Schooling

“I never went to school in my life.  I got hold of one of them old blue back spelling books.  My young boss gave it to me after I was free.  He told me that I was free now and I had to think and act for myself.

Signs of War

“Before the War I saw the elements all red as blood and I saw after that a great comet; and they said there was going to be a war.

Memories of the Pre-War Campaign

“When Fillmore, Buchanan, and Lincoln ran for President one of my old bosses said, ‘Hurrah for Buchanan,’ and I said, ‘Hurrah for Lincoln.’  One of my mistresses said, ’Why do you say, ‘Hurrah for Lincoln?’ And I said, ‘Because he’s goin’ to set me free.’

“During that campaign, Lincoln came to North Carolina and ate breakfast with my master.  In those days, the kitchen was off from the house.  They had for breakfast ham with cream gravy made out of sweet milk and they had biscuits, poached eggs on toast, coffee and tea, and grits.  They had waffles and honey and maple syrup.  That was what they had for breakfast.

“He told my old boss that our sons are ‘ceivin’ children by slaves and buyin’ and sellin’ our own blood and it will have to be stopped.  And that is what I know about that.

Refugeeing

“At the close of the War, we had refugeed down in Houston County in Georgia.

War Memories

“Sherman’s army came through there looking for Jeff Davis, and they told me that they wasn’t fightin’ any more,—­that I was free.

“They said, ‘You ain’t got no master and no mistress.’  They et dinner there.  All the old folks went upstairs and turned the house over to me and the cook.  And they et dinner.  One of them said, ’My little man, bring your hat ‘round now and we are going to pay you,’ and they passed the hat ’round and give me a hat full of money.  I thought it wasn’t no good and I carried it and give it to my old mistress, but it was good.

“They asked me if I had ever seen Jeff Davis.  I said ‘No.’  Then they said, ‘That’s him sittin’ there.’  He had on a black dress and a pair of boots and a mantilla over his shoulders and a Quaker bonnet and a black veil.

“They got up from the dining table and Sherman ordered them to ’Recover arms.’  He had on a big black hat full of eagles and he had stars and stripes all over him.  That was Sherman’s artillery.  They had mules with pots and skillets, and frying pans, and axes, and picks, grubbing hoes, and spades, and so on, all strapped on those mules.  And the mules didn’t have no bridles but they went on just as though they had bridles.  One of the Yanks started a song when he picked up his gun.