Soon after the war commenced the rebel soldiers encamped near Mr.
Lewis' residence, and remained there one week. They were then ordered
by General Lyons to surrender, but they refused. There were seven
thousand Union and seven hundred rebel soldiers. The Union soldiers
surrounded the camp and took them and exhibited them through the city
and then confined them in prison. I told my mistress that the Union
soldiers were coming to take the camp. She replied that it was false,
that it was General Kelly coming to re-enforce Gen. Frost. In a few
moments the alarm was heard. I told Mrs. L. the Unionists had fired
upon the rebels. She replied it was only the salute of Gen. Kelly. At
night her husband came home with the news that Camp Jackson was taken
and all the soldiers prisoners. Mrs. Lewis asked how the Union
soldiers could take seven hundred men when they only numbered the
same. Mr. L. replied they had seven thousand. She was much astonished,
and cast her eye around to us for fear we might hear her. Her
suspicion was correct; there was not a word passed that escaped our
listening ears. My mother and myself could read enough to make out the
news in the papers. The Union soldiers took much delight in tossing a
paper over the fence to us. It aggravated my mistress very much. My
mother used to sit up nights and read to keep posted about the war. In
a few days my mistress came down to the kitchen again with another
bitter complaint that it was a sad affair that the Unionists had taken
their delicate citizens who had enlisted and made prisoners of
them--that they were babes. My mother reminded her of taking Fort
Sumpter and Major Anderson and serving them the same and that turn
about was fair play. She then hastened to her room with the speed of a
deer, nearly unhinging every door in her flight, replying as she went
that the Niggers and Yankees were seeking to take the country. One
day, after she had visited the kitchen to superintend some domestic
affairs, as she pretended, she became very angry without a word being
passed, and said--"I think it has come to a pretty pass, that old
Lincoln, with his long legs, an old rail splitter, wishes to put the
Niggers on an equality with the whites; that her children should never
be on an equal footing with a Nigger. She had rather see them dead."
As my mother made no reply to her remarks, she stopped talking, and
commenced venting her spite on my companion servant. On one occasion
Mr. Lewis searched my mother's room and found a picture of President
Lincoln, cut from a newspaper, hanging in her room. He asked her what
she was doing with old Lincoln's picture. She replied it was there
because she liked it. He then knocked her down three times, and sent
her to the trader's yard for a month as punishment. My mistress
indulged some hopes till the victory of New Orleans, when she heard
the famous Union song sang to the tune of Yankee Doodle:
The rebels swore that New Orleans never should be taken,
But if the Yankees came so near they should not save their bacon.
That's the way they blustered when they thought they were so handy,
But Farragut steamed up one day and gave them Doodle Dandy.
Ben Butler then was ordered down to regulate the city;
He made the rebels walk a chalk, and was not that a pity?
That's the way to serve them out--that's the way to treat them,
They must not go and put on airs after we have beat them.
He made the rebel banks shell out and pay the loyal people,
He made them keep the city clean from pig's sty to church steeple.
That's the way Columbia speaks, let all men believe her;
That's the way Columbia speaks instead of yellow fever.
He sent the saucy women up and made them treat us well
He helped the poor and snubbed the rich; they thought he was the devil,
Bully for Ben. Butler, then, they thought he was so handy;
Bully for Ben Butler then,--Yankee Doodle Dandy.
The days of sadness for mistress were days of joy for us. We shouted
and laughed to the top of our voices. My mistress was more enraged
than ever--nothing pleased her. One evening, after I had attended to
my usual duties, and I supposed all was complete, she, in a terrible
range, declared I should be punished that night. I did not know the
cause, neither did she. She went immediately and selected a switch.
She placed it in the corner of the room to await the return of her
husband at night for him to whip me. As I was not pleased with the
idea of a whipping I bent the switch in the shape of W, which was the
first letter of his name, and after I had attended to the dining room
my fellow servant and myself walked away and stopped with an aunt of
mine during the night. In the morning we made our way to the Arsenal,
but could gain no admission. While we were wandering about seeking
protection, the girl's father overtook us and persuaded us to return
home. We finally complied. All was quiet. Not a word was spoken
respecting our sudden departure. All went on as usual. I was permitted
to attend to my work without interruption until three weeks after. One
morning I entered Mrs. Lewis' room, and she was in a room adjoining,
complaining of something I had neglected. Mr. L. then enquired if I
had done my work. I told him I had. She then flew into a rage and told
him I was saucy, and to strike me, and he immediately gave me a severe
blow with a stick of wood, which inflicted a deep wound upon my head.
The blood ran over my clothing, which gave me a frightful appearance.
Mr. Lewis then ordered me to change my clothing immediately. As I did
not obey he became more enraged, and pulled me into another room and
threw me on the floor, placed his knee on my stomach, slapped me on
the face and beat me with his fist, and would have punished me more
had not my mother interfered. He then told her to go away or he would
compel her to, but she remained until he left me. I struggled
mightily, and stood him a good test for a while, but he was fast
conquering me when my mother came. He was aware my mother could
usually defend herself against one man, and both of us would overpower
him, so after giving his wife strict orders to take me up stairs and
keep me there, he took his carriage and drove away. But she forgot it,
as usual. She was highly gratified with my appropriate treatment, as
she called it, and retired to her room, leaving me to myself. I then
went to my mother and told her I was going away. She bid me go, and
added "May the Lord help you." I started for the Arsenal again and
succeeded in gaining admittance and seeing the Adjutant. He ordered me
to go to another tent, where there was a woman in similar
circumstances, cooking. When the General found I was there he sent me
to the boarding house. I remained there three weeks, and when I went I
wore the same stained clothing as when I was so severely punished,
which has left a mark on my head which will ever remind me of my
treatment while in slavery. Thanks be to God, though tortured by wrong
and goaded by oppression, the hearts that would madden with misery
have broken the iron yoke.