*Interview with Jim Gillard*
--_Preston Klein, Opelika, Alabama_
_SOLD AT THREE MONTHS FOR $350_
Jim Gillard was eleven years old when the War between the States began.
Thus, the memories of the conflict are fresh; with the retreat from
Rome, Ga., to Salem, Ala., as a refugee, transcending the others.
Jim was born on a plantation at Pendleton, S.C., and was sold for $350
when he was only three months old. He was one of eight children
belonging to James and Hannah Gillard.
"Atter bein' sold, I fust lived 'bout three miles from Rome, Ga.," Jim
recalled. "Den, when de Yankees come into Georgy us refugeed fust to
Atlanta, den to Columbus an' later to Salem. Us was at Salem when de war
ended."
Jim remembers catching partridges as a boy, taking them to the train and
selling them to Charlie Crowder for ten cents each.
"Game was plentiful in dem days," he said, "an' I never had any trouble
catchin' dem birds.
"No'm, our houses wasn't nothin' to brag about. Dey was built of hewn
logs an' had slab floors, havin' two rooms an' a shed cook room. Us beds
was lak tables, wid four legs nailed on to de sides an' den corded over
de top wid ropes dat was tightened wid a big key. Us had shuck
mattresses to sleep on.
"Us cooked on a great big fireplace. I 'members dat dere was plenty of
meat in de winter, 'ca'se Ol' Marster used to kill as many as thirty
hogs at a time. Us had meat an' bread an' home-made light bread an' de
white folks was mighty kind. I 'members us was carried to Sunday School
every Sunday at 3 o'clock in de evenin'. Ol' Mistus'd teach us de
lesson. De white chilluns had dere Sunday School at 9 o'clock in de
mornin.'
"I allus went to Sunday School, but on de week days us little niggers
would slip off an' go huntin' when we could."
Jim recalls that "de little niggers" ate from tin plates on the
plantation; but declared he didn't mind that because the food was always
good.
"Yes'm, us had purty good clothes. Dey was dyed brown wid walnut leaves
an' hazelnut bush, an' on Sunday us had striped gingham pants an' shoes.
My father was de shoemaker an' had a gov'mint tan yard whar he would
make ol' hard brogans fer $8 a pair.
"My marster an' Mistus was Steven an' 'Lizbeth Wilson. Dey fust lived in
a big log house, but den moved into a planked house. Dey had nine
chillun; Ann, Steven, William, Liza, Humie, Eddie, Laura, Mary an'
Lizzie.
"I 'members lots 'bout Mistus 'Lizabeth, 'ca'se she useter read de Bible
to us niggers. She would talk to us 'bout de Good Book an' have prayer
meetin' wid us.
"My dad useter look atter de fiel' hands. No'm, he war'nt no overseer,
but Ol' Marster allus had confidence in him.
"I 'members dat when dey would be a funeral, us'd sing; marchin' befo'
de body 'fore us'd get to de grave an' singin', 'Hark come de tune a
doleful sound, my years a tender cry; a livin' man come view de ground
whar you may shortly lie.'
"Us frolics on Sattidy night was fine an' us'd dance 'twel mos' day.
Marster's brother would fiddle for us, an' at Christmas time us would
have six days to frolic. Us also had a big time at de cornshuckin's, an'
us'd whoop an' holler an' sing mos' all night. De big niggers had plenty
of liquor de boss give 'um. High tables was filled up wid corn an' de
niggers would shuck 'twel it was all done.
"My aunt married up at de big house an' dey give her a big dance. Dey
had de fiddle and had a great big time. Dey jes' jumped over de broom to
marry, so atter slavery dey had to git married agin.
"I acted as houseboy in slavery times. An' all de little niggers did
have lots of fun.
"When de slaves got ailin', I 'members dat Marster had Dr. Word an' Dr.
Dunwoody to come to see us.
"I 'members, too, how de Yankees come to Spring Villa, 'bout eight miles
from Opelika, an' said to some mens, 'Halt'. De mens wouldn't stop so de
Yankees throwed dey guns on dem. Two white ladies threw a white flag an'
dey wouldn't shoot, but dey carried Mr. John Edwards to Spring Villa an'
made a cross on his wrist; den turned him loose 'ca'se his wife was rale
sick.
"When de Yankees come, us niggers buried a cigar box wid de jewelry in
it under a certain pine tree 'twel dey went on.
"Atter de big war, I married Jane Davis fust time; den Carrie Cooper. Us
had two chillun an' one gran' chile, Emanuel Trotter, ten year' old.
"Yassu'm, Mr. Abraham Lincoln died a warrior for dis country. I b'longs
to de church, 'ca'se if a man dies outter de Ark he is not saved, an' I
wants to be saved."