THOMAS COLE 1598-TEX/#343 I MIGHT AS WELL BEGIN FAR BACK AS I REMEMBER AND TELL YOU ALL ABOUT MYSELF. I WAS BORN OVER IN JACKSON COUNTY, IN ALABAMA, ON AUGUST 8, 1845. MY MOTHER W AS ELIZABETH COLE, HER BEIN' A SLAVE OF ROBERT COLE, AND MY FATHER WAS ALEX GERR AND, 'CAUSE HE WAS JOHN GERRAND'S SLAVE. I WAS SPOSED TO TAKE MY FATHER'S NAME, BUT HE WAS SECH A BAD, ORNERY, NOCOUNT SECH A HUMAN, I JES' TAKEN MY OLD MASSA' S NAME. MY MOTHER WAS BRUNG FROM VIRGINNY BY MASSA DOCTOR COLE, AND SHE NUSSED ALL HIS SIX CHILLEN. MY SISTER'S NAME WAS SARAH AND MY BROTHER'S NAME WAS BEN A ND WE LIVED IN ONE ROOM OF THE BIG HOUSE, AND ALLUS HAD A GOOD BED TO SLEEP IN A ND GOOD THINGS TO EAT AT THE SAME TABLE, AFTER DE WHITE FOLKS GITS THROUGH. I PLAYED WITH MASSA COLE'S CHILLEN ALL DE TIME, AND WHEN I GOT OLDER HE STA RTED ME WORKIN' BY TOTIN' WOOD AND SECH ODD JOBS, AND FEEDIN' DE HAWGS. US CHIL LEN HAD TO PICK COTTON EVERY FALL. DE BIG BASKETS WEIGH ABAOUT SEVENTY-FIVE TO LEN HAD TO PICK COTTON EVERY FALL. DE BIG BASKETS WEIGH ABOUT SEVENTY-FIVE TO A HUNDRED POUNDS, BUT US CHILLEN PUT OUR PICKIN'S IN SOME GROWED SLAVE'S BASKET. DE GROWED SLAVES WAS JES' LIKE A MULE. HE WORK FOR GRUB AND CLOTHES, AND SOME OF THEM DIDN'T HAVE AS EASIER A TIME AS A MULE, FOR MULES WAS FED GOOD AND SLAVE S WAS SOMETIMES HALF STARVED. BUT MASSA COLE WAS A SMART MAN AND A GOOD MAN WIT H IT. HE HAD 'SPECT FOR THE SLAVES' FEELIN'S AND DIDN'T TREAT DEM LIKE DUMB BRI TES, AND 'LOWED DEM MORE PRIVILEDGES DAN ANY OTHER SLAVEHOLDER ROUND DERE. HE W AS ONE OF DE BEST MEN I EVER KNOWS IN MY LIFE AND HIS WIFE WAS JES' LIKE HIM. D EY HAD A BIT, FOUR-ROOM LOG HOUSE WITH A BIG HALL DOWN THE CENTER UP AND DOWN. DE LOGS WAS ALL PEELED AND DE CHINKIN' DIFF'RENT COLOR FROM DE LOGS AND COVERED WITH BEADS. DE KITCHEN AM A ONE-ROOM HOUSE BEHIN' DE BIG HOUSE WITH DE BIG CHIM NEY TO COOK ON. DAT WHERE ALL DE MEALS COOKED AND CARRY TO DE HOUSE. IN WINTER MASSA ALLUS KILL FROM THREE TO FOUR HUNDRED HAWGS, DE TWO KILLIN' S HE DONE IN NOVEMBER AND JANUARY. SOME KILL AND STICK, SOME SCALD AND SCRAPE, AND SOME DRESS DEM AND CUT DEM UP AND RENDER DE LARD. DEY HAUL PLENTY HICK'RY W OOD TO DE SMOKEHOUSE AND DE MEN WORKS IN SHIFLS TO KEEP DE SMOKE FIRE GOIN' SEV' RAL DAYS, DEN HANGS DE MEAT IN DE MEATHOUSE. FIRST US EAT ALL DE CHITLIN'S, DEN MASSA BEGIN ISSUIN' CUT-BACK BONES TO EACH FAMILY, AND DEN 'LONG COME DE SPARER IBS, DEN DE MIDDLIN' OR A SHOULDER, AND BY DAT TIME HE KILL DE SECOND TIME AND D IS WAS TO GO ALL OVER 'GAIN. EACH FAMILY GIT DE SAME KIND OF MEAT EACH WEEK. I FFEN ONE GIT A HAM, DEY ALL GIT A HAM. ALL DE EARS AND FEET WAS PICKLE AND WE E ATS DEM, TOO. IF DE MEAT RUN OUT 'FORE KILLIN' TIME, US GIT WILD TURKEYS OR KIL L A BEEF OR A GOAT, OR GIT A DEER. MASSA LET US PLANT PUMPKINS AND HAVE A ACRE OR TWO FOR WATERMELONS, IFFEN U S WORK DEM ON SATURDAY EVENIN'S. DERE A ORCHARD OF 'BOUT FIVE OR SIX ACRES PEAC HES AND APPLES AND HE 'LOW US TO HAVE BISCUITS ONCE A WEEK. YES, WE HAD GOOD EA TIN' AND PLENTY OF IT DEN. MASSA HAD ONE BIG, STOUT, HEALTHY LOOKIN' SLAVE 'BOUT SIX FOOT, FOUR INCHES TALL, WHAT HE PAY $3,000 FOR. HE BOUGHT SIX SLAVES I KNOWS OF AND GIVE FROM $4 00 UP FOR DEM. HE NEVER SOLD A SLAVE 'LESS HE GIT ONRULY. MASSA ALLUS GIVE US COTTON CLOTHES FOR SUMMER AND WOOL FOR WINTER, 'CAUSE H E RAISED COTTON AND SHEEP. DEN EACH FAM'LY HAVE SOME CHICKENS AND SELL DEM AND DE EGGS AND MAYBE GO HUNTIN' AND SELL DE HIDES AND GIT SOME MONEY. DEN US BUY W HAT AM SUNDAY CLOTHES WITH DAT MONEY, SECH AS HATS AND PANTS AND SHOES AND DRESS ES. WE'D GIT UP EARLY EVERY DAY IN DE YEAR, RAIN OR SHINE, HOT OR COLD. A SLAV E BLOWED DE HORN AND DERE NO DANGER OF YOU NOT WAKIN' UP WHEN DAT BLOWED LONG AN D LOUD. HE CLIMB UP ON A PLATFORM 'BOUT TEN FEET TALL TO BLOW DAT BUGLE. WE'D WORK TILL NOON AND EAT IN DE SHADE AND REST 'BOUT A HOUR OR A LITTLE MORE IFFEN IT HOT, BUT ONLY A HOUR IF IT COLD. YOU IS ALLUS TIRED WHEN YOU MAKES DE DAY LI KE DAT ON DE PLANTATION AND YOU CAN'T PLAY ALL NIGHT LIKE DE YOUNG FOLKS DOES NO W. BUT US LUCKY, 'CAUSE MASSA COLE DON'T WHIP US. DE MAN WHAT HAVE A PLACE NEX T OURS, HE SHO' WHIP HE SLAVES. HE HAVE DE CAT-O-NINE TAILS OF RAWHIDE LEATHER PLATTED ROUND A PIECE OF WOOD FOR A HANDLE. DE WOOD 'BOUT TEN INCHES LONG AND D E LEATHER BRAIDED ON PAST DE STOCK QUITE A PIECE, AND 'BOUT A FOOT FROM DAT DE S TRIPS TIED IN A KNOT AND SPRANGLE OUT, AND MAKES DE TASSLE. DIS AM CALL DE CRAC KER AND IT AM SHAT SPLIT DE HIDE. SOME FOLKS CALL DEM BULLWHIPS, 'STEAD OF CAT- O-NINE TAILS. DE FIRST THING DAT MAN DO WHEN HE BUY A SLAVE, AM GIVE HIM A WHIP PIN'. HE CALL IT PUTTIN' DE FEAR OF GAWD IN HIM. MASSA COLE 'LOW US READ DE BIBLE. HE AWFUL GOOD 'BOUT DAT. MOST DE SLAVEO WNERS WOULDN'T '6OW NO SECH. UNCLE DAN HE READ TO US AND ON SUNDAY WE COULD GO TO CHURCH. DE PREACHER BAPTIZE DE SLAVES IN DE RIVER. DAT DE GOOD, OLD-YIME 'L IGION, AND US ALL GO TO SHOUTIN' AND HAS A GOOD TIME. DIS GEN'RATION TOO DIGNIF IED TO HAVE DE OLD-TIME 'LIGION. WHEN BAPTIZIN' COMES OFF, IT ALMOST LIKE GOIN' TO DE CIRCUS. PEOPLE COME F ROM ALL OVER AND DEY ALL SINGIN' SONGS AND EVERYBODY TAKE DERE LUNCH AND HAVE DE GOOD TIME. MASSA COLE WENT ONE TIME AND DEN HE GIT SICK, AND NEXT SUMMER HE DI E. MISSY COLE, SHE MOVES TO HUNTSVILLE, IN ALABAMA. BUT SHE LEAVE ME ON DE PLA NTATION, 'CAUSE I'M BIG AND STOUT DEN. SHE TAKES MY MOTHER TO COOK AND DAT DE L AST TIME I EVER SEED MY MOTHER. MISSY COLE BUYS DE FINE HOUSE IN HUNTSVILLE MY MOTHER TELLS ME TO BE GOOD AND DO ALL DE OVERSEER TELLS ME. I TOLD HER GOODBYE AND SHE NEVER DID GIT TO COME BACK TO SEE ME, AND I NEVER SEED HER AND MY BROTHE R AND SISTER 'GAIN. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER DEY AM SOLD OR NOT. I THINKS TO MY SELF, DAT MISTER ANDERSON, DE OVERSEER, HE'LL GIVE ME DAT CA T-O-NINE TAILS DE FIRST CHANCE HE GITS, BUT MAKES UP MY MIND HE WON'T GIT DE CHA NCE, 'CAUSE I'S GWINE RUN OFF DE FIRST CHANCE I GITS. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GIT OUT OF DERE, BUT I'S GWINE NORTH WHERE DERE AIN'T NO SLAVEOWNERS. IN A YEAR OR SO DERE AM 'NOTHER OVERSEER, MISTER SANDSON, AND HE GIVE ME DE LOG HOUSE AND DE GAL TO DO MY COOKIN' AN SICH. DERE AM WAR TALK AND WE 'GINS GWINE TO DE FIELD E ARLIER AND STAYIN' LATER. CORN AM HAUL OFF, COTTON AM HAUL OFF, HAWGS AND CATTL E AM ROUNDED UP AND HAUL OFF AND THINGS 'GINS LOOMIN' BAD. DE WAR AM ON, BUT US DON'T SEE NONE OF IT. BUT 'STEAD OF EATIN' CORNBREAD, US EATS BREAD OUT OF KAF FIR CORN AND MAIZE. WE RAISES LOTS OF OKRA AND DEY SAY IT GWINE BE PARCH AND GR IND TO MAKE COFFEE FOR WHITE FOLKS. DAT DIDN'T LOOK GOOD EITHER. DAT WINTER, ' STEAD OF KILLIN' THREE OR FOUR HUNDRED HAWGS LIKE WE ALLUS DONE BEFO', WE ONLY D ONE ONE KILLIN' OF A HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE, AND DEY NOT ALL BIG ONES, NEITHER. W HEN DE MEAT SUPPLY RUN LOW, MISTER SANDSON SENDS SOME SLAVES TO KILL DEER OR WIL D HAWGS OR JES' ANY KIND OF GAME. HE NEVER SENDS ME IN ANY DEM BUNCHES BUT I HO PED HE WOULD AND ONE DAY HE CALLS ME TO GO AND SAYS NOT TO GO OFF DE PLANTATION TOO FAR, BUT BE SHO' BRING HOME SOME MEAT. DIS DE CHANCE I BEEN WANTIN', SO WHE N WE GITS TO DE HUNTIN' GROUND DE LEADER SAYS TO SCATTER OUT, AND I TELLS HIM ME AND 'NOTHER MAN GOES NORTH AND MAKE DE CIRCLE ROUND DE RIVER AND MEET 'BOUT SUN DOWN. I CROSSES DE RIVER AND GOES NORTH. I'S GWINE TO DE FREE COUNTRY, WHERE D EY AIN'T NO SLAVES. I TRAVELS ALL DAT DAY AND NIGHT UP DE RIVER AND FOLLOWS DE NORTH STAR. SEV'RAL TIMES DE BLOOD HOUN'S AM TRAILIN' ME AND I GITS IN DE BIG H URRY. I'S SO TIRED I COULDN'T HARDLY MOVE, BUT I GITS IN A TROT. I'S HOPIN' AND PRAYIN' ALL DE TIME I MEETS UP WITH DAT HARRIET TUBMAN WOMAN. SHE DE CULLUD WOMAN WHAT TAKES SLAVES TO CANADA. SHE ALLUS TRAVELS DE U NDERGROUND RAILROAD, DEY CALLS IT, TRAVELS AT NIGHT AND HIDES OUT IN DE DAY. SH E SHO' SNEAKS DEM OUT DE SOUTH AND I THINKS SHE'S DE BRAVE WOMAN. I EATS ALL DE NUTS AND KILLS A FEW SWAMP RABBITS AND COTCHES A FEW FISH. I BUILDS DE FIRE AND GOES OFF 'BOUT HALF A MILE AND HIDES IN DE THICKET TILL IT B URNS DOWN TO DE COALS, DEN BAKES ME SOME FISH AND RABBIT. I'S SHAKIN' ALL DE TI ME, 'FRAID I'D GIT COTCHED, BUT I'S NEARLY STARVE TO DEATH. I PUTS DE REST DE F ISH IN MY CAP AND TRAVELS ON DAT NIGHT BY DE NORTH STAR AND HIDES IN A BIG THICK ET DE NEX' DAY AND ALONG EVENIN' I HEARS GUNS SHOOTIN'. I SHO' AM SCART DIS TIM E, SHO' 'NOUGH. I'S SCART TO COME IN AND SCART TO GO OUT, AND WHILE I'S STANDIN ' DERE, I HEARS TWO MEN SAY, "STICK YOU HANDS UP, BOY. WHAT YOU DOIN'?" I SAYS , "UH-UH-UH, I DUNNO. YOU AIN'T GWINE TAKE ME BACK TO DE PLANTATION, IS YOU?" DEY SAYS,"NO. DOES YOU WANT TO FIGHT FOR DE NORTH?" I SAYS I WILL, 'CAUSE DEY TALKS LIKE NORTHERN MEN. US WALK NIGHT AND DAY AND GITS IN GENERAL ROSENCRAN'S CAMP AND DEY THUNK I'S DE SPY FROM DE SOUTH. DEY ASKS ME ALL SORTS OF QUESTIONS AND SAYS DEY'LL WHIP ME IF I DIDN'T TELL DEM WHAT I'S SPYIN' 'BOUT. FIN'LY DEY 'LIEVES ME AND PUTS ME TO WORK HELPIN' WITH DE CANNONS. I FEELS 'PORTANT DEN, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS IN FRONT OF ME, OR I 'SPECTS I'D RUN OFF 'GAIN. I HELPS SOT DEM CANNONS ON DIS CHICKAMAUGE MOUNTAIN, IN HIDIN' PLACE. I HA S TO GO WITH A MAN AND WAIT ON HIM AND DAT CANNON. FIRST THING I KNOWS, BANG, B ANG, BOOM, THAINGS HAS STARTED, AND GUNS AM SHOOTIN' FASTER DAN YOU CAN THINK, A ND I LOOKS ROUND FOR DE WAY TO RUN. BUT DEM GUNS AM SHOOTIN' DOWN DE HILL IN FR ONT OF ME AND SHOOTIN' AT ME, AND OVER ME AND ON BOTH SIDES OF ME. I TRIES TO D IG ME A HOLE AND GIT IN IT. ALL DIS HAPPEN RIGHT NOW, AND FIRST THING I KNOWS, DE MAN AM KICKIN' ME AND WANTIN' ME TO HELP HIM KEEP DAT CANNON LOADED. MAN, I DIDN'T WANT NO CANNON, BUT I HAS TO HELP ANYWAY. WE FIT TILL DARK AND DE REBELS GOT MORE DAN US, SO GENERAL ROSENCRAN SENDS DE MESSAGE TO GENERAL WOODS TO COME HELP US OUT. WHEN DE MESSENGER SLIPS OFF, I SHO' WISH IT AM ME SLIPPIN' OFF, B UT I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE NO GENERAL WOODS. I JES' WANTS TO GIT BACK TO DAT OLD P LANTATION AND PICK MORE COTTON. I'D BEEN WILLIN' TO DO MOST ANYTHING TO GIT OUT THAT MESS, BUT I DONE TOLD GENERAL ROSENCRAN I WANTS TO FIGHT DE REBELS AND HE SHO' WAS LETTIN' ME DO IT. HE WASN'T JES' LETTIN' ME DO IT, HE WAS MAKIN' ME DO IT. I DONE GOT IN DERE AND HE WOULDN'T LET ME OUT. WHITE FOLKS, DERE WAS MEN LAVIN' WANTIN' HELP, WANTIN' WATER, WITH BLOOD RU NNIN' OUT DEM AND DE TOP OR SIDES DERE HEADS GONE, GREAT HOLES IN DEM. I JES' P ROMISED DE GOOD LAWD IF HE JES' LET ME GIT OUT DAT MESS, I WOULDN'T RUN OFF NO M ORE, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW DEN HE WASN'T GWINE LET ME OUT WITH JES' DAT BATTLE. HE GWINE GIVE ME PLENTY MORE, BUT DAT BATTLE AIN'T OVER YET, FOR NEX' MORNIN' DE RE BELS 'GINS SHOOTIN' AND KILLIN' LOTS OF OUR MEN, AND GENERAL WOODS AIN'T COME, S O GENERAL ROSENCRAN ORDERS US TO 'TREAT, AND DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL ME WHAT HE SAID , NEITHER. DE REBELS COMES AFTER US, SHOOTIN', AND WE RUNS OFF AND LEAVES DAT C ANNON WHAT I WAS WITH SETTIN' ON DE HILL, AND I DIDN'T WANT DAT THING NOHOW. WE KEP' HOTFOORIN' TILL WE GITS TO CHATTANOOGA, AND DERE IS WHERE WE STOPS. HERE COMES ONE DEM REBEL GENERALS WITH DE BIG BUNCH OF MEN AND GITS RIGHT ON T OP OF LOOK OUT MOUNTAIN, RIGHT CLOST TO CHATTANOOGA, AND WOULDN'T LET US OUT. I DON'T KNOW JES' HOW LONG, BUT A LONG TIME. LOTS OUR HOSSES AND MULES STARVES T O DEATH AND WE EATS SOME DE HOSSES. WE ALL LIKE TO STARVE TO DEATH OURSELVES. CHATTANOOGA IS IN DE BEND DE TENNESSEE RIVER AND ON LOOK OUT MOUNTAIN, ON DE EAS T, AM DEM REBELS AND COULD KEEP UP WITH EVERYTHING WE DONE. AFTER A LONG TIME A GENERAL THOMAS GITS IN SOME WAY. HE FINDS DE ROUGH TRAIL OR WAGON ROAD ROUND D E MOUNTAIN 'LONG DE RIVER AND SUPPLIES AND MEN COMES BY BOAT UP DE RIVER TO DIS PLACE AND COMES ON INTO CHATTANOOGA. MORE UNION MEN KEP' COMIN' AND I GUESS MAY BE SIX OR EIGHT GENERALS AND DEY GITS READY TO FIGHT. IT AM LONG LATE IN FALL O R EARLY WINTER. DEY STARTS CLIMIN' DIS STEEP MOUNTAIN AND WHEN US GITS THREE-FOURTHS DE WAY UP IT AM FOGGY AND YOU COULDN'T SEE NO PLACE. EVERYTHING WET AND DE ROCKS AM S LICK AND DEY 'GINS FIGHTIN'. I 'SPECTS SOME SHOOTS DERE OWN MEN, 'CAUSE YOU COU LDN'T SEE NOTHIN', JES' MEN RUNNIN' AND DE GUNS ROARIN'. FIN'LY DEM REBELS FLED AND WE GITS ON LOOK OUT MOUNTAIN AND TAKES IT. DERE A LONG RANGE OF HILLS LEADIN' 'WAY FROM LOOK OUT MOUNTAIN, NEARLY TO M ISSIONARY RIDGE. DIS RANGE 'LONGSIDE DE CHICKAMAUGE RIVER, WHAT AM DE INDIAN NA ME, MEANIN' RIVER OF DEATH. DEY FIGHTS DE REBELS ON ORCHARD KNOB HILL AND I WAS N'T IN DAT, BUT I'S IN MISSIONARY RIDGE BATTLE. WE HAS TO COME OUT DE TIMBER AN D RUN 'CROSS A STRIP OR OPENIN' UP DE HILL. DEY SHO' KILT OUR MEN WHEN WE RUNS 'CROSS DAT OPENIN'. WE RUNS FOR ALL WE'S WORTH AND USES GUNS OR ANYTHING WE COU LD. DE REBELS TURNS AND RUNS OFF AND OUR SOLDIERS TURNS DE CANNONS ROUND WHAT W E'S CAPTURE, AND KILT SOME DE REBELS WITH DERE OWN GUNS. I NEVER DID GIT TO WHERE I WASN'T SCART WHEN WE GOES INTO DE BATTLE. DIS D E LAST ONE I'S IN AND I'S SHO' GLAD, FOR I NEVER SEED DE LIKE OF DEAD AND WOUNDE D MEN. WE PICKS DEM UP, DE REBELS LIKE DE UNIONS, AND DOCTORS DEM DE BES' WE CO ULD. WHEN I SEED ALL DAT SUFFERIN', I HOPES I NEVER LIVES TO SEE 'NOTHER WAR. DEY SAY DE WORLD WAR AM WORSE BUT I'S TOO OLD TO GO. I SHO' WISHES LOTS OF TIMES I NEVER RUN OFF FROM DE PLANTATION. I BEGS DE GENERAL NOT TO SEND ME ON ANY MORE BATTLES, AND HE SAYS I'S DE COWARD AND SYMPAT HIZES WITH DE SOUTH. BUT I TELLS HIM I JES' COULDN'T STAND TO SEE ALL DEM MEN L YIN' DERE DYIN' AND HOLLERIN' AND BEGGIN' FOR HELP AND A DRINK OF WATER, AND BLO OD EVERYWHERE YOU LOOKS. KILLIN' HAWGS BACK ON DE PLANTATION DIDN'T BOTHER ME N ONE, BUT DIS AM DIFF'RENT. FIN'LY DE GENERAL TELLS ME I CAN GO BACK TO CHATTANOOGA AND GUARD DE SUPPLI ES IN CAMP DERE AND TAKE CARE DE WOULDED SOLDIERS AND PRISONERS. A BUNCH OF MEN IS WITH ME AND WE HAS ALL WE CAN DO. WE GITS DE ORDERS TO SEND SUPPLIES TO SOM E GENERAL AND IT MY JOB TO HELP LOAD DE WAGONS OR BOX CARS OR BOATS. A TRAIN OF WAGONS LEAVES SOMETIMES. WE GITS ALL DEM SUPPLIES BY BOAT, AND CHATTANOOGA AM DE 'STRIBUTING CENTER. WHEN WINTER COMES, EVERYBODY RESTS AWHILE AND WAITS FOR SPRING TO OPEN. DE UNION GENERAL SENDS IN SOME MORE CULLUD SOLDIERS. DERE AIN' T BEEN MANY CULLUD MEN BUT DE LAS' YEAR DE WAR DERE AM LOTS. DE NORTH AND DE SO UTH AM TAKIN' ANYTHING DEY CAN GIT TO WIN DE WAR. WHEN SPRING BREAKS AND ALL DE SNOW AM GONE, AND DE TREES 'GINS PUTTIN' OUT EVERYTHING 'GINS TO LOOK PURTY AND PEACEABLE-LIKE, MAKIN' YOU THINK YOU OUGHT TO BE PLOWIN' AND PLANTIN' A CROP, DAT WHEN DE FIGHTIN' STARTS ALL OVER 'GAIN, KIL LIN' MEN AND BURNIN' HOMES AND STEALIN' STOCK AND FOOD. DEN DEY SENDS ME OUT TO HELP CLEAR ROADS AND BUILD TEMP'RARY BRIDGES. WE WALKS MILES ON MUDDY GROUND, 'CROSS RIVERS, WADIN' WATER UP TO OUR CHINS. WE BUILDS RAFTS AND POLE BRIDGES T O GIT DE MULES AND HOSSES AND CANNONS 'CROSS, AND UP AND DOWN HILLS, AND CUTS RO ADS THROUGH TIMBER. BUT WHEN DEY WANTS TO BATTLE GENERAL THOMAS LEAVES ME IN CAMP TO TEND DE SU PPLIES. HE CALLS ME A COWARD, AND I SHO' GLAD HE THUNK I WAS. I WASN'T NO COWA RD, I JES' COULDN'T STAND TO SEE ALL DEM PEOPLE TORE TO PIECES. I HEARS 'BOUT D E BATTLE IN A THICK FOREST AND DE TREES BIG AS MY BODY JES' SHOT DOWN. I SEED D AT IN DE MISSIONARY RIDGE BATTLE, TOO. I SHIFTS FROM ONE CAMP TO 'NOTHER AND FIN'LY GITS BACK TO CHATTANOOGA. I B ET DURIN' MY TIME I HANDLES 'NOUGH AMMUNITION TO KILL EVERYBODY IN DE WHOLE UNIT ED STATES. I SEED MOS' DE MAINEST GENERALS IN DE UNION ARMY AND SOME IN DE REBE L ARMY. AFTER DE WAR AM OVER WE'S TURNED LOOSE, NOWHERE TO GO AND NOBODY TO HELP US. I COULDN'T GO SOUTH, FOR DEY CALLS ME DE TRAITOR AND SHO' KILL ME IFFEN DEY KNOWS I FIT FOR DE NORTH. I DOES ANY LITTLE JOB I CAN GIT FOR 'BOUT A YEAR AND FIN'LY GITS WORK ON DE RAILROAD, IN STEVENSON, IN ALABAMA. I GITS TRANSFER TO CHATTANOOGA AND WORKS LAYIN' NEW TRACKS AND TURN TABLES AND SICH. IN'BOUT TWO WEEKS I HAD SAW A GAL NEXT DOOR, BUT I'S BASHFUL. BUT AFTER PA YDAY I DRESSES UP AND TAKES HER TO A DANCE. WE SPARKS 'BOUT TWO MONTHS AND DEN WE'S MARRIED AT HER UNCLES. HER NAME AM NANCY. WE BUYS A PIECE OF LAND AND I H NOW. I 'LIEVE DE SLAVES I KNOWED AS A WHOLE WAS HAPPIER AND BETTER OFF AFTER 'MA NCIPATION DAN BEFO'. OF COURSE, DE FIRST FEW YEARS IT WAS AWFUL HARD TO GIT 'JU STED TO DE NEW LIFE. ALL DE SLAVES KNOWED HOW TO DO HARD WORK, AND DAT DE OLD S LAVE LIFE, BUT DEY DIDN'T KNOW NOTHIN' ']OUT HOW TO 'PEND ON DEM SELVES FOR DE L IVIN'. MY FIRST YEAR WAS HARD, BUT DERE WAS PLENTY WILD GAME IN DEM DAYS. DE S OUTH WAS BROKE AND I DIDN'T HEAR OF NO SLAVES GITTIN' ANYTHING BUT TO CROP ON DE HALVES. DEY TOO GALD TO BE FREE AND DIDN'T WANT NOTHIN'. THINGS 'GIN TO GIT BAD FOR ME IN CHATTANOOGA AS DE WHITE MEN FINDS OUT I RU N OFF FROM DE SOUTH AND JINED DE NORTH. SOME DE BRAKEMEN TRY TO GIT MY JOB. I FIN'LY QUITS WHEN ONE OF DEM OPENS A SWITCH I JUS' CLOSED. I SEED HIM AND GOES BACK AND FIXES DE SWITCH, BUT I QUITS DE JOB. I GOES UP NORTH BUT DEY AIN'T INT 'RESTED, SO I COME BACK AND SELLS MY HOME AND BUYS ME A TEAM WAGON. I LOADS IT WITH MY WIFE AND CHILLEN AND A FEW THINGS AND STARTS FOR TEXAS. WE'S ON DE ROAD ']OUT SIX WEEKS OR TWO MONTHS. WE FISHES AND HUNTS EVERY DAY AND DE TRIP DIDN' T COST MUCH. I BUYS NINETY ACRES IN TIMBER IN CASS COUNTY AND CUTS LOGS FOR A H OUSE AND BUILDS A TWO-ROOM HOUSE AND LOG CRIB. MY WIFE BUILT A STOMP LOT FOR DE TEAM AND COW AND A RAIL FENCE. WE GOT 'NOUGH CLEARED FOR DE SMALL CROP, 'BOUT THIRTY ACRES, AND BUILDS DE BARN AND SHEDS OURSELVES. WE LIVED THERE TILL DE CHILLEN AM GROWED. MY WIFE DI ED OF CHILLS AND FEVER AND DEN MY BOY AND I BUILT A FOUR-ROOM HOUSE OF PLANKS FR OM TIMBERL DEN I GITS LONESOME, 'CAUSE DE CHILLEN GONE, AND SELLS DE PLACE. I BOUGHT IT FOR FIFTY CENTS DE ACRE AND SOLD IT FOR $12.00 DE ACRE. I BUYS SIXTY ACRES IN HENDERSON COUNTY FOR $15.00 A ACRE AND MARRIES DE SEC OND TIME. I DIDN'T CARE FOR HER LIKE NANCY. ALL SHE THINK ']OUT AM RAISIN' DE DEVIL AND NEVER WANTS TO WORK OR SAVE ANYTHING. SHE LIKE TO HAVE BROKE ME DOWN BEFO' I GITS RID OF HER. I STAYED AND FARMED SEV'RAL YEARS. MY SON-IN-LAW RENTS LAND IN CHAMBERS CREEK BOTTOM, AND HE USUALLY GITS HE C ROP 'FORE DE FLOOD GITS IT. WE HAS SOME HAWGS TO KILL EV'RY WINTER AND WE HAS O UR CORNMEAL AND MILK AND EGGS AND CHICKENS, SO DE 'PRESSION AIN'T STARVED US YIT. WE ALL GOT MIGHT' NIGH NAKED DURIN' DE 'PRESSION. I FEEDS DE HAWGS AND CH ICKENS NIGHT AND MORNIN'. I CAN'T SEE DEM, BUT I LIKES TO LISTEN TO DEM EATIN' AND CACKLE. PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW DEY'S BLESSED WITH GOOD EYES, TILL DEY LOSES DEM. EVERYBODY OUGHT TO BE MORE THANKFUL DAN THEY IS. I AIN'T NEVER VOTED IN MY LIFE. I LEANS TO DE 'PUBLICANS. I DON'T KNOW MU CH 'BOUT POLITICS, THOUGH. TODAY I IS BROKE, 'CAUSE I SPENT ALL MY MONEY FOR MED'CINE AND DOCTORS, BUT I GITS A SMALL PENSION AND I SPENDS IT MOS' CAREFUL. X XXX