Virginia before and during the war

Preface

In the winter of 1889 I commenced writing the little work now published, to amuse me in my leisure time, with no thought of publishing. As I progressed, 1 came to the conclusion that those who might read might, from its perusal, form a truer estimate of the state of society and of opinions in the South and especially in Virginia, than usually prevails. In treating the history of the times, and of the character of the actors therein, I have endeavored to be fair and true. Above all things, historic veracity should be observed. Whilst it is right that we should respect the memory of great men who have gone before us, we ought not, in admiration for their success or brilliant achievements, make a false estimate of their characters. Whatever estimate we may form of the justifiableness of our civil war, and of the characters of the prominent actors therein, all must recognize the fact that it settled forever some great questions, and that secession of states can never take place again. We are united for good or for evil, probably for ages ; and, if we are ever divided, the dividing line will not run as in 1861. Believing, as I do, that neither side was justifiable in its course during and preceding the war, I do not think we should hold up the prominent actors as models to be imitated by the young, but as examples of men carried away by the violence of party spirit into error. Doubtless the great body of those engaged in the war thought they were doing right ; but all history teaches that the sincerity o men cannot be taken as proof that their actions are good. If my views are not absolutely correct, it will do good for the young who are now being taught that the war against secession was exceedingly righteous, and the great civilians and Generals on the Union side — the greatest and best of men — to learn that there is another side to this question.

The young should be taught to rightly estimate the actions of those that have gone before them, and profit by their errors. No division of the United States can in the future take place on the old line, so the North and South are permanently united for good or for evil ; hence, all should accept results in good faith and seek the common good, laying aside all animosity for the past. No opinion of the injustice of the means by which he was freed should cause us to entertain animosity against the negro, who was passive in the conflict. The fact that there are two dissimilar races, in nearly equal numbers, occupying the same territory, is a source of many difficulties and dangers which those living elsewhere cannot fully understand, and makes the administration of the government difficult. But the wealthier and more intelligent race, while attending to its own safety, should not ever violate, in dealing with the other, the great principles of justice and humanity.

Virginia Before and During the War.

Chapter I

In December, 1855, early in the morning, a barouche drawn by two spirited horses left the town of Danville, Va. Strapped on behind was a large traveling-trunk. The driver sitting on the front seat was a youth of fifteen years, though from his size and manner he seemed to be at least two years older. He had a fine face, and large, well-formed head. His hair was chestnut and slightly curling, his eyes large and blue, and his expression frank and open. Taken altogether, he was a very handsome and prepossessing boy. There was only one other occupant of the barouche — a lady, sitting on the back seat. She was dressed with remarkable neatness, apparently about twenty-five years old. had a very pleasant and intelligent countenance, and, though not beautiful, might be considered decidedly good-looking. Her hair was dark, and her complexion, though brunette, was clear, showing a tinge of red on her cheeks, and her whole appearance indicated good health. The youth described was Willie Buford, the son of Judge Buford, living about thirty miles west of Danville, wdio had been sent to bring home with him Miss Annie Heath, of New Hampshire, who was coming to take charge of the education of the Judge's daughter. For several days the weather had been quite mild, for the season and on this day was almost sultry.

The country through which they passed had a strange and almost foreign appearance to Miss Heath. After leaving the town a few miles, nearly all the fences were of rails, one placed over the other at the ends, and the different panels inclined to each other at an angle to keep from falling. The road in some places passed through forests that had never been felled, and in other places through old field-pines— that is, pines that had sprung up in fields once cultivated, but long since abandoned. The appearance of a sparsely populated country was in stiong contrast with what she had been accustomed to in the Northern States. The fields had a dreary appearance, and very few persons were visible. However, they passed some large wheat fields looking quite green and promising. Occasionally they would see, mostly at some distance from the '-oad, a large two-storied house; but thp residences were mostly framed cottages, many without paint or whitewash, and near them two or three cabins of boards or logs, being the homes of small slave-holders. Sometimes thev passed small houses where there seemed to be no negroes, and nothing visible but bare-headed white children, who would run out to stare at the passing vehicle, accompanied by yelping curs. A noticeable feature about all these houses was that near them there was alwavs an immense pile of wood in pieces eight or ten feet long, to be used for fuel. To Miss Heath's remark about the strange lonesomeness of the road, Willie explained that it was a tobacco season — that is, that from the damp and warm weather the tobacco leaf had become supple enough to handle, and everybody was stripping tobacco— that is pulliir t'i- laaves front'12 stalk aui tying them into bundles.

And they soon came opposite a large framed building, with large folding-doors wide open. Within they could see a number of negroes of both sexes and all ages, sitting or standing around large heaps of tobacco, busily engaged. A white man was moving around, inspecting their work. As Willie stopped his horses a few minutes to let Miss Heath see the work, one of the negro men commenced singing one of their strange, weird melodies, in which he was soon joined by all the rest. For nearly a mile they could hear the melancholy ditty. In their conversation, Willie told that he frequently stripped tobacco, and when not at school did other work on the plantation; that his father wished him to learn how everything about a farm ought to be done. Miss Heath remarked that she had supposed that slave-holders never did any work. Willie told her that it was customary for small slavediolders and their sons to labor in the fields with their negroes, and even the sons of wealthy men sometimes labored, so as to familiarize themselves with all the processes necessary in farming, and become good judges of how the business should be carried on. He told her he was going to school, and that he rode every day a distance of three miles; that yesterday, being Friday, his father had sent him to meet her in Danville, as he would only lose one day at the end of the week ; that if the negro coachman had been sent, he or his father would have accompanied him, as they did not suppose c he would like to go the distance with the negro alone.

Hs also stated that next autumn he expected to go to college; that he wished to be a soldier and go to West Point or the Virginia Military Institute, but that his father wished him to study his own profession— the law. Miss Heath advised him to follow his father's wish. She hoped and believed there would be very little prospect for military distinction in this country. As the day advanced it commenced raining, and the wind shifted to the north. Soon the wind became so high that it was very disagreeable to continue the journey. The horses were urged to their best speed in hopes of reaching home, which was now but a few miles distant. But, as the storm increased, Willie remarked that they had better stop at Mrs. Campbell's, whose house they were approaching, telling Miss Heath she would there see one of her pupils — Mrs. Campbell's youngest daughter, Ljzzie — whom his father had consented to admit as a pupil to study with his daughter ; that she was the best and prettiest girl in the world. They soon arrived in front of a plain, white cottage, and they alighted, W T illie surrendering the team to a negro boy of about his own age who appeared at a c abin door, telling him to drive under the shed and loose the horses, but not to take off the gear. Raining and blowing as it was, they were met before reaching the house by the lady, umbrella in hand, it being a Virginia custom to go out to meet guests when seen approaching. Her greeting was : " Come right in, Willie, you and the lady ; I am afraid you are quite wet." The)" were ushered into a large room, in which there was a blazing fire of large ! >gs. In this room were Mrs. Campbell's daughters — Mary, a fine-looking girl of twenty, who sat busily sewing, and Lizze, a beautiful and sprightly-looking girl of thirteen, who was engaged in examining a book with large pictures. Mrs. Campbell, a large lady with a very pleasing countenance, apparently about forty-five years old, bustled around, trying to make her callers comfortable and at their ease. She pulled the logs on the fire to the front, and, going to the door, called for Jim to bring in a back log. Very soon a young negro man came in, bearing on his shoulder a log that would weigh two hundred pounds, and carefully laid it in the fireplace behind the other fuel. The furniture was all very plain, and on the floor was a rag carpet — that is, one made of strips cut from old clothing of various colors, and woven into a warp of coarse cotton thread in the domestic loom. In one corner of the room was a machine never seen by Miss Heath before — a spinning wheel. In a short time it commenced snowing, with a fierce north wind, and Mrs. Campbell insisted on her guests spending the night with her ; but Willie declined, as he felt sure his parents would be uneasy about him. On Miss Heath being at last prevailed upon to remain, he promised that if the snow continued he would come for her on the morrow in his sleigh, and put her in mind of New Hampshire.

After his departure, Mrs. Campbell and her daughters exerted themselves to please their guest and make her feel at home. In this house many conveniences were wanting that are deemed indispensable in a Northern cottage. The kitchen where the cooking was done for both white and black was at least thirty feet from the house, and the spring fifty yards aw 7 ay. In conversation al>out the spinning wheel, Miss Heath was informed that Mrs. Campbell and Mary, assisted by their negro woman, spun the woolen thread for the negroes' clothes, and also every year a suit for her son, all woven at home. Formerly they wove cotton cloth, but of late years had discontinued this on account of its cheapness. Very soon after the arrival of her visitor, Mrs. Campbell called in a colored woman of about her own age, and told her to prepare supper speedily. Before supper was ready a young man in a heavy overcoat rode up to the gate and called for a boy to take his horse, and entered the house by the back way. This was James Campbell, the lady's son, who had been on business to their little neighboring town. On his entering the rcom some time afterwards, Miss Heath was introduced to a tall, gentlemanly young man, with an open and intellectual countenance. He was dressed in a new, neat-fitting suit of homespun, and his manner was respectful and unembarrassed, with not a particle of forwardness. After partaking of a plain, substantial supper, they all returned to the sitting-room and engaged in agreeable conversation, the young people showing more information and intelligence than would be expected from their plain surroundings.

Chapter II

Judge Buford's residence was a plain two-stary frame, painted white, built in the shape of an Iy, having three large rooms to the story, with halls between the rooms, and having large porches on three sides. Near the main building was a cottage wnn cwo rooms, used for an office and bed-rooms for gentlemen, and back of it a brick building containing the kitchen and the weaving and spinning-room, and rooms for the house servants. At a distance of a quarter of a mile might be seen two rows of cottages, about twelve or fifteen in number, each one having a small garden. In these lived the negro laborers. In front of the house was a large lawn, thickly ser with trees, and with the grass still green. On the evening when our story commences, the Judge and his lady and two daughters sat in the parlor before a blazing wood fire awaiting the arrival of the new teacher. He was a tall, handsome and intellectual-looking man of not more than forty-five,

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although his full beard was slightly sprinkled with gray. His lady, five years his junior, had the appearance of having been a very beautiful woman, but now faded and in delicate health. Their elder daughter, Letitia, of twelve, with dark hair and large brown eyes like her mother's, was very quiet and sedate, whilst the younger, Amanda, who was ten, had a very fair complexion, with blue eyes and golden hair. She was all life and animation, continuously running from one room to another. Coming up to her mother and leaning on her lap she asked her how long it would be before Willie and the new teacher would come, saying: " Oh, I am so impatient to see what she is like." Her father, looking at his watch, told her to be a little patient, as he thought they would arrive in two hours. Then she ran out to go and talk to her b ack mammy, who was sewing in another room. " That child," remarked the Judge, " needs very careful training. There is much of good and bad in her. I hope Miss Heath may prove a good instructress, and aid us in our endeavors to develop all that is good. Willie, at her age, was hard to manage; but under Nelson's instructions he is developing into all that I would have him to be. He and Amanda resemble each other very much."

Mrs. Euford replied : "Our lot in life, William, has been so happy that we would be the most ungrateful of creatures if we were not full of gratitude to the great Giver of all good, and we would deserve the heaviest punishment if we did not do all in our power to train our dear children to all that is good. This lady comes to us with the highest recommendations, and I shall make it my business to closely observe her mode of instruction and the principles she may instill into the children. The teacher has a very great influence in molding the character of pupils, and I can never be sufficiently grateful to Mr. Nelson for his education of Willie. He says he loves him as his own son, and regards him as it is said Reuchlin did Melancthon."

When it commenced snowing Mrs. Buford began to feel uneasy about her son. Accordingly, the negro coachman was called and ordered to take a strong horse and go to meet him. But, as he was preparing to leave, the carriage was seen rapidly approaching. On seeing Willie alone, all were very much disappointed, fearing the teacher had failed to meet him. They were> however, somewhat reassured when Void she was so near, but not entirely reconciled to their disappointment in not meeting their new teacher. That lady, however, was in very comfortable quarters, and was enjoying an early opportunity of seeing something of the manners and customs of the middle class of Virginians.

She found these people very kind and unaffected in manner, and quite refined. She found Mrs. Campbell and her oldest daughter to be thorough business women, doing an amount of work in weaving, spinning, and sewing astonishing to her. Tizzie was very handsome and the pet of the house, and it was determined to give her a fine education. The Virginians of this period were very solicitous about educating their children, and Mrs. Campbell regretted very much the fact of not having been able to educate her elder children more highly. She said, now that James had the prospects for a good business, she hoped to give Lizzie as good advantages as the country afforded. James had only a common school education, but had improved himself considerably by reading, and was quite an intelligent conversationalist. He told Miss Heath he hoped to continue their ac quaintance, as he had been employed by Judge Buford for the next year as an overseer of his hands. This astonished Miss Heath, as she had only thought ot an overseer as a very rough, illiterate man.

Chapter III

The next morning the snow lay six inches deep on the ground, and it was clear and cold, so Willie had his sleigh— a scarce article in that country — hitched up, and proceeded to Mrs. Campbell's. He found Miss Heath pleased with her new friends, bat anxious to reach her destination. When alone with Willie she expressed her surprise that so nice a gentleman as James Campbell had consented to act as overseer, the next year, for his father. From him she learned that Judge Buford was very glad to secure young Campbell's services, at a thousand dollars a year, knowing him to be an excellent farmer. Mr. Campbell's father, rather a reckless man and somewhat addicted to drink, ten years ago had been killed by a fall from his horse in a fox-hunt. He was, at the time,, considerably In debt, so all his slaves were sold except Hannibal and his wife, with a family of young children, none as old as James, who was then fifteen. Since then James and Hannibal had cultivated the two hundred acres of land with great success, raising the highest-priced tobacco in the county. Now it was thought that the management of the plantation might be sately entrusted to Hannibal, who had four sons grown, or nearly so, and James had yielded to the temptation of the large salary offered. Hannibal was thoroughly trustworthy, very industrious, a good manager, and would see that his sons worked faithfully. Mrs. Campbell was not at all afraid to remain at home, the negro cabin being near the house, and all the men never away at night. I may here state that slaves of the small planters and farmers of the South were in better condition, as to physical wants, than probably any peasantry in the world. They ate the same food as their masters, and were furnished coarse, comfortable clothing. Their tasks were not excessive, and they were given time to make little crops of tobacco or cotton for themselves; and some shifty ones would make fifty or even a hundred dollars a year for themselves. They were usually treated with great kindness, and there were many who were unhesitatingly trusted by their masters to protect their families and interests. The sons of the family labored in the fields with the negro boys, and played with them at times of leisure. On the other side of the question, it must be stated that when debts came, the sheriff respected no family tie. When the hammer of the auctioneer fell the highest bidder took his man.

On their arrival, Miss Heath was welcomed with that courtly politeness peculiar to the Southern gentleman, and she was much pleased with the kind, easy, and unaffected address of Mrs. Buford. Letitia was awkward and shy. but very respectful. Amanda ran to her, and told her she intended to be a good girl and obey her, so that she would love her. Miss Heath, having such a pleasant and friendly address, soon put all parties at their ease. She was escorted to her room by an elderly colored woman of dignified manners, but, as she soon found out, very fond of gossip. This being Sunday, all prepared to spend it quietly, as there was no preaching near. It was determined not to commence school until the first of January, which was two weeks off. Judge Buford departed early Monday morning to take his seat on the bench in an adjoining county. Willie mounted his horse to attend school, which would continue a week before the Christmas holidays. After riding about a mile and a half, he stopped in front of a log house with rather dilapidated surroundings, and called for Tom Jones. The youth named soon came out, carrying on his arm a small basket containing his dinner. He was about Willie's age, but much smaller. His face was freckled, his hair sandy in color, and his countenance broad and open in expression. He was dressed in coarse, homespun clothes, with heavy brogan shoes, and his hat was bad. It was Willie's custom to call and take him to school behind him Although their circumstmces were so different, these boys were fast friends, often fishing and hunting together when not at school. Tom's father owned a small piece of land inherited from his father which his wife would never consent to sell, and could have done very well except for his drinking habits.

Tom remarked on mounting behind, "Well, Willie, how do you like the new teacher at your house?"

"Splendid," replied Willie. "She is the smartest woman I ever saw, she just knows everything."

"Is she pretty ?"

"Not exactly, but she is so pleasant ; if you are with her, you soon think so. You must come over Christmas and see her."

Tom said he had no clothes fit to wear.

"O, never mind that,'' said Willie, "she is none of the stuckup sort, and won't mind what you wear."

The boys soon arrived at the residence of Mr. Peter Nelson, the teacher. The school-house, a single framed room, was near the dwelling. This was a two-story, unpainted frame, surrounded by an unpainted plank fence, having rather a bleak appearance, as there were but few shade trees. Mr. Nelson had been a teacher from early manhood, and was a poor man, owning a small tract of land, and a single family of negroes. He had married, late in life, a pretty little woman with a limited education, who cared nothing for books. He had now three children, his oldest, Lydia, being fifteen. He was a man of pure and noble character, imbued with a passionate fondness for the ancient classics, and was withal a religious man. He tried to instill into his pupils an admiration for all that was grand and admirable in the characters of Greeks and Romans and a reverance for the Holy Scriptures; and he taught them to despise all that was mean, little and false. He had quite a number of Latin and Greek books, and was particularly partial to Horace and Ovid, and Euripides and Anacrean. He was of opinion that Ovid was familiar with the Old Testament Scriptures. Whilst so fond of the ancients, he was not less so of the English classics. For recreation he was very fond of chess, and would spend hours engaged in the game with Dr. Stoval, a former pupil in days long passed. He was tall, thin and ungainly in person, with large nose, thin face, and long arms and hands, and was by no means a handsome man. His school was of a class unknown out of the Southern States, and now nowhere to be seen. It was composed of both sexes and of all ages from eight to twenty, and all branches were taught from the Primer to the Greek classics, and from the enumeration table to the calculus. When the school was large, he would employ an assistant, and when small, would conduct it himself. He always kept near him a long, slender hickory rod which he did not spare if occasion required. Willie was now his best scholar and a favorite whom he was accustomed to call his Melancthon. He could read and write Latin with facility; was well up in Greek, and had made some progress in reading French. Next to him and in the same class was Lydia Nelson, a plain but intellectual girl, not less partial to him than her father, so much so, indeed, that an observer might fear that her future happiness might be thereby imperiled.

Chapter IV

Miss Heath was taken quite ill a few days after her arrival, and Dr. Stoval was called in. At his second visit after making a prescription, he told her his attention would be no longer required ; and on her tendering his fee, he would take nothing, remarking, "My dear young lady, I have been a teacher myself, and have made it a rule, never to charge teachers." He went on, "If my services are required, have no hesitation in sending for me, as it will be my pleasure to render you any service in my power. I have been prospered in life, and now practice as much for the pleasure I have in my profession as for the profit. It has been the business of my life, and I could not now be contented without practicing." He invited her to come soon and pay him a visit, when they would have a long talk. He said Willie would probably like to come some Saturday, and take a hunt with his son John, and would gladly bring her. While Miss Heath was sick, Grace, Mrs. Buford's waiting- maid, took advantage of her position as nurse, to give her a history of the family. On her remarking on how well the servants were treated, she replied, "Yes, Mars William and Miss Julia are mighty good folks, but it wan't always so here. Ole Master was mighty wild man. He used to drink and play cards and horse-race and bring lots of men here. And they would get up before day and <ox hunt and set up at night and play cards. Lige Jones, the father of this here Tom Jones, was overseer, and he would cut and slash and drive and have the folks up before day and out after night.

Ole Master told him he wanted him to make big crops. He wanted a heap of money to spend on his card-playing and horse-racing. Ole Miss was quiet and good and belonged to the 'Piscopals, and she did not like the carryings on. but she did not say nothing. Well, after Miss Nora done marry Col. Preston over the mountains, she mighty grand lady now, and Mars William was most grown, the Baptist preacher, Mr. Jerry Jeter, and Jesse Witt, come and hold a big nieetin'. They was powerful preachers, and ole Mr. Harris, he preached to the black folks, and Mars Jimmy Leftwich sung for them. He was son of old Parson Leftwich, that used to keep tavern on the Lynchburg road, and folks said, loved the apple brandy too good that he stilled himself to sell to travelers, but Mars Jimmy was a powerful temperance man and a mighty fine singer. Ole master concluded he would go and hear them preach, and he told overseer to go 'long with the black folks, at night, and not to let them git into any devilment. Ole Master, he got mighty serious, and he fotch Mr. Jeter home with him, and they set and talked most all night; and he jined the chinch, and Ole Miss cried mightily and she jined the church, and Mars William too; and they had a great baptizing, poor and rich, black and white. And Ole Master was that changed, he stopped making the folks work at night and git up before day, and he built them good cabins, and had them all white-washed, and he told the overseer to make folks mind and do guod work, but not whip them, if he could help it. When Miss Nora heard of it, she said she was glad her Pa had quit drinkin' and gamblin', but she thought he might have done better than join the Baptists, and the idea of her mother, that was an Eppes, one of the first families in the low country, jinin' them, was simply ridiculous; and as for William, from a boy, he never had any family pride, and she warn't astonished at him. When Mars William brought home Miss Julia, thai was a Watkins from Petersburg, the ole folks was mighty pleased. Ole Master has been dead about ten years, and Ole Mis died year before last, and they was both happy and resigned."

When Christmas morning came, Miss Heath was awakened by the noise of shouting and laughing. Several of the colored girls came unceremoniously into her room claiming a Christmas gift, and the little girls followed, wishing her a happy Christmas. The negroes were turned loose for a week of feasting and enjoyment. The Judge, though a strict church member, would not forbid such as were so disposed, to have a dance, though some of the older and more zealous of the negroes frequently groaned and shook their heads, and told the young people they had Letter be praying.