Thirty Years a Slave - Louis Hughes
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METHODS OF PUNISHMENT.
The methods of punishment were barbarous in the extreme, and so numerous
that I will not attempt to describe them all. One method was to tie the
slave to a tree, strip off his clothes, and then whip him with a
rawhide, or long, limber switches, or the terrible bull whip. Another
was to put the slave in stocks, or to buck him, that is, fasten his feet
together, draw up his knees to his chin, tie his hands together, draw
them down over the knees, and put a stick under the latter and over the
arms. In either of these ways the slave was entirely at the mercy of his
tormentors, and the whipping could proceed at their pleasure. After
these whippings the slave was often left helpless and bleeding upon the
ground, until the master, or overseer, saw fit to let him up. The most
common method of punishment was to have the servants form a ring, called
the "bull ring," into which the one to be punished was led naked. The
slaves were then each given a switch, rawhide, strap or whip, and each
one was compelled to cut at the poor victim as he ran around the ring.
The ring was composed of men, women and children; and, as they numbered
from forty to fifty, each circuit of the ring would result in that
number of lashes, and by the time the victim had made two or three
rounds his condition can be readily imagined. The overseer was always
one of the ring, vigorously using the whip, and seeing that all the
slaves did the same. Some of the victims fainted before they had passed
once around the ring. Women slaves were punished in the same manner as
the men. The salt water bath was given after each punishment. Runaway
slaves were usually caught by means of hounds, trained for the purpose
by men who made it a business and a source of revenue, notwithstanding
its brutal features and degrading influence.
* * * * *
FOURTH OF JULY BARBECUE.
Barbecue originally meant to dress and roast a hog whole, but has come
to mean the cooking of a food animal in this manner for the feeding of a
great company. A feast of this kind was always given to us, by Boss, on
the 4th of July. The anticipation of it acted as a stimulant through
the entire year. Each one looked forward to this great day of recreation
with pleasure. Even the older slaves would join in the discussion of the
coming event. It mattered not what trouble or hardship the year had
brought, this feast and its attendant pleasure would dissipate all
gloom. Some, probably, would be punished on the morning of the 4th, but
this did not matter; the men thought of the good things in store for
them, and that made them forget that they had been punished. All the
week previous to the great day, the slaves were in high spirits, the
young girls and boys, each evening, congregating, in front of the
cabins, to talk of the feast, while others would sing and dance. The
older slaves were not less happy, but would only say; "Ah! God has
blessed us in permitting us to see another feast day." The day before
the 4th was a busy one. The slaves worked with all their might. The
children who were large enough were engaged in bringing wood and bark to
the spot where the barbecue was to take place. They worked eagerly, all
day long; and, by the time the sun was setting, a huge pile of fuel was
beside the trench, ready for use in the morning. At an early hour of the
great day, the servants were up, and the men whom Boss had appointed to
look after the killing of the hogs and sheep were quickly at their work,
and, by the time they had the meat dressed and ready, most of the slaves
had arrived at the center of attraction. They gathered in groups,
talking, laughing, telling tales that they had from their grandfather,
or relating practical jokes that they had played or seen played by
others. These tales were received with peals of laughter. But however
much they seemed to enjoy these stories and social interchanges, they
never lost sight of the trench or the spot where the sweetmeats were to
be cooked.
The method of cooking the meat was to dig a trench in the ground about
six feet long and eighteen inches deep. This trench was filled with wood
and bark which was set on fire, and, when it was burned to a great bed
of coals, the hog was split through the back bone, and laid on poles
which had been placed across the trench. The sheep were treated in the
same way, and both were turned from side to side as they cooked. During
the process of roasting the cooks basted the carcasses with a
preparation furnished from the great house, consisting of butter,
pepper, salt and vinegar, and this was continued until the meat was
ready to serve. Not far from this trench were the iron ovens, where the
sweetmeats were cooked. Three or four women were assigned to this work.
Peach cobbler and apple dumpling were the two dishes that made old
slaves smile for joy and the young fairly dance. The crust or pastry of
the cobbler was prepared in large earthen bowls, then rolled out like
any pie crust, only it was almost twice as thick. A layer of this crust
was laid in the oven, then a half peck of peaches poured, in, followed
by a layer of sugar; then a covering of pastry was laid over all and
smoothed around with a knife. The oven was then put over a bed of coals,
the cover put on and coals thrown on it, and the process of baking
began. Four of these ovens were usually in use at these feasts, so that
enough of the pastry might be baked to supply all. The ovens were filled
and refilled until there was no doubt about the quantity. The apple
dumplings were made in the usual way, only larger, and served with sauce
made from brown sugar. It lacked flavoring, such as cinnamon or lemon,
yet it was a dish highly relished by all the slaves. I know that these
feasts made me so excited, I could scarcely do my house duties, and I
would never fail to stop and look out of the window from the dining room
down into the quarters. I was eager to get through with my work and be
with the feasters. About noon everything was ready to serve. The table
was set in a grove near the quarters, a place set aside for these
occasions. The tableware was not fine, being of tin, but it served the
purpose, and did not detract from the slaves' relish for the feast. The
drinks were strictly temperance drinks--buttermilk and water. Some of
the nicest portions of the meat were sliced off and put on a platter to
send to the great house for Boss and his family. It was a pleasure for
the slaves to do this, for Boss always enjoyed it. It was said that the
slaves could barbecue meats best, and when the whites had barbecues
slaves always did the cooking. When dinner was all on the table, the
invitation was given for all to come; and when all were in a good way
eating, Boss and the madam would go out to witness the progress of the
feast, and seemed pleased to see the servants so happy. Everything was
in abundance, so all could have plenty--Boss always insisted on this.
The slaves had the whole day off, and could do as they liked. After
dinner some of the women would wash, sew or iron. It was a day of
harmless riot for all the slaves, and I can not express the happiness it
brought them. Old and young, for months, would rejoice in the memory of
the day and its festivities, and "bless" Boss for this ray of sunlight
in their darkened lives.
* * * * *
ATTENDANCE AT CHURCH.
There was an observance of religious forms at least by the occupants of
both the great house and the cabins. The McGee family were church-going
people, and, except in very inclement weather, never failed to attend
service on Sunday. They were Methodists, and their church was four miles
from their residence. The Baptist church was but two miles distant, and
the family usually alternated in their attendance between the two places
of worship. I always attended them to church, generally riding behind
while the Boss drove. Upon reaching church, my first duty was to run to
a spring for a pitcher of fresh water, which I passed not only to the
members of our party, but to any others desiring drink. Whatever may be
thought of the religious professions of the slave-holders, there can be
no question that many of the slaves were sincere believers in the
Christian religion, and endeavored to obey the precepts according to
their light.
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RELIGIOUS MEETINGS OF THE SLAVES.
Saturday evening on the farm was always hailed with delight. The air was
filled with happy shouts from men and boys, so glad were they that
Sunday, their only day of rest, was near. In the cabins the women were
washing and fixing garments for Sunday, that they might honor the Lord
in cleanliness and decency. It was astonishing how they utilized what
they had, and with what skill and industry they performed these
self-imposed tasks. Where the family was large it was often after
midnight before this work was done. While this preparation for the
Sabbath was in progress in most of the cabins, the old men would gather
in one for a prayer-meeting. As they began to sing some familiar hymn,
the air would ring with their voices, and it was not long before the
cabin was filled with both old and young, who came in their simple yet
sincere way to give praise to God. It was common to have one or two
exhorters on the plantation who claimed to be called to do service for
God, by teaching their fellow men the principles of religion. God
certainly must have revealed himself to these poor souls, for they were
very ignorant--they did not know a letter of the Bible. But when they
opened their mouths they were filled, and the plan of Salvation was
explained in a way that all could receive it. It was always a mystery to
the white brethren how the slaves could line out hymns, preach Christ
and redemption, yet have no knowledge even of how the name of Christ was
spelled. They were illiterate to the last degree, so there is but one
theory, they were inspired. God revealed unto them just what they should
teach their flock, the same as he did to Moses. I remember very well
that there was always a solemnity about the services--a certain harmony,
which had a peculiar effect--a certain pathetic tone which quickened the
emotions as they sang those old plantation hymns. It mattered not what
their troubles had been during the week--how much they had been lashed,
the prayer-meeting on Saturday evening never failed to be held. Their
faith was tried and true. On Sunday afternoons, they would all
congregate again to praise God, and the congregation was enthusiastic.
It was pathetic to hear them pray, from the depths of their hearts, for
them who "despitefully used them and persecuted them." This injunction
of our Saviour was strictly adhered to. The words that came from the
minister were always of a consolatory kind. He knew the crosses of his
fellow slaves and their hardships, for he had shared them himself. I was
always touched in hearing him give out the hymns. I can hear old Uncle
Ben now, as he solemnly worded out the following lines:
Must I be carried to the skies,
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?
After singing he would always speak to them of the necessity for
patience in bearing the crosses, urging them to endure "as good
soldiers." Many tears were shed, and many glad shouts of praise would
burst forth during the sermon. A hymn usually followed the sermon, then
all retired. Their faces seemed to shine with a happy light--their very
countenance showed that their souls had been refreshed and that it had
been "good for them to be there." These meetings were the joy and
comfort of the slaves, and even those who did not profess Christianity
were calm and thoughtful while in attendance.
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A NEIGHBORHOOD QUARREL
Opposite our farm was one owned by a Mr. Juval, and adjoining that was
another belonging to one White. The McGees and the Whites were very fast
friends, visiting each other regularly--indeed they had grown up
together, and Mr. White at one time was the lover of the madam, and
engaged to be married to her. This friendship had existed for years,
when McGee bought the Juval farm, for which White had also been
negotiating, but which he failed to get on account of McGee having
out-bid him. From this circumstance ill feeling was engendered between
the two men, and they soon became bitter enemies. McGee had decided to
build a fence between the farm he had purchased and that of White, and,
during the winter, his teamsters were set to hauling the rails; and, in
unloading them, they accidentally threw some of them over the line on to
White's land. The latter said nothing about the matter until spring,
when he wrote McGee a letter, asking him to remove the rails from his
land. McGee paid no attention to the request, and he soon received a
second note, when he said to his wife: "That fellow is about to turn
himself a fool--I'll give him a cow-hiding." A third and more emphatic
note followed, in which White told the Boss that the rails must be
removed within twenty-four hours. He grew indignant, and, in true
Southern style, he went immediately to town and bought arms, and
prepared himself for the fray. When he returned he had every hand on the
plantation stop regular work, and put them all to building the fence. I
was of the number. Boss and the overseer came out to overlook the work
and hurry it on. About four o'clock in the afternoon White put in an
appearance, and came face to face with McGee, sitting on his horse and
having a double barreled shot gun lying across the pummel of his saddle.
White passed on without saying a word, but Boss yelled at him; "Hello! I
see you are about to turn yourself a d--d fool." White checked up and
began to swear, saying: "You are a coward to attack an unarmed man." He
grew furious, took off his hat, ran his fingers through his hair,
saying: "Here I am, blow me to h--l, and I'll have some one blow you
there before night." During White's rage he said: "I'll fight you
anywhere--bowie-knife fight, shot gun fight or any other." He called, in
his excitement, for his nephew, who was working on his farm, to come,
and immediately sent him to Billy Duncan's to get him a double barreled
shot gun. Meantime, Mrs. McGee appeared on the scene, and began to cry,
begging White to stop and allow her to speak to him. But he replied: "Go
off, go off, I don't want to speak to you." Boss grew weak and sick, and
through his excitement, was taken violently ill, vomiting as if he had
taken an emetic. He said to White; "I'll return as soon as I take my
wife home," but he never came back. As Boss and the madam rode off,
White came galloping back, and said to Brooks, our overseer: "If I am
shot down on foul play would you speak of it?" Brooks replied: "No, I
don't care to interfere--I don't wish to have anything to do with it."
White was bloodthirsty, and came back at intervals during the entire
night, where we were working, to see if he could find Boss. It is quite
probable that White may have long cherished a secret grudge against
Boss, because he had robbed him of his first love; and, brooding over
these offenses, he became so excited as to be almost insane. Had McGee
returned that night, White would certainly have shot him. Boss became so
uneasy over the situation that he sent one of his slaves, a foreman, to
Panola county, some seventy-five miles distant, to Mrs. McGee's father,
to get her brother, a lawyer, to come and endeavor to effect a
settlement. He came, but all his efforts were unavailing. The men met at
a magistrate's office, but they came to no understanding. Our folks
became dissatisfied, and did not care to remain longer in the place, so
they began to look out for other quarters. Boss finally decided to buy a
farm in Bolivar, Miss., and to remove his family to Memphis, where he
secured a fine place, just outside of the city.
[Illustration: Farmer's Merchants Bank--Three Dollar Banknote]
CHAPTER II.
SOCIAL AND OTHER ASPECTS OF SLAVERY.
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REMOVAL TO MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
McGee had decided to build a new house upon the property which he had
purchased at Memphis; and, in August 1850, he sent twenty-five of his
slaves to the city, to make brick for the structure, and I went along as
cook. After the bricks were burned, the work of clearing the ground for
the buildings was commenced. There were many large and beautiful trees
that had to be taken up and removed; and, when this work was completed,
the excavations for the foundations and the cellar were undertaken. All
of this work was done by the slaves. The site was a beautiful one,
embracing fourteen acres, situated two miles southeast from the city, on
the Memphis and Charleston railroad. The road ran in front of the place
and the Boss built a flag-station there, for the accommodation of
himself and his neighbors, which was named McGee Station.
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A NEW AND SPLENDID HOUSE.
The house was one of the most pretentious in that region, and was a year
and a half in building. It was two stories in height, and built of
brick, the exterior surface being coated with cement and marked off in
blocks, about two feet square, to represent stone. It was then
whitewashed. There was a veranda in front with six large columns, and,
above, a balcony. On the back there were also a veranda and a balcony,
extending across that end to the servants' wing. A large hall led from
front to rear, on one side of which were double parlors, and on the
other a sitting room, a bedroom and a dining room. In the second story
were a hall and four rooms, similar in all respects to those below, and
above these was a large attic. The interior woodwork was of black
walnut. The walls were white, and the centerpieces in the ceilings of
all the rooms were very fine, being the work of an English artisan, who
had been only a short time in this country. This work was so superior,
in design and finish, to anything before seen in that region that local
artisans were much excited over it; and some offered to purchase the
right to reproduce it, but Boss refused the offer. However, some one,
while the house was finishing, helped himself to the design, and it was
reproduced, in whole or in part, in other buildings in the city. This
employment of a foreign artist was unusual there and caused much
comment. The parlors were furnished with mahogany sets, the upholstering
being in red brocade satin. The dining room was also furnished in
mahogany. The bedrooms had mahogany bedsteads of the old-fashioned
pattern with canopies. Costly bric-a-brac, which Boss and the madam had
purchased while traveling in foreign countries, was in great profusion.
Money was no object to Edmund McGee, and he added every modern
improvement and luxury to his home; the decorations and furnishings were
throughout of the most costly and elegant; and in the whole of Tennessee
there was not a mansion more sumptuously complete in all its
appointments, or more palatial in its general appearance. When all was
finished--pictures, bric-a-brac, statuary and flowers all in their
places, Mrs. McGee was brought home.
In this new house Boss opened up in grand style; everything was changed,
and the family entered upon a new, more formal and more pretentious
manner of living. I was known no longer as errand boy, but installed as
butler and body-servant to my master. I had the same routine of morning
work, only it was more extensive. There was a great deal to be done in
so spacious a mansion. Looking after the parlors, halls and dining
rooms, arranging flowers in the rooms, waiting on the table, and going
after the mail was my regular morning work, the year round. Then there
were my duties to perform, night and morning, for my master; these were
to brush his clothes, black his shoes, assist him to arrange his toilet,
and do any little thing that he wanted me to. Aside from these regular
duties, there were windows to wash, silver to polish and steps to stone
on certain days in the week. I was called to do any errand necessary,
and sometimes to assist in the garden. A new staff of house servants was
installed, as follows: Aunt Delia, cook; Louisa, chambermaid; Puss,
lady's maid to wait on the madam; Celia, nurse; Lethia, wet nurse;
Sarah, dairymaid; Julia, laundress; Uncle Gooden, gardener; Thomas,
coachman.
* * * * *
THE NEW STYLE OF LIVING.
The servants, at first, were dazed with the splendor of the new house,
and laughed and chuckled to themselves a good deal about mars' fine
house, and really seemed pleased; for, strange to say, the slaves of
rich people always rejoiced in that fact. A servant owned by a man in
moderate circumstances was hooted at by rich men's slaves. It was common
for them to say: "Oh! don't mind that darkey, he belongs to po'r white
trash." So, as I said, our slaves rejoiced in master's good luck. Each
of the women servants wore a new, gay colored turban, which was tied
differently from that of the ordinary servant, in some fancy knot. Their
frocks and aprons were new, and really the servants themselves looked
new. My outfit was a new cloth suit, and my aprons for wearing when
waiting on the table were of snowy white linen, the style being copied
from that of the New York waiters. I felt big, for I never knew what a
white bosom shirt was before; and even though the grief at the
separation from my dear mother was almost unbearable at times, and my
sense of loneliness in having no relative near me often made me sad,
there was consolation, if not compensation, in this little change. I had
known no comforts, and had been so cowed and broken in spirits, by cruel
lashings, that I really felt light-hearted at this improvement in my
personal appearance, although it was merely for the gratification of my
master's pride; and I thought I would do all I could to please Boss.
* * * * *
THE ADORNMENT OF THE GROUNDS.
For some time before all the appointments of the new home were
completed, a great number of mechanics and workmen, besides our own
servants, were employed; and there was much bustle and stir about the
premises. Considerable out-door work was yet to be done--fences to be
made, gardens and orchards to be arranged and planted, and the grounds
about the house to be laid out and adorned with shrubbery and flower
beds. When this work was finally accomplished, the grounds were indeed
beautiful. The walks were graveled, and led through a profusion of
shrubbery and flower beds. There was almost every variety of roses;
while, scattered over the grounds, there were spruce, pine and juniper
trees, and some rare varieties, seldom seen in this northern climate.
Around the grounds was set a cedar hedge, and, in time, the place became
noted for the beauty of its shrubbery; the roses especially were
marvelous in the richness and variety of their colors, their fragrance
and the luxuriousness of their growth. People who have never traveled
in the South have little idea of the richness and profusion of its
flowers, especially of its roses. Among the climbing plants, which
adorned the house, the most beautiful and fragrant was the African
honeysuckle--its odor was indeed delightful.
* * * * *
THE GARDEN.
One of the institutions of the place was the vegetable garden. This was
established not only for the convenience and comfort of the family, but
to furnish employment for the slaves. Under the care of Uncle Gooden,
the gardener, it flourished greatly; and there was so much more produced
than the family could use, Boss concluded to sell the surplus. The
gardener, therefore, went to the city, every morning, with a load of
vegetables, which brought from eight to ten dollars daily, and this the
madam took for "pin money." In the spring I had always to help the
gardener in setting out plants and preparing beds; and, as this was in
connection with my other work, I became so tired sometimes that I could
hardly stand. All the vegetables raised were fine, and at that time
brought a good price. The first cabbage that we sold in the markets
brought twenty-five cents a head. The first sweet potatoes marketed
always brought a dollar a peck, or four dollars a bushel. The Memphis
market regulations required that all vegetables be washed before being
exposed for sale. Corn was husked, and everything was clean and
inviting. Any one found guilty of selling, or exhibiting for sale,
vegetables of a previous day was fined, at once, by the market master.
This rule was carried out to the letter. Nothing stale could be sold, or
even come into market. The rules required that all poultry be dressed
before being brought to market. The entrails were cleaned and strung and
sold separately--usually for about ten cents a string.