Ellen Craft Georgia Women of Achievement 1996 At twenty-two, Ellen Craft and her husband William shocked the world and humiliated the South in a bold, daring and dangerous escape from slavery! Ellen, a near white *, cut her hair and disguised herself as a white gentleman. Taking her husband as her personal slave they struck out for their freedom on December 21st 1848. Their quest would take them four days and a thousand miles. They would travel on the best trains, stay in the best hotel and ride the best steamers that the South had to offer. All this under the very noses of those that would have had them killed should they be discovered! On December the 25th 1848 they gained their freedom and became the stuff of legends.