“Tubman carried an old percussion pistol for protection against slave-catchers and their hound dogs. This violated an 1806 Maryland statute, which forbade ‘any negro or mulatto within this state to keep any dog, bitch or gun.’ The pistol was also a threat against any faint-hearted fugitive who wished to turn back. As Tubman knew, any slave who returned would be tortured into revealing everything about the remaining fugitives, which would result in the whole group being captured. Pointing her gun at one escapee, who was exhausted and hungry after a day of hiding in a swamp, she told him, ‘Move or die.’ She delivered him and the others to freedom soon after.” – Dave Kopel in Freedom Fighters [via americas1stfreedom.org]
