Itwasagrandplan.SailsouthonthePotomacinWashington,D.C.ThensailnorthtoNewJersey.Thejourneywasabout360kilometers(225 miles).

ThePearl hadnotsailedfarbeforethewinddieddown.Thesailswentflat.Theshipdroppedanchor,sothetidewouldnotpushit back.

Meanwhile,theslaveownerssawthattheir“property”wasgone.Theybegantosearch.Theyboardedafast‑movingsteamboat.ItsoonfoundthePearl.

Theslaveswerecaptured.TheyweretakentoajailinWashington,D.C.Anangrymobprotestedtheescape.LoudvoicesintheU.S.Congressjoinedin.But,othercongressmencalledfortheendofslaveryinthenation’s capital.

Atthejail,slavetraderspurchasedtheescapedslavesfromtheirowners.Thetraderstookthemsouth.Theywantedtosellthemforahigh profit.

ThePearl escapemadepeoplethinkabouttheevilsofslavery.Thenthestorydisappeared.Iwantedtofind it.

Washington,   D.C.

Maryland

Virginia

PearlCaptured here

Chesapeake
Bay

St.Mary’sCounty

Potomac River

Ilearnedthatthereweretwoteenagesisterson boardthePearl, MaryandEmilyEdmonson.Fouroftheirbrothers—Samuel,Ephraim,Richard,andJohn—werealsothere.Iwantedtolearnmore.IstartedmyhuntforinformationattheHistoricalSocietyofWashington, D.C.