Free man of color, Confederate deserter.

by Lisa Y. Henderson

GASTON BURNS, a free man of color, ranaway from me on the 18th inst.  He has been living at Salisbury, N.C., for a number of years.  I will give the above reward for his apprehension and confinement in some jail, so that I can get him again.  A.W. HOWERTON.  1st Lieut. Co. I, 57th Reg. N.C.T. Richmond, Va., Sept. 18, 1862.

Carolina Watchman, Salisbury, 22 Sept 1862. NC Newspaper Digitization Project, North Carolina State Archives Historic Newspaper Archive.

In the 1860 census of Salisbury, Rowan County: G. Burns, 28, mulatto, listed in the household of Margaret Earnhart, 56, white.