In 1848, 77 enslaved African Americans, including the
Edmonson sisters, attempted to escape their bondage in Washington, DC, by fleeing north to freedom via the ship the
Pearl. Unfortunately, unfavorable winds slowed their escape, the ship was captured, and the escapees were brought back to Washington. This newspaper article
details the attempted escape, capture, and a minor riot which broke out on the land that would become the National Mall as the
Pearl's passengers were transported to jail.