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Book Review: Night Journey to Vicksburg

© John L. Hoh, Jr.

Written by Susan Rowan Masters; illustrated by Duane Smith

Jubilee ("Jubi") is a thirteen-year-old slave boy living near Vicksburg. As the book opens, one can tell the war is not going well for the South. Guns and cannon can be heard nearby. And one night old Henry Long comes with clothes and a sack of food. He tells Jubi to take his sisters, May Belle and Anna, and head north to freedom, to the cabin of an abolitionist on the Underground Railroad. You may ask, "Where are the parents of these children?" Papa had been sold long ago to another slave owner and Mama died of a broken heart after that. Old Henry Long tells Jubi to run-because he overheard the Mistress say she would sell the slaves and break up the families.

Thus the reader is introduced to this "peculiar institution" of slavery, a system of bondage where some men owned other people simply because of the color of their skin this "peculiar institution" of slavery, a system of bondage where some men owned other people simply because of the color of their skin and despite the and despite the Declaration of Independence declaring "all men are created equal." It had been a paradox in American history that a nation dedicated to freedom enslaved many for the gain of their owners. It took a great Civil War to end this travesty (and equality is still a work in progress).

Jubi, however, runs into "complications." He witnesses a gunfight and in the aftermath helps a wounded Union soldier. As the soldier was on reconnaissance, he needed to get a report back to General Grant at Vicksburg. Thus Jubi is sent to give the report to General Grant about a good landing where the army can land and finally win the battle.

At the end of the book the reader is given a capsule summary about the battle of Vicksburg. We are also told that General Grant writes about a "colored man" giving vital information about an important port, ironically the same port Jubi tells General Grant about.

The book doesn't state the age range for this book, but promotional materials from the publisher (Silver Moon Press) indicate they mainly publish items for the third and fourth grade reading levels. The type is set larger than normal to make reading easier. The fears and struggles for recognition are feelings that the reader can identify with, even if the reader cannot identify with slave life. I doubt the reader would also have knowledge of eating cattail sprouts (according to the characters in the book they are bitter). Yet it can shed light to children about life on a plantation and for slaves, especially slave children their age. Scholl might seem like prison, but the reader can be thankful they aren't slaves.

The copyright of the article Book Review: Night Journey to Vicksburg in Underground Railroad is owned by John L. Hoh, Jr.. Permission to republish Book Review: Night Journey to Vicksburg in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.