book, like many books, suffers from having a title that is not quite accurate. A more accurate title, and one that reflects its contents, would have been "Attempted Escape On The Pearl," as that would have been the proper setup to the discussion of the aftermath of what was a [spoiler alert] unsuccessful attempt to free a large number of fugitive slaves on a ship that was foiled in large part because of the weather and the inability of the Pearl to handle sailing on the ocean, which limited its options to transportation in the bay itself, where it was cornered by a group of concerned citizens of Washington DC. Most of this book, perhaps understandably, focuses on aspects of the fallout and repercussions of the unsuccessful, if heroic, bid for freedom that more than seventy fugitive slaves made, and it makes for reading that is gripping and worthwhile on several levels. Again, if one has read a great deal about the history of the antislavery movement in the United States one may already be familiar with the Pearl and its captain, who is one of the more enigmatic figures of the Underground Railroad, but the casual reader may think that the escape is going to be a success and is going to be in for an unpleasant surprise when that does not turn out to be the case and when some of the people involved face some pretty unpleasant fates.
This book is, including its appendices, a bit more than 350 long and is divided into thirteen chapters. The book begins with an introduction, and then with a discussion of two young girls (who would later become famous) who joined members of their own family and other families in an audacious bid for freedom in the hold of a ship run by an antislavery captain of a slightly mercenary bent (1). After that is a discussion of Washington DC's underground railroad (2) as well as of slavery in the area of the District of Columbia during the time (3). There is a chapter about the struggles in Congress over matters of slavery (4) as well as the fate of the Edmonsons, the family those two girls belonged to (5). After the failure of the Pearl there is a look at the trials and tribulations that resulted (6), as well as more legal maneuvers and the purchase of the girls from slavery and their travel to the North (7). This leads to a discussion of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and the protests that followed (8). Mary and Ellen (the two girls) then go to Oberlin to study while efforts continued to free Drayton and Sayres (9). After this Emily comes home and Samuel Edmonson escapes again (10). The last three chapters continue after a bit of time with the look at the Dred Scott decision and the rise of Lincoln (11), the arrival of freedom for the District of Columbia during the Civil War (12), and the return of Emily and Samuel to DC while John is found in Louisiana (13). The book ends with an epilogue, acknowledgements, a look at the Edmonson farm (i) and the fugitives of the Pearl (ii), as well as notes and an index.
One of the elements where this book particularly succeeds is the way that the author manages to discuss a wide variety of the elements of slavery in Antebellum America through the discussion of a single effort by fugitive slaves to escape. One sees the ubiquity of slaves within Washington DC life as a key element of the working class of the city, one sees the interconnection between local slavery and national politics because of the place of the city as the nation's capital. One sees the tensions between idealism and hard-headed practical matters among antislavery activists that sometimes made the antislavery movement a deeply divided one. And the author even manages to use this incident as an entrance into some of the more unsavory aspects of antebellum slavery such as the internal slave trade whereby troublesome slaves from the Upper South (including the District of Columbia) were shipped to the Deep South, and the cruel fate of forced prostitution that was faced by two of the light-skinned slaves who were part of the escaped party, and which led to a fundraising effort to ransom their freedom to avoid this fate being suffered by two black Methodist girls of decent moral character who later became educated in the North after being redeemed. Thus what may seem to be a rather singular incident becomes a means by which to talk about the much larger context of slavery in the United States, and that is well done.
This book is, including its appendices, a bit more than 350 long and is divided into thirteen chapters. The book begins with an introduction, and then with a discussion of two young girls (who would later become famous) who joined members of their own family and other families in an audacious bid for freedom in the hold of a ship run by an antislavery captain of a slightly mercenary bent (1). After that is a discussion of Washington DC's underground railroad (2) as well as of slavery in the area of the District of Columbia during the time (3). There is a chapter about the struggles in Congress over matters of slavery (4) as well as the fate of the Edmonsons, the family those two girls belonged to (5). After the failure of the Pearl there is a look at the trials and tribulations that resulted (6), as well as more legal maneuvers and the purchase of the girls from slavery and their travel to the North (7). This leads to a discussion of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and the protests that followed (8). Mary and Ellen (the two girls) then go to Oberlin to study while efforts continued to free Drayton and Sayres (9). After this Emily comes home and Samuel Edmonson escapes again (10). The last three chapters continue after a bit of time with the look at the Dred Scott decision and the rise of Lincoln (11), the arrival of freedom for the District of Columbia during the Civil War (12), and the return of Emily and Samuel to DC while John is found in Louisiana (13). The book ends with an epilogue, acknowledgements, a look at the Edmonson farm (i) and the fugitives of the Pearl (ii), as well as notes and an index.
One of the elements where this book particularly succeeds is the way that the author manages to discuss a wide variety of the elements of slavery in Antebellum America through the discussion of a single effort by fugitive slaves to escape. One sees the ubiquity of slaves within Washington DC life as a key element of the working class of the city, one sees the interconnection between local slavery and national politics because of the place of the city as the nation's capital. One sees the tensions between idealism and hard-headed practical matters among antislavery activists that sometimes made the antislavery movement a deeply divided one. And the author even manages to use this incident as an entrance into some of the more unsavory aspects of antebellum slavery such as the internal slave trade whereby troublesome slaves from the Upper South (including the District of Columbia) were shipped to the Deep South, and the cruel fate of forced prostitution that was faced by two of the light-skinned slaves who were part of the escaped party, and which led to a fundraising effort to ransom their freedom to avoid this fate being suffered by two black Methodist girls of decent moral character who later became educated in the North after being redeemed. Thus what may seem to be a rather singular incident becomes a means by which to talk about the much larger context of slavery in the United States, and that is well done.
December 27, 2018
This book is first and foremost academic, but the story-like elements are well-written and pleasant to read. It’s so well-researched that it reads as packed and hard to follow at times, because there were so many people with their own fascinating life stories involved in this event. I appreciate how unadorned those stories are, without too much “kneading” to make them seem more sensational or fantastical. It is an honest, if massive, retelling of a still somewhat obscure but monumental historical event. I would recommend this to a reader already fairly knowledgeable about the era or event itself.
May 25, 2017
Fascinating....first, because the people involved lived HERE--the same patch of ground where I live now. Montgomery County, Maryland, in mid-1840s---. Paul Edmonson, a black farmer owned 20 acres (later, 40 acres) south of Norbeck Rd and east of what is now Georgia Ave.
I learned more about slavery, the run-up to Civil War, than anything I ever learned in school. I know Washington and history....Love this book! (One friend says it's too long, with too many tiny details. But it's not a novel-it's NON-fiction, and a helluva research story!
I learned more about slavery, the run-up to Civil War, than anything I ever learned in school. I know Washington and history....Love this book! (One friend says it's too long, with too many tiny details. But it's not a novel-it's NON-fiction, and a helluva research story!
September 21, 2019
Impressive and meticulous work that immerses you in mid-19th century America and the historical moment of struggle for the abolition of slavery.
I enjoyed every detail that made you feel the emotions of the Edmonson sisters and other main characters.
It is a great tribute to all the passengers onboard the Pearl, to families torn apart by slavery throughout history and to all heroes, well-known or forgotten.
I enjoyed every detail that made you feel the emotions of the Edmonson sisters and other main characters.
It is a great tribute to all the passengers onboard the Pearl, to families torn apart by slavery throughout history and to all heroes, well-known or forgotten.
April 20, 2021
This is one of those historical accounts that didn't make it into the history books at school. Fascinating story, basically following the lives of the Edmonson family members during their years from slavery and into freedom. The lives of many famous abolitionists and slave traders are intertwined through the story. Interesting, lots of details, not always fast-moving drama, and difficult to keep all the characters straight at times.
November 26, 2023
This escape attempt took place against the backdrop of intense local and National anti slavery politics in the city of Washington, D.C. and the Capitol. Author Ricks did a magnificent job of explaining the nuanced positions of the different players in the struggle such as the Southern fire eaters and the Northern dough faces. It would have been helpful had she included, if research was available, more about what it was like to have been a hired slave in the capital city.
March 11, 2021
I wanted this book to be so much better than it is. Instead of focusing on the events of the Pearl, the author deviates into all sorts of side stories. She throws out so many names, I felt like I was reading Game of Thrones. I soon lost interest in who these historical figures were and just blindly read along. Somewhere in this tome is a really good book. It just isn't apparent.
October 24, 2018
Very interesting. A lot of pieces of history fell into place as I read this. Learned new facts and was challenged to look at some things in this day differently.
April 20, 2019
An interesting look at the Underground Railroad in the DC area. I found it fascinating and terrifying at the same time. Would certainly recommend this book.
November 29, 2016
No, this is not an adventure story starring Jack Sparrow. Escape on the Pearl concerns a very serious subject: slavery in America and brave attempts to rescue its victims from lives of servitude and cruelty. The author, Mary Kay Ricks, has chosen to focus on the free and enslaved blacks in Washington, D.C. in the mid-nineteenth century, including one family, the Edmundsons, and on the courageous citizens who tried to save them. A schooner quietly loads seventy five runaway slaves on a dark dock one night with the intent of sailing its cargo to freedom. Other kind acts are described as are the slave pens housing starving black captives just steps away from our new Capitol building and our National Mall.
Washington politics and Southern threats of secession are described in detail. While educational, the information tends to be a bit dry at times, but I do recommend this book for those who know little about the Quakers and others with roles in the Underground Railroad. Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln are mentioned in passing, but this book concentrates on mostly unknown brave individuals who risked their lives to rescue innocent blacks from lives of misery.
Washington politics and Southern threats of secession are described in detail. While educational, the information tends to be a bit dry at times, but I do recommend this book for those who know little about the Quakers and others with roles in the Underground Railroad. Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln are mentioned in passing, but this book concentrates on mostly unknown brave individuals who risked their lives to rescue innocent blacks from lives of misery.
November 10, 2015
This book was more about the history of the entire Edmonson family rather than the Pearl and its aftermath. The tragedy of the Pearl was certainly touched upon but gets lost in Ms. Ricks quest to find out the fate of every Edmonson relative. The fates of the other relatives not directly involved in the Pearl should have been discussed in a lengthy epilogue rather than fleshed out over several chapters. This book should have been shorter (and would have had it had a decent editor). I did find the subject interesting so I did give the book three stars, but Ms. Ricks could have been more focused.
September 24, 2016
This is another facet/event of the Underground Railroad; a detailed account of the failed attempt at escape by slaves in the Washington D.C. area. It focuses on one family, some of whom are free and some still slaves. There was much new-to-me information about this horrendous time in our history and I'm glad to have read it. A note: I did find it slow reading because of so much detail, full of info for the student or those who are familiar with the areas, but a bit cumbersome for a reader like me who wants the information but not the names of all the streets or what buildings used to stand there but have been replaced by the current one, etc.
September 13, 2007
I really tried to get into this one because the subject was so interesting. But I just was really put off by the style. It's told in the Simon Winchester style of giving LOTS of background on the subject, then looping back in to the real story every so often. Well, sometimes that works fine. I really enjoyed Winchester's Krakatoa. But in this case, just when I got really into the actual story, we'd pull back into some history of slaveowners in DC, or the family history of someone involved. I finally just gave up.
October 26, 2011
The story was very interesting, unfortunately it got lost in the amount of superfluous details provided by the author. Now I realize this is non-fiction, however details about the kinds of gas lamps on the street and which streets ran diagonal and which north/south just made this a very tiedeous and slow read. Many of those details could have been provided in footnotes or in an appendix. I really wanted to like this book, but it was just much work to get through.
February 3, 2017
The history was very interesting but it could have been told in half the pages. Way too much unnecessary information.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews