The picture that most have seen over the years.
McPherson and Oliver's photograph of Gordon's scars.
Gordon in 1863, just after he reached a Union Army camp at Baton Rouge.
Gordon, or Whipped Peter, was a enslaved African on a Louisiana plantation who made his escape from bondage in March 1863, became a contraband, and went on to serve as a soldier in the United States Colored Troops. The carte de visite photographs showing Gordon's flagellation scars were frequently used by abolitionists throughout the United States and internationally. In July 1863 these images appeared in an article about Gordon published in Harper's Weekly, the most widely read journal during the Civil War.The pictures of Gordon's scourged back provided Northerners with visual evidence of brutal treatment of enslaved Africans and inspired many free blacks to enlist in the Union Army.
Gordon escaped from the 3,000-acre (12 km2) plantation of John and Bridget Lyons, who owned nearly forty slaves at the time of the 1860 census. The Lyons plantation was located along the west bank of the Atchafalaya River in St. Landry Parish, between present-day Melville and Krotz Springs, Louisiana.
In order to mask his scent from the bloodhounds who were chasing him, Gordon took onions from his plantation, which he carried in his pockets. After crossing each creek or swamp, he rubbed his body with these onions in order to throw the dogs off his scent. He fled over 40 miles (64 km) over the course of ten days before reaching Union soldiers of the XIX Corps who were stationed in Baton Rouge.
Upon arrival at the Union camp, Gordon underwent a medical examination on April 2, 1863, which revealed severe keloid scars from several whippings. Itinerant photographers William D. McPherson and his partner Mr. Oliver, who were in camp at the time, produced carte de visite portraits of Gordon.[11]
During the examination, Gordon is quoted as saying "Ten days from to-day I left the plantation. Overseer Artayou Carrier whipped me. I was two months in bed sore from the whipping. My master come after I was whipped; he discharged the overseer. My master was not present. I don't remember the whipping. I was two months in bed sore from the whipping and my sense began to come - I was sort of crazy. I tried to shoot everybody. They said so, I did not know. I did not know that I had attempted to shoot everyone; they told me so. I burned up all my clothes; but I don't remember that. I never was this way (crazy) before. I don't know what make me come that way (crazy). My master come after I was whipped; saw me in bed; he discharged the overseer. They told me I attempted to shoot my wife the first one; I did not shoot any one; I did not harm any one. My master's Capt. JOHN LYON, cotton planter, on Atchafalya, near Washington, Louisiana. Whipped two months before Christmas."
Gordon joined the Union troops as a guide just three months after the Emancipation Proclamation allowed for the enrollment of freed slaves into the U.S. military forces. On one expedition he was taken prisoner by the Confederates; who tied him up and beat him, leaving him for dead. He survived, however, and once more made his escape to Union lines.
Gordon soon afterwards enlisted in a U.S. Colored Troops Civil War unit. He was said to have fought bravely as a Sergeant in the Corps d'Afrique during the Siege of Port Hudson in May 1863, the first time that African-American soldiers played a leading role in an assault.
The Atlantic's editor-in-chief James Bennet noted "Part of the incredible power of this image I think is the dignity of that man. He's posing. His expression is almost indifferent. I just find that remarkable. He's basically saying, 'This is a fact.'"
McPherson and Oliver's photograph of Gordon's scars.
Gordon in 1863, just after he reached a Union Army camp at Baton Rouge.
Gordon, or Whipped Peter, was a enslaved African on a Louisiana plantation who made his escape from bondage in March 1863, became a contraband, and went on to serve as a soldier in the United States Colored Troops. The carte de visite photographs showing Gordon's flagellation scars were frequently used by abolitionists throughout the United States and internationally. In July 1863 these images appeared in an article about Gordon published in Harper's Weekly, the most widely read journal during the Civil War.The pictures of Gordon's scourged back provided Northerners with visual evidence of brutal treatment of enslaved Africans and inspired many free blacks to enlist in the Union Army.
Gordon escaped from the 3,000-acre (12 km2) plantation of John and Bridget Lyons, who owned nearly forty slaves at the time of the 1860 census. The Lyons plantation was located along the west bank of the Atchafalaya River in St. Landry Parish, between present-day Melville and Krotz Springs, Louisiana.
In order to mask his scent from the bloodhounds who were chasing him, Gordon took onions from his plantation, which he carried in his pockets. After crossing each creek or swamp, he rubbed his body with these onions in order to throw the dogs off his scent. He fled over 40 miles (64 km) over the course of ten days before reaching Union soldiers of the XIX Corps who were stationed in Baton Rouge.
Upon arrival at the Union camp, Gordon underwent a medical examination on April 2, 1863, which revealed severe keloid scars from several whippings. Itinerant photographers William D. McPherson and his partner Mr. Oliver, who were in camp at the time, produced carte de visite portraits of Gordon.[11]
During the examination, Gordon is quoted as saying "Ten days from to-day I left the plantation. Overseer Artayou Carrier whipped me. I was two months in bed sore from the whipping. My master come after I was whipped; he discharged the overseer. My master was not present. I don't remember the whipping. I was two months in bed sore from the whipping and my sense began to come - I was sort of crazy. I tried to shoot everybody. They said so, I did not know. I did not know that I had attempted to shoot everyone; they told me so. I burned up all my clothes; but I don't remember that. I never was this way (crazy) before. I don't know what make me come that way (crazy). My master come after I was whipped; saw me in bed; he discharged the overseer. They told me I attempted to shoot my wife the first one; I did not shoot any one; I did not harm any one. My master's Capt. JOHN LYON, cotton planter, on Atchafalya, near Washington, Louisiana. Whipped two months before Christmas."
Gordon joined the Union troops as a guide just three months after the Emancipation Proclamation allowed for the enrollment of freed slaves into the U.S. military forces. On one expedition he was taken prisoner by the Confederates; who tied him up and beat him, leaving him for dead. He survived, however, and once more made his escape to Union lines.
Gordon soon afterwards enlisted in a U.S. Colored Troops Civil War unit. He was said to have fought bravely as a Sergeant in the Corps d'Afrique during the Siege of Port Hudson in May 1863, the first time that African-American soldiers played a leading role in an assault.
The Atlantic's editor-in-chief James Bennet noted "Part of the incredible power of this image I think is the dignity of that man. He's posing. His expression is almost indifferent. I just find that remarkable. He's basically saying, 'This is a fact.'"
