John Bushore

Boy in Chains: a True Story of the Dismal Swamp John Bushore

A fictional historical biography for younger readers. Can you imagine being a teen-ager in the year 1800? No computers or video games, no cars, no electricity, and no indoor plumbing. What could be worse? Being enslaved, as well. This is the true story of Moses Grandy, an African American boy living on the edge of the Great Dismal Swamp. After his first master dies, Moses is hired out yearly. He goes through a series of masters, some indifferent, some cruel taskmasters. A kind white girl teaches him, but then a master whips him for being too smart. He is beaten with a fireplace shovel, is nearly starved to death, and a field boss becomes a deadly enemy. Yet he becomes an adept mule-handler, an expert waterman and a savvy trader. His experiences harden his resolve and strengthen his faith, but he cannot bear his miserable condition. Will he revolt? Will he run? Or will he stand tall and fight the very system of slavery itself?