Escape to the Maroons

My guest today has written about an era of history that I wish we all spent a bit more time reading about. In Escape to the Maroons, Mike Weedall tells the story of a community of fugitive slaves in the late 18th century. He shares an excerpt below.

Welcome, Mike!

~ Samantha

Escape to the Maroons: An Excerpt

Guest Post by Mike Weedall

Nathanial On Arriving at Maroons Camp

Besides the people waiting here, more are coming. I’m the center of attention. People whisper and point at me. I don’t like what’s going on. No one looks friendly. They must think I’m a white man. Should I say something? Better leave that to Lincoln.

This place looks sizable. The ground is dry. Trees and thick brush are on all sides. We crossed smaller islands like this getting here. Moses called them hummocks. This appears to be much bigger. There must be different ways in and out of here. I’m exhausted and need to sit. Better stand until Lincoln says that’s okay.

How did this day lead me here? This morning, I planned to stand up in court and explain why they should grant me freedom. My stepfather said I’d be a fool to do that and better run if I got the chance. I wasn’t expecting that advice from a minister who preached we should always obey the law. When that lazy deputy got distracted, I took off. What choice did I have other than to flee? I pray they don’t punish my family for raising me as a freeman.

What’s next? Lincoln is waving for me to follow him.

In 1792, an escaped slave, raised and living as white, is discovered and forced to flee into the Great Dismal Swamp.

Barely escaping a bounty hunter, a Maroons community of fugitive slaves rescues him. Over time, Nathanial comes to accept his true identity while fighting to overcome the suspicions of his new community. Because of his pale skin, he becomes a conductor on the underground railroad, slipping runners onto ships going north. On one of his missions, fate intervenes and places Nathanial's community at risk.

This little-known chapter in American history tells how escaped enslaved people gave their all to live free while creating a community and economy in one of the world's most unforgiving environments.

Get your copy of Escape to the Maroons!

Connect with Mike Weedall

As the author of three books, Mike’s passion is finding the little-known stories of history and bringing them to life. History in school is too often events and dates. Mike seeks to discover the people who lived those events and reveal why those individuals made the decisions they did. Ultimately, there are stories to be mined, and who doesn’t love a good story?

In his historical novel Escape to the Maroons, Mike tells the little-known story of 1791 self-liberated slaves who chose to struggle for survival in The Great Dismal Swamp in their determination to live free. The term Maroons delineates areas where escaped slaves fled and could not be recaptured. It’s estimated that over 2,000 survived deep in the swamp around the turn of that century.

His first book Iva: The True Story of Tokyo Rose describes the tragic life of Iva Toguri. Trapped in Japan during World War II, this Japanese American woman was forced to work for Radio Tokyo. Although she never participated in propaganda, the racial animus of post-war America led to her being falsely labelled as Tokyo Rose and prosecuted for treason. Through her incarceration and the ongoing discrimination heaped upon her, Iva never lost her courage and determination.

War Angel: Korea 1950 was his second book that followed a reservist nurse thrust into the carnage of The Korean War. Serving as an operating room nurse in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, the real MASH and strength of a woman is revealed.

Mike resides with his family in the Pacific Northwest where they enjoy experiencing the outdoors.