When the news of freedom came to Thomas Heyward’s town slaves it was brought by McCook’s Cavalry.  Willis remembers the uniforms worn by the northerners was dark blue with brass buttons and the Confederates wore gray.  After the cavalry reached Tallahassee, they separated into sections, each division taking a different part of the town.  Negroes of the household were called together and were informed of their freedom.  It is remembered by Willis that the slaves were jubilant but not boastful.

Mr. Heyward was dealt a hard blow during the war; his store was confiscated and used as a commissary by the northern army.  When the war ended he was deprived of his slaves and a great portion of his former wealth vanished with their going.

The loss of his wealth and slaves did not bitter Mr. Heyward; to the contrary, he was as kindhearted as in days past.

McCook’s Cavalry did not remain in Tallahassee very long and was replaced by a colored company; the 99th Infantry.  Their duty was to maintain order within the town.  An orchestra was with the outfit and Willis remembers that they were very good musicians.  A Negro who had been the slave of a man of Tallahassee was a member of the orchestra.  His name was Singleton and his former master invited the orchestra to come to his house and play for the family.  The Negroes were glad to render service, went, and after that entertained many white families in their homes.

The southern soldiers who returned after the war appeared to receive their defeat as good ‘sports’ and not as much friction between the races existed as would be imagined.  The ex-slave, while he was glad to be free, wanted to be sheltered under the ‘wings’ of his former master and mistress.  In most cases they were hired by their former owners and peace reigned around the home or plantation.  This was true of Tallahassee, if not of other sections of the south.

Soon after the smoke of the cannons had died down and people began thinking of the future, the Negroes turned their thoughts toward education.  They grasped every opportunity to learn to read and write.  Schools were fostered by northern white capitalists and white women were sent into the southland to teach the colored boys and girls to read, write and figure.  Any Negro who had been fortunate enough to gain some knowledge during slavery could get a position as school teacher.  As a result many poorly prepared persons entered the school room as tutor.

William Williams, Willis’ father, found work at the old Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad yards and worked for many years there.  He sent his children to school and Willis advanced rapidly.

During slavery Negroes attended church, sat in the balcony, and very often log churches were built for them.  Meetings were held under “bush harbors.”  After the war frame and log churches served them as places of worship.  These buildings were erected by whites who came into the southland to help the ex-slave.  Negro men who claimed God had called them to preach served as ministers of most of the Negro churches but often white preachers visited them and instructed them concerning the Bible and what God wanted them to do.  Services were conducted three times a day on Sunday, morning at eleven, in afternoon about three and at night at eight o’clock.