About the middle of June, two colored soldiers (at a house in Washington county) showed their papers and were permitted to remain all night. In the morning the planter called them out and shot one dead, wounded the other, and then with the assistance of his brother (and their negro dogs) they pursued the one who had escaped. He ran about three miles and found a refuge in a white man's house, who informed the pursuers that he had passed. The soldier was finally got across the river, but has not been heard of since. At Bladen Springs, (or rather, six miles from there) a freedman was chained to a pine tree and burned to death. About two weeks after, and fifteen miles from Bladen, another freedman was burned to death. In the latter part of May, fifteen miles south of Bladen, a freedman was shot outside of the planter's premises and the body dragged into the stable, to make it appear he had shot him in the act of stealing. About the first of June, six miles west of Bladen, a freedman was hung. His body is still hanging. About the last of May, three freedmen were coming down the Bigbee river in a skiff, when two of them were shot; the other escaped to the other shore. About the first of May, near landing, in Choctaw county, a freedman was hung; and about the same time, near the same neighborhood, a planter shot a freedman, (who was talking to one of his servants,) and dragged his body into his garden to conceal it. A preacher (near Bladen Springs) states in the pulpit that the roads in Choctaw county stunk with the dead bodies of servants that had fled from their masters. The people about Bladen declare that no negro shall live in the country unless he remains with his master and is as obedient as heretofore. In Clark county, about the first of June, a freedman was shot through the heart; his body lies unburied. About the last of May, a planter hung his servant (a woman) in presence of all the neighborhood. Said planter had killed this woman's husband three weeks before. This occurred at Suggsville, Clark county. About the last of April, two women were caught near a certain plantation in Clark county and hung; their bodies are still suspended. On the 19th of July, two freedmen were taken off the steamer Commodore Farrand, tied, and hung; then taken down, their heads cut off and their bodies thrown in the river. July 11, two men took a woman off the same boat and threw her in the river. This woman had a coop, with some chickens. They threw all in together, and told her to go to the damned Yankees. The woman was drowned. There are regular patrols posted on the rivers, who board some of the boats, after the boats leave they hang, shoot, or drown the victims they may find on them, and all those found on the roads or coming down the river are most invariably murdered. This is only a few of the murders that are committed on the helpless and unprotected freedmen of the above named counties. . I have been careful of authenticity, and very much has been related to me that I have declined accepting as testimony, although I believe its truth. The history of all these cases, besides others, I have in full, with all their horrible particulars. W. A. POILLON, Captain and Ass't. Sup't. Freedmen. Complaints about Misrepresentation House Journal (Alabama), January 16, 1867. [1867] WHEREAS, Correspondents of public journals North and West, and speakers clerical and secular, are daily asserting that it is unsafe for persons recently in hostility to us to come among us, or to reside in our midst on account of threatened personal violence, greatly to the prejudice of our interests, and the speedy restoration of those friendly relations essential to the prosperity of the people, and to the quiet of the nation: Therefore, Be it resolved, etc., That we hereby publish and declare all such assertions to be calumnies working great injustice and wrong to the people of Alabama, who are peaceable and lawabiding citizens actively engaged in the pursuit of peace, trying to restore their shattered fortunes by honest industry, and willing to receive, and earnestly invite all who are honest, industrious, and peaceable, and are desirous of establishing themselves as farmers, mechanics, or artisans amongst us, and to become citizens of our State, to assist in tilling our fertile lands. II. FROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM The News of Freedom Smedes, A Southern Planter, p. 228. Copyright 1887. Used by permission of James Pott and Co. [1865] ON the day that the news reached him, he [Col. Dabney] called his son Thomas to him, and they rode together to the field where the negroes were at work. He informed them of the news that had reached him, and that they were now free. His advice was that they should continue to work the crop as they had been doing. At the end of the year they should receive such compensation for their labor as he thought just. From this time till January 1, 1866, no apparent change took place among the Burleigh negroes. Those who worked in the field went out as usual, and cultivated and gathered in the crops. In the house, they went about their customary duties. We expected them to go away or to demand wages, or at least to give some sign that they knew they were free, except that they were very quiet and serious, and more obedient and kind than they had ever been known to be . . we saw no change in them. At Christmas such compensation was made them for their services as seemed just. Afterwards fixed wages were offered and accepted. Thomas called them up now and told them that as they no longer belonged to him they must discontinue calling him "master." "Yes, marster," "yes, marster," was the answer to this. "Free as Birds" Mrs. V. V. Clayton, White and Black under the Old Regime, p. 152. Copyright 1899. Used by permission of Mrs. Clayton. [1865] My husband said . . "I think it best for me to inform our negroes of their freedom." So he ordered all the grown slaves to come to him, and told them they no longer belonged to him as property, but were all free. He said to them, "You are not bound to remain with me any longer, and I have a proposi tion to make to you. If any of you desire to leave, I propose to furnish you with a conveyance to move you, and with provisions for the balance of the year." The universal answer was, "Master, we want to stay right here with you." The pleasure of knowing they were free seemed to be mingled with sadness. That very night, long after the usual hour for bedtime, the hum of the busy spinning wheel was heard. On inquiry in the morning I found that Nancy was the one spinning long into the night. Asking why she had been up so late at night at work, she replied: "I have no master to feed and clothe Nancy now. She will have to look out for something for herself and look out for the rainy day." In many instances the slaves were so infatuated with the idea of being as they said "free as birds," that they left their homes and consequently suffered; but our slaves were not so foolish. We had the cotton crop on hand which was made the first year of the war. . . This old cotton crop was sold, and the proceeds divided out among all; each family receiving according to its size. . . Our negroes soon parted with their money. Some bought judiciously, some gay finery. All were pleased. My brother had a man named John, a brick mason by trade, to whom he was very much attached. He said to him, "John, you are free." He replied: "Massa, I'd like to see them Yankees make me eny freer den I is." Gen. Clayton devoted himself to his farm, the only difference in the order of things being that the former slaves were paid monthly wages, and provided their own clothes. I often said to my husband that the freedom to the negroes was a freedom to me, a freedom from responsibility and care. A Plan for a Negro Town Whitelaw Reid, After the War, p. 89. Extracts from the military or- All lands now set apart for the colored population, near |