"The slaves learned through their masters that they were free. The
Yankees never told the niggers anything. They could tell those who
were with them that they were free. And they notified the people to
notify their niggers that they were free. 'Release him. If he wants to
stay with you yet, he may. We don't require him to go away but you
must let him know he is free.'
"The masters said, 'You are free now, Johnnie, just as free as I am.'
Many of them put their things in a little wagon and moved to some
other plantation or town or house. But a heap of them stayed right
where they were.
"My father found out before my mother did. He was living across town
behind us about one-fourth of a mile. Dr. Tie, his master, had a post
office, and that post office was where they got the news. My father
got the news before my master did. He got on to it through being on
with Dr. Tie. So my father got the news before my master, Asa Brown,
did and he come over and told my mother before my master did. But my
master came out the next thing and told her she could go or come as
she pleased. She said she'd stay right along. And we got along just as
we always did--until my father came and told us he was going to
Atlanta with a crew of Yankees.