February 12, Evening.
Tonight the tree toads sing in the adjoining grove and sounds of life are everywhere. The day has been like one in midsummer, when showers are expected in the afternoon and do not come; but the evening is cooler. The Colonel and I walked out a little way to a cypress grove, where alligators might thrive, and where they tell of finding one. The trees are large, like oaks and have similar tassel-like blossoms, or catkins, but the hole is broad at base and tapers rapidly up six or eight feet in a beautiful compound column and then becomes a simple Doric. All around under these trees are the cypress knees, from six to eight inches in height and looking preciously like cloaked and hooded monks, in prayer.
The resemblance was so marked that I hesitated to break the silence of the place. . . .
Tonight I chanced to get into conversation with Serg't [H.] McIntyre of Co. G., a soldier whose appearance always interested me.
He is a native of Palatka, Fla., was born on the plantation of old Governor [William D.] Moseley, and was always treated kindly by him. When our gun-boats went up the St. John's, this Sergeant went to his old master, who was much suspected of Union sentiments, by the rebels, and begged him to come off under protection of our flag. But, failing to start him, McIntyre informed the old man of his intention to go himself and take with him his parents and sisters; that if he could always be sure of having the old Governor for a master he loved him so much that he would rather stick by him. The Governor much regretted their leaving him, but, knowing that his children would not treat them as he had done, he interposed no obstacles. All but the mother, who had “brought up” the Governor's daughters, came away. I have written the above as a preface to the reasons of this man’s gratitude and attachment.
By the Governor he was always treated kindly. By trade he is a builder, and his master allowed him, for eight years, to work at his trade where he pleased, by paying him (the master) $360.00 a year. He hired six other slaves from their masters, at various rates, according to their ability, and went off to Micanopy which was not much of a place at that time and within eight years they had built up a smart town.” Twice a year he was obliged to go back to Palatka, fifty miles, to pay the masters for their kindness in allowing their slaves to clothe and board themselves, and furnish their own tools, and bring in from $150.00 to $360.00 per year per man, in return. Even now this honest fellow does not fully realize the outrage. It was so much to them to escape the constant restraints of bondage that they forgot the rest. Many of the houses were built by contract instead of by the day, and if the chivalry had paid him always as agreed, he could have cleared about $550.00 per year. As it was, he was only even with the world when the war began, and he was suspected of giving information about the “Yankees” to the slaves, and he was compelled to leave his wife and two children at Micanopy. The first man to appear against him on a sort of trial for such suspicion was one for whom he had just built a home and received nothing for it. Should we ever go up the St. John's river into the heart of Florida, this Sergeant will be a valuable guide. He has sisters at Beaufort and at Fernandina who have paid their masters fourteen dollars per month year after year, and supported themselves by washing and ironing.
SOURCE: Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Volume 43, October, 1909—June, 1910: February 1910. p. 361-2
No comments:
Post a Comment