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607 Cypress Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age 98
"This is me. I'se old and ain't no 'count. I was done grown when the war started. You know I was grown when I was
washin' and ironin'. I stood right there and watched the soldiers goin' to war. I heered the big bell go b-o-n-g,
b-o-n-g and everybody sayin' 'There's goin' to be a war, there's goin' to be a war!' They was gettin' up the force to go
bless your heart! Said they'd be back by nine tomorrow and some said 'I'm goin' to bring you a Yankee scalp.' And
then they come again and want so many. You could hear the old drums go boom -- boom. They was drums on this
side and drums on that side and them drums was a talkin'! Yes'm, I'se here when it started -- milkin' cows, washin'
and cookin'. Oh, that was a time. Oh my Lord -- them Yankees come in just like blackbirds. They said the war was
to free the folks. Lots of 'em got killed on the first battle.
"I was born in Bastrop, Louisiana in February -- I was a February colt.
"My old master was John Lovett and he was good to us. If anybody put their hands on any of his folks they'd have
him to whip tomorrow. They called us old John's free niggers. Yes ma'm I had a good master. I ain't got a scratch on
me. I stayed right in the house and nussed till I'se grown. We had a good time but some of 'em seed sights. I stayed
there a year after we was free.
"I married durin' the war and my husband went to war with my uncle. He didn't come back and I waited three years
and then I married again.
"You know they used to give the soldiers furloughs. One time one young man come home and he wouldn't go back,
just hid out in the cane brake. Then the men come that was lookin' for them that 'exerted' durin' the war and they
waited till he come out for somethin' to eat and they caught him and took him out in the bayou and shot him. That
was the onliest dead man I ever seen. I seen a heap of live ones.
"The war was gettin' hot then and old master was in debt. Old mistress had a brother named Big Marse Lewis. He
wanted to take all us folks and sell us in New Orleans and said he'd get 'em out of debt. But old master wouldn't do
it. I know Marse Lewis got us in the jail house in Bastrop and Mare John come to get us out and Marse Lewis shot
him down. I went to my master's burial -- yes'm, I did! Old mistress didn't let us go to New Orleans either. Oh
Lordy, I was young them days and I wasn't afraid of nothin'.
"Oh ho! What you talkin' 'bout? Ku Klux? They come out here just like blackbirds. They tried to scare the people
and some of 'em they killed.
"Yes Lord, I seen a heap. I been through a lot and I seen a heap, but I'm here yet. But I hope I never live to see
another war.
"When peace was declared, old mistress say 'You goin' to miss me' and I sho did. They's good to us. I ain't got
nothin' to do now but sit here and praise the Lord cause I gwine to go home some day."
Interviewer Mrs. Carol Graham"
