Conditions there were not as bad as I had seen along the line of march,
although they were bad enough. Mr. and Mrs. Braswell received me as if I
had been one of their own family. I found the premises badly
dilapidated, fences down everywhere and everything in disorder, the
negro men gone, following the yankee army, the negro women and children
were still left to be taken care of by their Master and Mistress. Before
leaving the Yankees started to set the premises on fire but the servant
intervened and begged for their good master and mistress and they
desisted in their intentions. I asked if old Sallie could wash my
clothes I had on, and if I could borrow something to put on while mine
was in process of cleaning, for the enemy had stolen my trunk and its
contents and I had no change of garments. Mr. Braswell was of very
corpulent stature, fully six feet high, weighing about 250 pounds, while
I, in my emaciated condition only weighed 135. One of his garments would
have wrapped twice around me. At 12 o'clock dinner was announced, and I
was surprised at the good and substantial meal that was served. The
menu consisted of fried ham and eggs, corn bread, biscuits, butter and
honey. I said, "folks, you ought not to complain; if you had gone
through where I have and seen what I have seen you would feel like you
live like royalty, for I have seen women and children scratch in the
ground for a few grains of corn for sustenance where the enemy's horses
were camped and fed." Mr. Braswell then explained how he managed when he
heard of the enemy's approach. He took his cattle, horses and mules and
everything he could move, deep in the Ogeechee swamp, leaving only a few
broke down around his premises which the enemy, General Kilpatrick's
cavalry, shot down and left for the buzzards. Mrs. Braswell asked me
what I was going to do. I said I did not know; I was in hope to meet
Cousin Abe Hermann, but you say he was taken prisoner. Do you know where
they carried him to? They answered, No, that Cousin Abe was drafted and
went, as a sutler in General Rube Carswell's regiment and was captured
by the enemy and that they had heard nothing from him, direct. Then Mr.
Braswell said, As long as I've got a mouthful I will divide with you. We
are poor and I don't know how to begin with the new order of things, all
the hands having left me. After telling Mrs. Braswell about her kindred
in Alabama and of my ups and downs during that afternoon, I spent a
sleepless night, ruminating in my mind as to what to do. The future
looked dark, the country was ruined. Wherever I cast my eyes, conditions
looked the same. The following morning after breakfast I approached Mr.
Braswell, saying, My friend, I can't accept your proposition to be an
extra burden to you in your already impoverished condition. He said,
What are you going to do? I said, The next time you hear from me I will
be in a position to make a support, or I will be a dead cock in the pit.
I am going to leave this morning. I left for Sandersville, where I met
many friends. While there I heard of some of the boys having picked up
an abandoned Confederate wagon. There were about fifteen that claimed a
share in it. The next day I went to Milledgeville and stopped this side
at Mr. Stroters, who had run a distillery during the war. I said, Mr.
Stroter have you any whiskey on hand? He said, Yes, one barrel, I had it
buried. Can I get about five gallons? He said, Yes. What will you take
for it? Five dollars a gallon, in Yankee money, the Confederate money is
no good now. I said, I'll take five gallons if you have a keg to put it
in. I have no money of the description you want, but I will leave you my
horse in bond.
Early in the morning I proceeded on my way to Macon, carrying the five
gallon keg of whiskey on my shoulder. The journey was a long one,
thirty-two miles, with a burden and it being summer time was no small
undertaking. I arrived however, in East Macon the following day. I
entered the woods in search of a clay root where I could hide away my
burden. I found a large tree that was blown down, leaving a big hole,
where I placed my keg and covered it with leaves. I marked the place so
as to find it when wanted. I also carried a canteen full of liquor under
my coat, and walked towards Macon. On the way I met a Federal in deep
study. I passed him a step or two, then stopped and said, Say! He
turned, saying, you speak to me? I said, Yes, would you like to have a
drink? He said, Yes, the best in the world. I tell you how you can get
this canteen full. If you bring me out a mule this side the sentinel I
will give you this canteen full. He remarked, You'll wait yonder until I
return. I waited over an hour, when I saw him come on a small mule. The
exchange was quickly effected, and I rode back to Milledgeville and left
the mule at Stroters. After eating a hearty meal I returned on foot to
Macon, I repeated the same tactics, brought back three mules and sold
over one hundred drinks at $1.00 a drink, paid Stroter my debt and
returned to Washington County, left my stock with my friend B. S. Jordan
to tend his crop, who at that time had a negro plowing an old steer. I
said, Ben, Work your crop, for I do not know how long you can keep them.
I returned to Sandersville in quest of the boys who claimed the captured
Confederate wagon, and to purchase it. They agreed if I would bring each
a wool hat from Savannah on my return I could have the wagon, which I
agreed to. Major Irwin gave me an old set of gears and I was ready to
carry freight from Sandersville and Washington County to Savannah for a
living, for let it be known that Sherman in his vandalism tore up the
Central railroad all the way from Macon to Savannah, Ga., and for eight
months after the surrender I continued wagoning hauling freight back and
forth, taking the weather as it came, rain or shine, cold or warm.