OR. OK The BSet Line o^ ^fjO^ BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF Bcnrg W. Sage 1S91 _A,/-f.5'7^r Mipl Date Due nnii q 1 950 OCT 2 b 1950 _i '' *■ ■* '" JAN' [ 1951 i IMl 9 ■"> i'',on JUL o ^y iiJOU •iiV*^ -Tja/l £1 $i iWIA* - 1 r 1 F Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028795553 YAZOO; ORs 0N~^ THE. PICKET LINE OF FREEDOM IN THE SOUTH. A PERSONAL NARRATIVE r,Y A. T. MORGAN, LATE SHERIFF AXD TAX-COLLEGTOR, YAZOO COUNTY, MISSISSIPPIJ. "WASHINGTON, D. C. PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. 1 SS4. 3i '01 ENTERED ACCOTIDING TO ACT OF CONORESS, ITST THE YEAR 1884, By A. T. MOKGAS', ALL RIGHTS RESERV.ED. Piess of Rufus -H. Daj-by. J\ PREFACE. " And they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha ; and when the man was let down he revived and stood upon his feet." In these pages the reader ■will find faithfully set out a sim- ple and truthful narrative of the principal incidents and events in the public and private life of the author during his residence in Yazoo County, Mississippi, together with occa- sional pictures illustrative of the social condition of the people of that State. The characters are real persons, whose true names are given only in cases where it was found impossible to disguise their identity. The conversa- tions quoted, of course, are not verbatim. They are, never- theless, strictly within the line of truth. Both in gathering the material and preparing it for the public, the author has encountered certain o-bstacles which many never will be able adequately tO' appreciate,, because it will be impossible for them to stand in his place. Nothing is asked or expected, however, more than an honest judg- ment upon his motive and bis work. TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE DIED ON SLAVERY'S STUBBLE-GROUND IN THE WAR FOR SELF- PRESERVATION. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Chapter I. The war is over— Southward ho !— A wonderf ul country IT Chapter II. First lessons— Colonel J. J. U. Black as teacher 29 Chai'ter III. A first day with the freedmen of Tazoo— What was accom- plished by the war 38 Chapter IV. Jealous " Johnny Rebs "—Colonel J. J. U. Black in a new role... 45 Chapter V. A '■ nigro " insurrection and a fool's errand 53 Chapter VI. An unsettled question— The diplomacy of babes 68 Chahter VII. Colonel Black's library — A new departure — Tokeba's jail— More diplomacy— A Southerner's instincts 72 Chapter VIII. Charles' return— Reminiscences— Smoky Tokeba— Whisky as a medicine 80 Chapter IX. Blushes— More of the ways of the country— A deeper deep than Mormonism 85 Chapter X. A deeper deep— The wolf shows his teeth 90 Chapter XI. Lambs—" I'm a gentleman, by G— d, sir "—A new function for Nasby 97 Chapter XII. A council of lambs— That "nigger school "'-" Old Morgan"- "Polecat Morgan" 102 10 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Chapter XIII. Taffy, -women ai;'d wine vs. the army of the United States— Tlie straw that broke our camel's back— A stalwart friend 107 Chapter XIV. Yazoo justice in 1867— Ten dollars and a " lick " for a year's hard work— Was it in self-defense ?— Questions remaining unsettled to this day— O'oophie— Polecat 114 Chapter XV. Army worms and other worms— Our stalwart friend lassoed— Another kind of fool's errand— How to get "rid 'a the d— n Yankees "—Hurrah for Colonel J. J. U. Black— Was Colonel Black "agent in fact?" 122 Chapter XVI. Recollections— An Appomattox "straw "-Charles' " new idea " —Shall we surrender, run away, or fight it out on that line- Weighty reasons why the battle should continue 129 Chapter XVII. Charles' twenty millions gone glimmering— Sweet consolation — Fame, and how to win it in Yazoo -True friends 134 Chapter XVIII. A second day amo'^g the freed people in Yazoo— When, where, how and why I became a ■' dictator "—An election in Yazoo when " only niggers" vote 140 Chapter XIX. The folly of wisdom— Courage of my new frienis— A t iumphant "vindication"— An "honest" differe ce of opinion— Unheeded warnings 1.51 Chapter XX. De'iverer and dictator— Counting the cost— Les Miserables— Straw for bricks 15G Chapter XXI. The true value of friendship— None but black Americans on guard to-nisht -An uncovered secret— "Snakes" and their uses 167 Chapter XXII. Wheit among tares— A human hornet— A "new-comer" of the right sort tor Yazoo -How " our friends up North " furnished powder for "we all "down South to burn under the n- ses of brave ex-Union soldiers— A "nest of vipers " 176 Chapter XXIII. Charles has a new experience-A slight indiscretion and a trial- Courageous General Greenleaf , and true friends— More straw for bricks Igj Chapter XXIV. At last --A murderer's cell !-That Yazoo jail in 1868-WhatMr. Barksdale did— The good Samaritan— Uncle Jonathan sees the Kuklux— Ihe wicked flee when none pursue 1S8 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 1 I C'HArTEK XX Y. Boys, why don't you get away fr m there !— Ijetters from the old home— Charles' fever— Xever say die ! 105 C'lIAlTER XXVI. A presence— A tempi ' of the living God even in Yazoo— A jail- bird's " shell "—High resolves 200 Chaptek XXVII. A general election in Yazoo— W. H. Foote vs. the " human hor- net "-No lives lost 20J Chapter XXVIII. Do Southerners have prejudice ag.inst color— Two more bricks — An apology 210 Chapter XXIX " How are yew, Morgin V"— Defeated but not cast down— Timely succor— '• grand old flag'' — It is over— A searching of hearts.... 214 Chapter XXX. A ''Democratic school "and what came of it— Slight differences of opinion 218 Chapter XXXI. Some other things about the flag of the United States in 1S68, in Yazoo, Mississippi— Staring at vacancy— A discovery that was not patented— How, why and when •' lie South solidifted." 222 Chapter XXXII. The war of the badges— Heroic colored women — How Mlssissip- pians voted as they fought in 1868 — More bricks 230 Chapter XXXIII. Eeasons for tlie'r faith— Certain citi/v ns object to the racket of the K. K. K.'s and afterward apologize — Deliverance — Hurrah for Grant ! Hurrah for h— 1 !— "Bottom rail on top "—Uncle Peter's wisdom— Magnanimity of freedmen— A reminiscence 234 Chapter XXXIV. Charles' new lease of life— Uncle David's "crap"— It might have been— Features of the chnnge. with the exceptions to the rule — A war reminiscence — A surprise 240 Chapt'er XXXV. Sequelse — Renewal of an old acquaintance — " Get out a here " — Scraps from history— Kevelations .... 247 Chapter XXXVI. All doubled up— Clearing ditches— Waiting a verdict— A satrap's knife— Making hay— Charles gets a plumb— A patriotic fool 2o7 Chapter XXXVII. The old stubble-ground of slavery— A leaf from history— "Out damned spot." 261 12 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Chapter XXXVIII. A biief summary — Anticipations 271 Chapter XXXIX. About Grant's '-fair trial "—Also of certain efforts to capture the " illustrious " soldier by invadinghis family— A chapter of Mississippi State politics— Mr. Barksdale becomes a " National Republican "—How it all ended 276^ Chapter XL. A general break-up— "I told you so"— The pretty pickle of the enemy — Danger signals 28^^ Chapter L. Yazoo stump oratory — Campaign arguments— The logic of events — A dead bulldozer— One time when the " niggers " did not run 291 Chapter LI. An example of " superiah strategy " — A brief resume— The les- sons of 1869— Happy polecats 307" Chapter LII. Harry Baltimore's opinion of our first " nia;ger constable "—More straw for bricks— A case in point— Additional inducements to a solid South— A truthful picture of Southern domestic life — A line that was not wiped out at Appomattox, nor ever after- ^■ai