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Hiding valuables from the Yankees.

Right after this the McGees commenced planning to put away their valuables, to keep them from the Union soldiers.  All the servants had to fill up their bed-ticks with fine gin cotton—­the lint part—­for safe keeping.  Great boxes and barrels were packed full of their best things, and put into the cellar, under the house.  It was not exactly a cellar, but a large shallow excavation, which held a great deal.  We put all the solid silver ware, such as cake baskets, trays, spoons, forks, dishes, etc., in boxes, and buried them under the hen house.  Great packages of the finest clothing I had to make up, and these were given in charge of certain servants whose duty it was to run into the big house and get them, whenever they heard that the Yankees were coming, and take them to their cabins.  This was a shrewd arrangement, for the soldiers never went into the cabins to get anything.  When the soldiers had passed, these packages were taken back to the house.  It speaks well for the honesty and faithfulness of the slaves that such trusts could be devolved upon them, notwithstanding all the cruelties inflicted upon them by their masters.

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Death to runaway slaves.

It was about this time, that the law or regulation of the rebel government was promulgated, authorizing or directing the shooting or hanging of any slave caught trying to get away to the Union army.  This barbarous law was carried out in many cases, for every little while we would hear of some slave who was caught running away, and hung or shot.  A slave belonging to Boss, ran away, and got safely within the Union lines; but he returned to get his sister.  They both got away from the house, but had gone only a few miles, when William McGee overtook them, and shot the man dead.  William boasted of this, but told Uncle Peter, the foreman, that he never wanted it mentioned.

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Slaves hung and left to rot as A Warning.

Two slaves belonging to one Wallace, one of our nearest neighbors, had tried to escape to the Union soldiers, but were caught, brought back and hung.  All of our servants were called up, told every detail of the runaway and capture of the poor creatures and their shocking murder, and then compelled to go and see them where they hung.  I never shall forget the horror of the scene—­it was sickening.  The bodies hung at the roadside, where the execution took place, until the blue flies literally swarmed around them, and the stench was fearful.  This barbarous spectacle was for the purpose of showing the passing slaves what would be the fate of those caught in the attempt to escape, and to secure the circulation of the details of the awful affair among