General Scurry's servant “John” had been most attentive
since he had been told off to me. I made him a present of my evening clothes,
which gratified him immensely; and I shook hands with him at parting, which
seems to be quite the custom. The Southern gentlemen are certainly able to
treat their slaves with extraordinary familiarity and kindness. John told me
that the General would let him buy his freedom whenever he chose. He is a
barber by trade, and was earning much money when he insisted on rejoining his
master and going to the wars.
I left Houston by train for Navasoto at 10 A.M. A Captain
Andrews accompanied me thus far: he was going with a troop of cavalry to
impress one-fourth of the negroes on the plantations for the Government works
at Galveston, the planters having been backward in coming forward with their
darkies.
Arrived at Navasoto (70 miles) at 4 P.M., where I took a
stage for Shrieveport (250 miles). I started at 4.30 P.M., after having had a
little dispute with a man for a corner seat, and beating him.
It was the same sort of vehicle as the San Antonio one — eight
people inside. During the night there was a thunderstorm.
SOURCE: Sir Arthur James Lyon Fremantle, Three
months in the southern states: April-June, 1863, p. 73-4
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