Conceal and Conspire: Countersurveillance under Slavery near the Dismal Swamp

The vast wetland of the Dismal Swamp spills over the Virginia-North Carolina border and sheltered countless people escaping slavery in the antebellum period. Some runaways lived independently, subsisting deep within its tangled interior. Many others leveraged relationships with those outside of its margins to ensure their survival. Due to the requisite secrecy, few specifics on the materials and methods of such aid exist.  By analyzing legal records, newspaper ads, and oral histories, I explore the ways in which Dismal Swamp locals contributed to the survival of those who took refuge there. 

I argue that skills in concealment and conspiracy formed the foundation of fugitivity efforts in Southern communities near the Dismal Swamp. Intimate knowledge of the natural environment frequently underpinned these tactics. Illuminating complex, countersurveillance behaviors is particularly useful for a more multifaceted understanding of how fugitives from slavery were able to survive, both inside and outside the Dismal Swamp.