THE PLANTERS AND THE FREEDMEN’S BUREAU.
As the season for contracting with the freedmen of the islands
approached, the old planters from the main land and sea islands could
be seen hastening to the quarters of the “black major” for consultation
with him.
The picture of the statesman warrior of St. Domingo, surrounded by the
conquered and impoverished planters of the island, dictating terms to
them, was again reproduced in our time, with the black officer in the
foreground as the chief figure, giving law to the planters of South
Carolina.
Without the assistance of the Bureau, the planters would have been
unable to proceed at any time after the war, and that section of
the country would have presented a most deplorable aspect. For the
freedmen, in view of their past condition, were naturally suspicious
of their offers, and, partly resting on the promises held out of
lands being given to them, were with difficulty persuaded to accept
employment from them. And the often repeated tales of cruelty, with
the many evidences of glaring fraud, practised upon those who had been
employed immediately after the war, helped to give an odium to the
planters which threatened to interfere greatly with the reproduction
of their cotton and rice. After the establishment of the Freedmen’s
Bureau by Congress, the presence of a competent sub-commissioner, whom
neither threats nor bribes could move, supported by the strong arm of
the Bureau, could check these malpractices and adjust all difficulties
between them. And in this mediatorial character he was placed, without
the slightest deviation from his principles, or assuming more to
himself than was guaranteed by his position: respected by the planters,
trusted and regarded by the freedmen with a sentiment of pride mingled
with reverence, he has, by this means, wrought out incalculable
advantages to the cause of reconstruction, and given to these islands
the germs of a civilization previously unknown, while in his own
administration he has given to the country abundant demonstration of
the negro capability for government.
The planters at first disliked the presence of the Bureau in their
midst; but powerless to retard its operations, and witnessing its
impartial administration, and the growing prosperity of their
district, as the result, have reconciled themselves, and some have
even acknowledged it as a _success_. Thus we find the quarters of the
major visited for consultation by the representatives of a class,
prior to the war, the most bitter opponents of black men’s rights,
and many who were conspicuous in the late rebellion, in the interest
of the confederacy. There might have been seen Colonel Charles J.
Colcock, who commanded the Confederate cavalry at Honey Hill against
General Hatch; Colonel Jos. Stoney, Rev. James Stoney, Colonel E. M.
Seabrook, who commanded at the fortification before the capture of
Hilton Head; Mr. Hayward, J. W. Pope, upon whose lands the batteries
were found erected at the capture of Hilton Head; Major Manning Kirk,
Drs. Seabrook, Kirk, and Pritchard, Ellis, and Crowell, besides many of
the younger planters of the families of the Barnwells, Rhetts, Fripps,
Elliots, and Fullers, including the young General Stephen Elliot, who
commanded at Fort Sumter, and Jacob Jenkins Mikell, the famous Edisto
planter of the long staple cotton. While the affairs of the Bureau
were thus being conducted by him, General Scott divided the state into
sub-districts, assigning an officer to each. Hilton Head had now been
visited three times by the general, and on each occasion the quarters
of the major were officially visited, previous to the following order
being received, which is another indication of the satisfaction of his
immediate commander in regard to his official conduct:--
HEADQUARTERS, STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
CHARLESTON, S. C., June 11, 1866.
_General Orders. No. 5._
_Extract._
III. The _Military Reservation of Hilton Head_ and its
Dependencies, known as the Islands of Hilton Head, together
with Dawfuskie, Bull, and Pinckney Islands, are hereby
announced as the territorial limits of, and will constitute
the Bureau District of Hilton Head, with Major _M. R. Delany_,
U. S. C. T., as _Sub-Assistant Commissioner_, in charge, with
headquarters at Hilton Head.
By command of
Brevet Major General R. K. SCOTT.
H. W. SMITH, _Brevet Lt. Col. Ass’t. Adj. Gen._
Official.
H. W. SMITH,
_Assistant Adjutant General_.