“Stop the runaway” he wore a dark jeans sack coat and pants of the same material… #civilwar150

Stop the Runaway.

Ranaway from the subscriber on the night of the 19^th instant, his negro boy Adam. Said negro is about 35, 5 feet 9 or 10 inches high, and weighs about 140 or 150 lbs. The only mark remembers is a scar, I think on the left side of his neck, caused by scrofula when he was young. He is dark complected, and had, when he left, a small patch of whiskers on his chin. He wore away when he left, a dark jeans sack coat and pants of the same material, patched in front with cloth of a different color. He also took with him four white homespun shirts, two of them new, never having been worn, and a checked summer coat a good deal faded, and a pair of black Sunday pants. He wore away a pair of heavy shoes, with iron bands on the heels and soles, and probably has a pair of Sunday shoes. He had a black low crowned hat, and an old every-day one, together with much other clothing not remembered. I will pay fifty dollars reward for his apprehension and confinement in any jail so I can get him. My address ns Greensborough, NC

David Wharton

Source: Greensborough Patriot, April 23, 1863 as found on www.ncecho.org

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The mart of the “peculiar institution” was never more active, nor prices more buoyant, than at the present time. #cw150

The Negro Market

The mart of the “peculiar institution” was never more active, nor prices more buoyant, than at the present time. At the sale of Messers Lee and James yesterday, the prices ranged as follows: Best men 2200 to $2500; fair ditto 1900 to $2100; best girls 1700 to $1900; fair ditto, 1500 to $1700; fancy girls, 2000 to $2500; according to appearance and qualifications; good boys and girls, 10 to 12 years, 1200 to $1400; ditto 12 to 15 1400 to $1800; good young women and child, 1600 to $1800. There were isolated sales above and below the regular quotations given. One very likely fancy girl (mulatto) brought $2900. The offerings are large, and the demand equally heavy. Richmond Ex.

Source: Fayetteville Observer, March 2, 1863 as found on www.ncecho.org

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Fayetteville Observer: Lincoln’s Proclamation of pretended emancipation…has not as much value as the paper it was written on #cw150

Lincoln’s Supplemental Proclamation

Abraham Lincoln issued on the 1^st inst. the Proclamation of pretended emancipation which he promised in his premonitionary Proclamation of the 2d Sept. last. The thing has not as much value as the paper it was written on, except in this view: that it adds another to the motives, already sufficient, impelling the South to fight to the last man before permitting the vile incendiaries to conquer us. It is another form of ravage and murder designed for the South, and if such things are to be done to us if conquered, far better have it done at the point of the bayonet, bravely contending for right and liberty.

We do not publish the Proclamation, of course, but twice that it “enjoins” upon the contrabands “to abstain from violence, unless in necessary self-defence,” He “recommends to them to labor faithfully for reasonable wages.” And says that “they will be received into the armed service of the United States, to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in the said service.” And he winds up with the following impious invocation: “Upon this set, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind and the gracious favor of Almighty God.”

Warranted by the constitution? Is the man a fool? Lincoln excepts from the operation of his proclamation the only places where it is in his power to carry its vile purpose into effect, viz: New Orleans and that part of Louisiana in yankee possession, and Norfolk and other parts of Virginia in like possession.

The Proclamation is ridiculed in the N York Times.  The New York World says “it is an empty fulmination.” The Baltimore Gazette says that “Lincoln has shot his last arrow.”

Source: Fayetteville Observer, January 8, 1863 as found on www.digitalnc.org

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January 1, 1863: “all persons held as slaves…shall be…forever free…” #civilwar150

January 1, 1863

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued in preliminary form on September 22, 1862, became effective on January 1, 1863.  A strategic move by President Lincoln as commander in chief of the military, the proclamation directed that  ”all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United states, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.”

 

The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources has several activities planned for 2013 to commemorate the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation.  To read more about Emancipation and to access a wealth of materials about freedom and freedom fighters for (and among) former slaves, visit the NCPedia page on the Emancipation Proclamation.

 

Full text of the Emancipation Proclamation at the Library of Congress:

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I will pay the above reward for the apprehension and confinement of my man CALVIN, who ranaway from me about three weeks ago. #cw150

$10 Reward

I will pay the above reward for the apprehension and confinement of my man CALVIN, who ranaway from me about three weeks ago.

I will also pay a reward of Fifty Dollars for sufficient evidence to convict any person of harboring him. Calvin is about 42 years of age, 5 feet  10 or 11 inches high, black, and weighs about 150 pounds;  he wears small gold rings in his ears.  He is a boat or ship carpenter, and well known about Fayetteville and Wilmington. He sometimes calls himself Calvin Johnson.

THEO EVANS

June 30, 1862

Source: The Fayetteville Observer, August 28, 1862 as found on www.digitalnc.org.

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slave narrative: we all hated de Yankees, ‘specially after we near ‘bout starve dat first winter #cw150

Excerpts of narrative of Uncle David Blount, formerly of Beaufort County, who did not know his age.  “De Marster” he refers to was Major Wm. A. Blount, who owned plantations in several parts of North Carolina.

 One time dar, I done fer it de year, some white mens comes down de riber on a boat an’ dey comes inter de fiel’s an’ talks, ter a many of us an dey says dat our masters ain’t treatin’ us right.  Dey tells us dat we orter be paid fer our wuck, an’ dat we hadn’t ort ter hab passes ter go anywhar.  Dey also tells us dat we ort ter be allowed ter tote guns if we want ‘em.  Dey says too dat sometime our marsters was gwine te kill us all.

 I reckon I was ‘bout fifteen or sixteen den, an’ de marster car’s me ‘long fer his pusonal sarvant an’ body guard an’ he leabes de rest of dem niggers in de fiel’s tar wuck like de dickens while I laughs at dem Yankees.

 Jim belonged to Mr. Harley who lived in New Hanover County durin de war, in fac’ he was young Massa Hurley’s slave; so when young Massa Tom went to de war Jim went along too.

 Dey wuz at Manassas, dey tells me, when Massa Tom got kilt, and de orders wuz not to take no bodies off de field right den.

 Course ole massa down near Wilmington, doan know ‘bout young Massa Tom, but one night dey hears Jim holler at de gate.  Dey goes runnin’ out; an’ Jim has brung Massa Tom’s body all dat long ways home so dat he can be buried in de family burian ground.

 De massa frees Jim dat night; but he stays on a long time atter de war, an’ tell de day he died he hated de Yankees for killing Massa Tom.  In fact we all hated de Yankees, ‘specially after we near ‘bout starve dat first winter.

Sources: The American Slave: A Composite Autobiography, George P. Rawick, General Editor, with A Comprehensive Name Index for The American Slave, compiled by Howard E. Potts and Subject Index, from Index to The American Slave, edited by Donald M. Jacobs, assisted by Steven Fershleiser. Available via subscription:
http://gem.greenwood.com/as/start.jsp

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slave narrative – former slave who carried Confederate dispatches, wounded at Petersburg #cw150

Excerpt of Narrative of Nathan Best, Age 92, resident of Beauvoir, former home of Jefferson Davis which later served as the Confederate Soldiers’ Home in Mississippi. 

 

I was borned May 19, 1845 in North Carolina.

 

De war had been goin’ on ‘bout a year an’ a half when I went wid my marster’s younges’ brother, Rufus.  I stayed in it den, till it ended.  I was in a heap of battles, but I cain’ remember none of deir names, ‘cept Petersburg an’ Richmon’.  My marster never did get wounded—one time a bullet went under his arm an’ tore a bundle away, but it didn’ hurt him.  My marster was a Cap’n an’ dey didn’ rush de riches’ folks to de fron’ to fight dey rushed de poor folks in firs’.  I was in a big battle at Petersburg.  I was carryin’ a ‘spatch for Cap’n Jordan, he was ober our camp, to a Colonel, ‘bout 3 miles away, an’ my horse fell down, an’ broke my arm so bad, dey had to ca’hy me to de horspittle an’ have it took off.

I wa’nt at Richmon’.  My marster got a furlough to go see ‘bout his mother, jes’ a few days before, but he jes’ done it to shun dat heavy battle.  He kep’ bushwackin’ along an’ we nebber did git to Richmon’.

 

De Yankees tole us to go to a big city, New bern, N.C.  De slaves went dere by hunderds an’ hunderds, whole train loads, an’ when we got dere dey dumped us out, and dey wa’nt no houses for us to stay in.  Dey jes’ haul us out to a big battle groun’ called Fort Totten an’ dere dey dump us out on de bare groun’ hunderds an’ hunderds of niggahs.  We got stakes an’ driv’ down in de groun’ an’ peeled off bark to make us shelters.

 

Sources: The American Slave: A Composite Autobiography, George P. Rawick, General Editor, with A Comprehensive Name Index for The American Slave, compiled by Howard E. Potts and Subject Index, from Index to The American Slave, edited by Donald M. Jacobs, assisted by Steven Fershleiser. Available via subscription:
http://gem.greenwood.com/as/start.jsp

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Tracking work of the slaves on the farm #cw150

Friday 10^th [January 1862]

My head entirely well. Mail came but nothing new. We got no letters, though a good many came to the neighbors. Uncle Sam had a severe attack of the cramp colic today so I sewed but little but will finish the coat tomorrow if nothing happens. Aunt Tena & Fannie at work at the lard, but did little as Uncle Sam was very bad off for a while. Fannie got part of the sausage ground. Jinnie is cooking now. Atheline in the field.

Jim Parker & George spread out the meat as it is warm like spring & Mr. Henry is affaid it will spoil.

 

Enslaved people named in this entry: Uncle Sam, Aunt Tena, Fannie, Jinnie, Atheline, George

Source: Diary of Cornelia Henry in Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journal and Letters of the Henry Family. Clinard, Karen L. and Russell, Richard, eds. (Asheville, NC: Reminiscing Books, 2008).

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I could not whip her [slave Jinnie] #cw150

Sunday 29^th [December 1861]

This is a cold clear morning. Very calm & sun shines warm. We had late breakfast. Rach Allen here this morning to get her letter, came while we were at breakfast. Wilis is asleep at this time. Pinck & Zona rather noisey running through the house. I hope Mr. Henry will be here before next Sunday.  I shall look for him on Saturday next. Willie got up ‘on his hands & knees last Monday, his first attempt to crawl. He gets down on his stomach since & before & gets along some. Now he has just woke up. I must stop & take him to Atheline & get out dinner for it is nearly 11 o’clock. 

I went down to Mrs. Fanning’s after I got out dinner, only staid a short time. Came back & sent Charlie to feed those hogs in the pen down at the mill for George don’t half feed them. No one here for dinner but Pinck, Zona & I.  We had ribs for dinner. I eat heartily. I wrote a long letter to Lou before dinner & began one to Dora & Matt. Mrs. Fanning came up after two. Her & I went up to see Mary Taylor. Staid till nearly sun down. Jinnie had wretched coffee for supper. I sent her after some hickorys intended to flog her but got too tender hearted when she came back crying so I could not whip her.  I have finished Dora’ & Matt’s letter tonight & read some in my bible. I have read it nearly through the second time. I am reading in Corinthians now. It is getting on near bed time so I will soon stop. Mrs. Fanning is reading in the bible now. My dear ones are all asleep. Willie the last to go to sleep. He is a dear good babe. There is none of them bad children. Oh may they be as much pleasure in my old age as now. I will raise them up the best I can & I pray they will reward my trouble I have had with them when they were little. I now close for tonight, will write soon again.

Source: Diary of Cornelia Henry in Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journal and Letters of the Henry Family. Clinard, Karen L. and Russell, Richard, eds. (Asheville, NC: Reminiscing Books, 2008).

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Jim Parker went after Jim [runaway slave] again this morning #cw150

Sunday 15^th [December 1861]

A heavy frost this morning but pleasant after. Mr. Henry & I went down to themill then to Mrs. Fanning’s to see the jeans. He don’t like it much because there is too much hair in the wool It is the mixed he don’t like. It is made of the wool Mr. Parker sent home, was poor. I guess she picked out all the fine & left the coarse. Mr. Henry went up by the stables to Mary Taylor’s. She lives in one of the cabins. She has two children Pinck & [Mollie], very nice little ones. They resemble their father a great deal. Jim Parker went after Jim again this morning.* I don’t much think he will get him. We took breakfast in my room this morning as it was so cold. Mr. Henry eat a hardy meal of chitlans. He is going to Augusta, starts a few days after the wagons. Says he is going to camp out with the waggoners, I fear he will get sick. Old Mrs. Capt. Moore called here yesterday evening & staid an hour or so to see some of her friends that is sick on the other side of Asheville. Willie getting better of his cold. Pinck & Zona went with me this morning in our tramp. They are sweet children & dear little Willie was so glad to see me when I come back. Nothing of interest the rest of the day. Bill Petitt staid till late in the evening. Ham Cannon was here after dinner.

* Jim ran away from the Henrys, his owners, after a “thrashing” by overseer Jim Parker and described by Cornelia Henry in her diary entry of December 11th (read it here
http://wp.me/p1qIB8-tq
)

Source: Diary of Cornelia Henry in Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journal and Letters of the Henry Family. Clinard, Karen L. and Russell, Richard, eds. (Asheville, NC: Reminiscing Books, 2008).

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