I was born in Richmond, in Virginny, back in 1859, and my mammy and pappy was slaves to a man named Miles , what lived in Richmond but owned three plantations out a few miles, and 'bout fifteen hundred niggers. Pappy was de fam'ly coachman and druv de li'l surrey when Massa gwine see he plantations. On Sunday he druv de big coach to church. Don Old Massa wear do big stove-pipe hat and de long-skirt coat and he big boots. Pappy, he wear de tall hat with de blue uniform with brass buttons, and black, shiny boots. He have de long horsewhip to crack at dem hosses - he drive four or six hosses, 'cause dat coach am big and heavy and de roads an often muddy. Massa allus went to de big fairs in Louisville and Richmond, where de big hoss races am. Dey name de hosses for Abe Lincoln and Steve Douglas, in 1860. De bettin' song what dey sings as like dis: Dere's a old plow hoss, whose name am Doug. doo, dah, doo-dah - He's short and thick, a reg'lar plug, oh, doo, dah, doo-dah, doo - We're born to work all night. we're born to work all day. I'll bet my money on de Lincoln hoss, who bats on Steven A?' Well, dat do way us lives jos' befo' de war. When de presidents calls for volunteers, Virginny goes for de Rebels, and dey noves de capitol to Richmond. So Old Massa sees he'll be right in de thick of de war and he 'sides to come to Texas. He gits he slaves and he folks and hosses and cattle and he household things in de covered wagon and starts. Course, do hosses and cattle walks, and so does us niggers. But asses take he time and stops wherever he wants. It takes two years to make do trip. He stay de whole winter one place, and stops in Nashville and Memphis and Vicksburg. All dose places he trade de hosses and mules and oxen and niggers and everything else he have.

But he wouldn't trade he pers'nal slaves. Day have de big warehouse in places like Memphis, and take de nigger de day befo' de sale and give him plenty to eat to sake him lock in good humor. Dey chain him up de night befo' de sale, and iffen he as do fightin' nigger, day handcuffs him. De auctioneer say, 'Dis nigger an eighteen year old, sound as de dollar, can pick 300 pounds of cotton a day, good disposition, easy to manage, come up 'xamine him.' Dey strips him to de waist and everybody look him over and de good ones brung $1,500 sometimes. I seed de old mammy and her two boys and gals sold. One man buys de boys and old neary cry, but it don't do no good. 'Nother man bids de two gals and mammy throw such a fit her old massa throws her in, 'cause she too old to be much 'count. De siege of Vicksburg 'gins jus' after old massa done left there, on he way to Texas. He friends tell him all 'bout it. Coffee was $4.00 de pound, tea $18.00, butter to $2.00 de pound, corn $15.00 de bar'l, calico $1.75 de yard and muslin 'bout $7.00 de yard. De Rebels holds de city long as they could. De bluff over de city have do caves in it and day's rented for high rent. Flour am $10.00 de pound and bacon $5.00. Dey eats mule meat, and day give it de French name, 'Mule tongue cold, a la bray.' "We keep's up with what happen and after de war day tells us 'bout Richmond. De lab'tory an blowed up Friday, and do Stuart home burnt. Befo' Richmond am taken, day sings dis song:  Would you like to hear my song? I'm 'fraid its rather long - Of de "On to Richmond,' double trouble, Of de half a dozen trips And de half a dozen slips, And do latest bustin' of do bubble. Pull off you coat and roll up you sleeve, For Richmond am a hard road to travel - Than pull off you coat and roll up you sleeve. For Richmond as a hard road to travel.' "Dey sung dat song to de old tune call 'Old Rosin de Beau.' "De war ends and in de few months old massa sot he slaves free.

He give my pappy some money and he starts out for heself. He goes to Milligan and rents land and raises he fam'ly. Old Massa never goes back to Richmond. De Yanks gits what he left so dey no use gwine back dere. He lives in Franklin till 1914. It ain't like Old Virginny, but dey's plenty wild game and hawgs and he raises a bale of cotton to de acre, so he have money once more. "Dey's folks comin' to Texas all de time from de old states. It am de new world and dey likes it. Dey has de Juneteenth cel'bration after 'while, and do white folks gives us beeves and hawgs to barbecue, so Texas an do good place to stay. When I's 'bout growed, I starts workin' on de I. & G. M. railroad and helps build it from Houston into Waco. I works for it for years and years, and allus lives near de Bragos River. I's lived here in Mart forty years. "I doesn't have do bitter mem'ries like some de niggers. 'Cause Old massa allus good so us, I's had do good life and am 'bout ready to go to Hebben, and hopes I can see Old Massa dare.

I was born in Richmond, Virginia, in eighteen hundred and fifty-nine. My mammy and pappy was slaves ob a man by de name ob Miles , I does not 'member his giben name. His home whar my pappy libed was in de city ob Richmond, but his plantations was out a few miles, he owned three plantations an' 'bout fifteen hundred niggers. "  , Mam, I kin 'member lots ob things dey tell 'bout w'en I was a baby befo' an' atter I was older. I kin 'member how my pappy tole 'bout de ole Marster's daughter a slippin' him off from de big house ter one ob de cabins whar we libed in Richmon' an' teachin' him ter read an' write. Den I 'member how my pappy tole 'bout w'en he was de fambly coachman fer de ole Marster in Richmon', he drove de little fambly surry fer de Marster w'en he went ter see 'bout de plantations, de overseer on dem would make report ter de Marster ebery Saturday 'bout w'at he paid out an' what he sold an' bought. De ole Marster would go Friday an' Saturday mornin's ter git de reports an' take some money ter de oberseer. Den on a Sunday my pappy drive de wimmen ter church in de big fambly coach er kerridge, some time de Marster would go, but mos'ly jes' de wimmen an' de chillun go, dey went ter de big church in Richmon'. W'en dey go ter church an' de ole Marster go, he has de stable boy ter hitch up de big roan horses whilst he git ready, an' while my pappy is dressin'. De Ole Marster wear de big stove-pipe hat an' de long skirt coat, an' his big boots, an' in de winter a big muffler roun' his neck. An' my pappy, (de coachman) wear de tall hat too wid de blue uniform an' de brass buttons an black shiny boots, den he has a long horse whip ter crack at de horses. Some times he drive four or six horses, de kerridge was big an' heavy an' de roads in de winter 'ud be muddy. De stable boy bring de horses roun' an' hol's dem fer de fambly ter step in de kerridge, an' he has ter git out de way quick, fer dey prance so dey hard ter hold. My pappy cum out an' takes hol' ob de reins an' den dey ready ter go. He has ter hol' dem back an' sit tight, den de stable boy go back an' wait fer dem ter cum home, w'en he takes dem an' curries dem an' feeds an' water's dem. De horses is taken as good keer ob as de Marster's chillun. Sometimes de daughter goes ober ter visit in Louisville, Kentucky, whar she been ter school once. Maybe she take a frien' an' dey take dey valises an' dey lunches an' take dey time an' stop on de way an' stay all night at a hotel, dey tell my pappy ter take good keer ob dem an' he takes dem whar dey goin' an' den he leabes dem an' goes back w'ile dey git dey visit out. Dey take dey party dresses an' de young folkses whar dey visit has dances an' huntin' parties an' de young Massas from de nearby plantations ober ter meet dem, den w'en dey visit is ober dey bring de young ladies dey visit back home wid dem ter return de visit maybe. If not, den dey cum later an' den dey do like dey did in Louisville. Dey has de dances an' de good times. Dey dress w'en dey goes ter church an' ter de parties in de little tight waist dresses an' de hoop skirts, an' wear dey hair hangin' down dey back in curls. "But de thing dat I liked ter hear dem tell 'bout de bes' was de races at de big fairs ober in Louisville an' at Richmon' too. W'en dey had de race fer de President, between Abe Lincoln an' Steve Douglass , in de year eighteen an' sixty, de year atter I was born, I has heard de folks talk 'bout how dey named de horses fer Abe an' Steve at de races. Dey say de bookies would pass in an' out ob de gran-stan' an' sing out dey bettin' song on de horse race as dey takin' de bets. Dere's an' ole plow hoss, whose name is Doug, doo, dah, doo-dah He's short an' thick, a regular plug, oh, doo, dah, doo-dah, doo, We're born ter work all night, we're born ter work all day, I'll bet my money on de Lincoln hoss, who bets on de Steven A? De folks in de gran-stan's take de bets an' den de races begin, an' my old pappy an' his ole Marster bof' bets on de Steven A, hoss, Sometimes one win an' den 'nudder. An' sometime dey goes broke a-bettin' but our Marster did not bet our folks off dey say like some ob dem did. I kin 'member w'en I was a boy dem tellin' how de jockeys dat rode de race horse look'. Dey dress up 'special fer de big races. Dey wears de blue silk cap, an de uniform wid de gold an' silver trimmin's, spankin' bran new suit, an' de black boots.  "Den

I 'member how my pappy tole 'bout w'en he was de fambly coachman fer de ole Marster in Richmon', he drove de little fambly surry fer de Marster w'en he went ter see 'bout de plantations, de overseer on dem would make report ter de Marster ebery Saturday 'bout w'at he paid out an' what he sold an' bought. De ole Marster would go Friday an' Saturday mornin's ter git de reports an' take some money ter de oberseer. Den on a Sunday my pappy drive de wimmen ter church in de big fambly coach er kerridge, some time de Marster would go, but mos'ly jes' de wimmen an' de chillun go, dey went ter de big church in Richmon'. W'en dey go ter church an' de ole Marster go, he has de stable boy ter hitch up de big roan horses whilst he git ready, an' while my pappy is dressin'. De Ole Marster wear de big stove-pipe hat an' de long skirt coat, an' his big boots, an' in de winter a big muffler roun' his neck. An' my pappy, (de coachman) wear de tall hat too wid de blue uniform an' de brass buttons an black shiny boots, den he has a long horse whip ter crack at de horses. Some times he drive four or six horses, de kerridge was big an' heavy an' de roads in de winter 'ud be muddy. De stable boy bring de horses roun' an' hol's dem fer de fambly ter step in de kerridge, an' he has ter git out de way quick, fer dey prance so dey hard ter hold. My pappy cum out an' takes hol' ob de reins an' den dey ready ter go. He has ter hol' dem back an' sit tight, den de stable boy go back an' wait fer dem ter cum home, w'en he takes dem an' curries dem an' feeds an' water's dem. De horses is taken as good keer ob as de Marster's chillun. Sometimes de daughter goes ober ter visit in Louisville, Kentucky, whar she been ter school once. Maybe she take a frien' an' dey take dey valises an' dey lunches an' take dey time an' stop on de way an' stay all night at a hotel, dey tell my pappy ter take good keer ob dem an' he takes dem whar dey goin' an' den he leabes dem an' goes back w'ile dey git dey visit out. Dey take dey party dresses an' de young folkses whar dey visit has dances an' huntin' parties an' de young Massas from de nearby plantations ober ter meet dem, den w'en dey visit is ober dey bring de young ladies dey visit back home wid dem ter return de visit maybe. If not, den dey cum later an' den dey do like dey did in Louisville. Dey has de dances an' de good times. Dey dress w'en dey goes ter church an' ter de parties in de little tight waist dresses an' de hoop skirts, an' wear dey hair hangin' down dey back in curls. "But de thing dat I liked ter hear dem tell 'bout de bes' was de races at de big fairs ober in Louisville an' at Richmon' too. W'en dey had de race fer de President, between Abe Lincoln an' Steve Douglass, in de year eighteen an' sixty, de year atter I was born, I has heard de folks talk 'bout how dey named de horses fer Abe an' Steve at de races. Dey say de bookies would pass in an' out ob de gran-stan' an' sing out dey bettin' song on de horse race as dey takin' de bets. "Dere's an' ole plow hoss, whose name is Doug, doo, dah, doo-dah He's short an' thick, a regular plug, oh, doo, dah, doo-dah, doo, We're born ter work all night, we're born ter work all day, I'll bet my money on de Lincoln hoss, who bets on de Steven A?" "De folks in de gran-stan's take de bets an' den de races begin, an' my old pappy an' his ole Marster bof' bets on de Steven A, hoss, Sometimes one win an' den 'nudder. An' sometime dey goes broke a-bettin' but our Marster did not bet our folks off dey say like some ob dem did. I kin 'member w'en I was a boy dem tellin' how de jockeys dat rode de race horse look'. Dey dress up 'special fer de big races. Dey wears de blue silk cap, an de uniform wid de gold an' silver trimmin's, spankin' bran new suit, an' de black boots.  "De jockey mus' practice an' keep on a practicin'. Yer mus' know w'en ter hol' de horse back an' w'en ter let him go. De Massa keep 'er practice track an' de jockey boys keep hit hot. I kin' see dem race horses, long slim laigs, high arch heads an' small bodies. Can't yer see dat horse go roun' de track er clickin' his feet? Ker-klonk, ker-klonk, ker-klonk, as dey fly's roun' de track, an' goin' like de win'. "W'en he on de race track 'er runnin' de big races an' de boys gives him de bridle an' turn's him loose ter de gran' finish, yer can hear de gran-stan's clappin' an' er goin' wild. Dey stan' up an' waves dey hankerchefs an' cries an' laffs, an' 'specially effn dey horse wins in de race. Some ob de ole Massa's git so excited dat dey bet dey nigger's an' den effn dey has de money an' dey has bet de ones dey like ter keep den dey buys dem back.

Well dis de way de libed jes' befo' de war. De year dat Abe Lincoln was 'lected President. I has heard my folks talk 'bout hit long as dey libed, an' de ole Massa too. De preaches tell dem dat de storm clouds ob war er hangin' ober dem but dey pay no 'tention ter dem. Our ole Marster thinkin' 'bout his plantations an' he slaves an' he too ole ter go ter de war anyway. "I 'members hearin' dem tell 'bout de first shot ob de war, hit was on Fort Sumpter. Abe Lincoln had sent de word dat he gwine ter send provision's ter de fort an' de rebels fired on de boats as well as I kin 'member. I kin 'member hearin' dem tell how de whole town ob Charleston went down ter de ribber ter see de first shot fired. Dis was on de twelfth of April, eighteen an' sixty-one, an' w'en de President called fer de volunteers, den Virginny went fer de rebels, an' dey moved de capital ter Richmon'. So my ole Marster saw dat he would be in de war, an' he decided ter cum ter Texas, ter 'scape hit. He took several hundred ob his slaves an' his folks an' horses an' cattle an' his house hol' things an' in a covered wagon driving de mules, horses, an oxen, he started fer Texas. Dey walk long by de wagon an' drive dem wid de long whips. Dey took dere time an' started in time ter stop along de way all dey want an' went befo' de battles at some ob de places. Hit took two years ter make de trip. He stay a whole winter on de way at one place. Dey stop in Nashville, Memphis an' Vicksburg, Mississippi. All ob dese places dey trade de horses, mules, oxen, niggers an' anything dat he has he trades an' sells. My ole Marster sold an' traded on he slaves an' eberything he had on de way ter Texas, but he did not trade he personal slaves dat had libed wid him in Richmon', he kept all he personel slaves an' brought dem wid him an' kept dem until freedom.

Does I know how dey sold de slaves? I'ze heard dem tell 'bout hit all my life. Dey has de warehouse in de big cities like Memphis, an' Nashville, sometimes dey take de nigger ter hit de day befo' de sale, gib him plenty ter eat, dis is ter make dem look in good humor. Den dey lock dem up fer de night. Effn he is a fightin' nigger, han'cuff him, sometimes chain several togedder wid a chain four or five feet long, dey sleep on pallets. Nex' mornin' dey give dem breakfus' an' dey ready fer de sale. De guard takes dem down ter de platform whar dey is put on de block one atter de udder, den de ole auctioneer start de biddin' off. He say, "Dis nigger is eighteen years ole, he soun' as a dollar, an' he kin pick three hundred pounds ob cotton a day, good disposition, easy ter manage, come up an' examine him, look at his shoulders, regular prize-fighter; good cotton picker." Den dey strips him ter de waist an' de buyers cum an' look him ober, den dey start ter biddin', one man say "a hundred dollars," nuther say "hundred fifty", nuther say "two hundred", an nuther raises his bid an' so hit goes on 'til de good ones bring fifteen hundred dollars sometime. Dey takes dem make dem open dey mouth an' see de kin' ob teeth, feel dey arms an' body an' look at each odder same as ter say, "Nothin' de matter wid dis one, I won't lose on him.    W'en dey is sold de auctioneer say "Sold", and he bangs de hammer down on de table an' de man dat buys him cum's an' git him. Our ole Massa did not trade any ob our folks off fer we had been wid him too long, an' had been in de house wid dem waitin' on de white folks eber since dey was in Richmon'. Dey had de slave speculators like dey has in de cotton buyers, dey buys de slaves ter sell ergin an' some buys dem ter work on de farm er de house. Mos'ly ter work on de farms an' in de house, effn hit is slave gals an' wimmen. Dere was ole Mammy wid her two boys an' two gals; one plantation man cums an' looks at de boys, w'en de boys go on de block, he say, "Dey is de very ones he wants," an' he bid dem up an' buy dem right now. Ole Mammy cry but hit don' do no good, he takes dem down on a plantation, way down in Mississippi. Den anudder plantation man bids de two gals an' mammy throw such a fit dat her ole Massa throw her in kaze she gittin' too ole ter be much 'count. De plantation owner dat took Mammy an' de two girls takes dem down near whar de boys go an' dey libe dar 'til de Yankees cum an' set dem free. Dey has de big slave warehouses in Nashville an' Memphis. We stay at bof places several months an' de winter cumin' on an' we goes on down ter Vicksburg, Mississippi, an' stay 'til de Yankees on de way down dere, den we go ober inter Louisiana. "I will try ter tell yer little bit 'bout de war, an' w'at dey was doin' at dis time.

As well as I kin 'member, w'at my folks tell dis was in de fall ob eighteen-sixty-two. General Grant was at Holly Springs; General Forrest had cut de railroads an' so Grant went back ter Memphis, but Sherman had cum down de ribber an' landed his soljers up de Yazoo Ribber. De ribber had been on an overflow so de soljers took malaria an' had de fevers. An' de rebels had de bes' places on de hills an' on de creeks an' bayou's, dey had a levee dat was a hundred feet thick an' eighteen feet high, shuttin' up de Yazoo Pass, w'en General Grant cum back dey exploded a mine an' opened up de Pass. Den de rebels cut de trees down an' put dem in de way 'cross de Yazoo; in one place I hear dem tell 'bout how dey put eighty trees cross de bank fer more dan a mile long, dis made de Yankees have ter clear all dis away 'fore dey could go on. Dey kept on fightin' first one place den anuther 'til dey has de battle ob Champion Hill, whar Pamberton was located, his force ob men was 'bout eighteen thousand men, de Yankees took 'bout twenty five hundred prisoners an' killed 'bout fourteen hundred men an' de res' ob de rebels fled towards Vicksburg. De Yankees den had 'nuther victory at a bridge ober de Big Black river whar Pamberton had five thousand soljers an' w'en he lost at dis place he retreated ter Vicksburg, an' de Yankees had command ob de Yazoo Ribber an' all no'th ob Vicksburg. Dey was now on de bluffs whar dey had been tryin' ter get fer so long wid de guns dey had taken an' de stores of ammunition de rebels had ter leave in dey hurry ter get away befo' dey taken prisoners. Den de seige ob Vicksburg begun. General Grant's army was 'bout seventy thousand men; an' de rebels 'bout half so dey jes' held de city long as dey could an' de Yankees jes' starved dem out is de way hit cum down ter us from de folks dat was libin' ober close ter Vicksburg. De bluff ober de city had caves in hit an' de folks in de city moved inter dem, de bes' caves rented fer high rent, an' de food was so high dat folks was starvin' mos'. Flour sold fer ten dollars a pound an' bacon fer five dollars, an' dey eat mule meat, dey say "Mule tongue cold, a-la-Bray," an' named hit a french dish. De folks dat libed in dem days say dat de newspapers would not gibe up hope an' dey say "De great General Grant intends ter celebrate de Fourth ob July by big dinner in de city, but he has ter ketch his rabbit 'fore he cooks hit." But de General caught his rabbit an' on de mornin' ob de Fourth ob July, dey was in de city. Dis meant dat de Mississippi was open ter de Yankees an' dey tell dat de merchant steamer Imperial dat lef' St. Louis on de eighth made hits way inter New Orleans on de sixteenth.

My ole Marster had already left Vicksburg but dey tell him 'bout hit atter de city taken. Hit was de same way in Richmon' w'en dey had de seige in de winter ob eighteen an' sixty-two, er three, coffee was four dollars a pound, tea eighteen ter twenty dollars, butter from a dollar an' a half ter two dollars 'er pound, lard fifty cents, corn fifteen dollars a barrel, calico a dollar an' seventy-five cents a yard, an' muslin dress goods was six ter eight dollars er yard. So de wimmen all used de homespun goods an' knitted dey own stockin's. An' de hats de ladies wore was de plaited out ob rye straw an' made wide brims an' fixed dem up like dey used ter buy from Paris befo' de Yankees shut off dey supplies. We way off on de way ter Texas in Louisiana but we keep up wid w'at is happenin' an' den w'en de war is ober some ob de niggers dat stay in Richmon' cum an' tell us all 'bout hit. Dey tole us 'bout de blowing up ob de Labratory on Friday whar wimmen an' girls an' boys was workin' an' hit killin' some ob dem; an' de burnin' ob de Stuart home dat was named "Chantilly." Den dere was de death ob Stonewell Jackson dat eberybody lobed, dey say dat de funeral train was carried thro' de streets ob Richmon' an' den ter Lexington. De body was wrapped in er Confederate flag an' covered wid de lillies ob de valley an' udder spring flowers. He was buried, at his dyin' request, in de "Valley ob Virginny". Er w'ite lady wrote in de paper 'bout his death an' write er little verse dat go like dis:    May his speerit forever wrap de dusky mountain, An' his memory allers lib ergin, As de smalles' boyou an' de bigges' ribber, Rolls on dey way wid his name forever." W'en de war ended an' few months atter-ward our ole Marster set his slaves free; he gave my pappy some money an' he started out fer himself, he went ter Milligan soon atter de ole Marster gave him his freedom an' rented lan' an' raised his fambly,

I was one ob four chillun. I looks back on de times w'en we used ter sit 'roun' de fire in de winter an lissen ter de tales ob de war dat was ter make such a change in our lives, hit caused my folks ter cum ter Texas, an' my ole Marster never went back ter Richmon'. De Yankees got what he left an' didn't bring wid him, so dey was no use ter go back, he settled at de town ob Franklin in Robertson County, an' lived until de year nineteen an' fourteen. Hit was not like de ole states. Dey had plenty ob wild game an' hogs, an' plenty ter eat, an' had jes' started ter raise cotton den an' hit made er bale ter de acre, an' hit brought a good price, fifteen an' twenty cents er poun', so dat he had plenty money once more. Den dey was folks cumin' ter Texas all de time from de ole states, so hit was all a new world an' dey liked hit. So he jes' stayed an' de niggers stayed too. Dey had de nineteenth celebrations atter aw'ile an' de w'ite folks always helped an' give dem beeves an' hogs ter barbecue, so Texas was a good place ter stay. "I commenced ter work on de railroad w'en I was 'bout grown an' dey commenced ter build in de country. I has always lived on de Brazos ribber er near hit until I commenced ter work on de International and Great Northern railroad. I helped ter build hit from Houston, Texas inter Waco, on de Fort Worth an' Houston branch. I worked fer years fer dis road. I has lived in de town ob Mart for forty years. "De Brazos in dis part ob de country not bein' navigable de shippin' was done by railroad until late years w'en de good roads made hit so dat de trucks could carry de freight too. Now we has de big trucks ob cotton jes' like w'en I was a boy, dey had de long wagon trains ob cotton an' corn a takin' ter de gulf er in East Texas, ter de ribbers ter be shipped by boat ter de gulf er ter de Mississippi. 

I does not have de bitter memories like some ob de niggers has ob de whippin's fer our Marster did not allow his slaves ter be whipped. An' he gib us free passes, my pappy say back in Virginny dat ole Marster would not keep any but de trusty slaves on his plantations.   W'en dey first cum ter Texas de nigger celebrated de Fourth ob July wid de w'ite folks, dat was befo' dey started de nineteenth. Dey had dey picnics an' dey has de political speeches, fer de nigger voted wid de w'ite folks an' some w'ite men see effn dey could vote all de niggers on a plantation, but dey vote like dey boss tell dem to. Den sometimes dey has de picnics whar dey get togedder from de same state, an' dey tell 'bout de war an' how dey lived befo' freedom an' dey sing de ole time southern songs, my pappy liked de song 'bout "Carry Me Back Ter Ole Virginny" de bes'. He say he hope dat hebben be like Ole Virginny. Dis was one ob de war songs dat was sung 'befo' Richmon' was taken: "Would you like ter hear my song, I'm afraid hits rather long, Of de famous "On to Richmon', double trouble, Of de half a dozen trips, An' de half a dozen slips An' de very latest burstin' ob de bubble? "Tis pretty hard ter sing, An' like a roun' roun' ring,  Tis a dreadful knotty puzzle ter unravel, Tho' all de papers swore, When we touched Virginny's shore, That Richmon' was a hard road ter trabel. Then pull off yer coat, an' roll up yer sleeve, Fer Richmon' is a hard road ter trabel;  Fer Richmon' is a hard road ter trabel, I believe." Note: Dis song sung ter de tune ob "Ole Rosin de Beau.

I was born in Richmond, Virginia, in eighteen hundred and fifty-nine. My mammy and pappy was slaves of a man by de name ob Miles , I does not 'member his giben name. His home whar my pappy libed was in de city ob Richmond, but his plantations was out a few miles, he owned three plantations an' 'bout fifteen hundred niggers. "Yes, Mam, I kin 'member lots ob things dey tell 'bout w'en I was a baby befo' an' atter I was older. I kin 'member how my pappy tole 'bout de ole Marster's daughter a slippin' him off from de big house ter one ob de cabins whar we libed in Richmon' an' teachin' him ter read an' write. "Den I 'member how my pappy tole 'bout w'en he was de fambly coachman fer de ole Marster in Richmon', he drove de little fambly surry fer de Marster w'en he went ter see 'bout de plantations, de overseer on dem would make report ter de Marster ebery Saturday 'bout w'at he paid out an' what he sold an' bought. De ole Marster would go Friday an' Saturday mornin's ter git de reports an' take some money ter de oberseer. "Den on a Sunday my pappy drive de wimmen ter church in de big fambly coach er kerridge, some time de Marster would go, but nos'Iy jes' de wimmen an' de chillun go, dey went ter de big church in Richmon'. W'en dey go ter church an' de ole Marster go, he has de stable boy ter hitch up de big roan horses whilst he git ready, an' while my pappy is dressin'. De Ole Marster wear de big stove-pipe hat an' de long skirt coat, an' his big boots, an' in de winter a big muffler roun' his neck. An' my pappy, (de coachman) wear de tall hat too wid de blue uniform an' de brass buttons an black shiny boots, den he has a long horse whip ter crack at de horses. Some times he drive four or six horses, de kerridge was big an' heavy an' de roads in de winter 'ud be muddy. "De stable boy bring de horses roun' an' hol's dem fer de fambly ter step in de kerridge, an' he has ter git out de way quick, fer dey prance so dey hard ter hold. My pappy cum out an' takes hol' ob de reins an' den dey ready ter go. He has ter hol' dem back an' sit tight, den de stable boy go back an' wait fer dem ter cum home, w'en he takes dem an' curries dem an' feeds an' water's dem. De horses is taken as good keer ob as de Marster's chillun. "Sometimes de daughter goes ober ter visit in Louisville, Kentucky, whar she been ter school once. Maybe she take a frien' an' dey take dey valises an' dey lunches an' take dey time an' stop on de way an' stay all night at a hotel, dey tell my pappy ter take good keer ob dem an' he takes dem whar dey goin' an' den he leabes dem an' goes back w'ile dey git dey visit out. Dey take dey party dresses an' de young folkses whar dey visit has dances an' huntin' parties an' de young Massas from de nearby plantations ober ter meet dem, den w'en dey visit is ober dey bring de young ladies dey visit back home wid dem ter return de visit maybe. If not, den dey cum later an' den dey do like dey did in Louisville. Dey has de dances an' de good times. Dey dress w'en dey goes ter church an' ter de parties in de little tight waist dresses an' de hoop skirts, an' wear dey hair hangin' down dey back in curls. "But de thing dat I liked ter hear dem tell 'bout de bes' was de races at de big fairs ober in Louisville an' at Richmon' too. W'en dey had de race fer de President, between Abe Lincoln an' Steve Douglass, in de year eighteen an' sixty, de year atter I was born, I has heard de folks talk 'bout how dey named de horses fer Abe an' Steve at de races. Dey say de bookies would pass in an' out ob de gran-stan' an' sing out dey bettin' song on de horse race as dey takin' de bets.

 
"Dere's an' ole plow hoss, whose name is Doug, doo, dah, doo-dah He's short an' thick, a regular plug, oh, doo, dah, doo-dah, doo, We're born ter work all night, we're born ter work all day, I'll bet my money on de Lincoln hoss, who bets on de Steven A?" "De folks in de gran-stan's take de bets an' den de races begin, an' my ole pappy an' his ole Marster bof' bets on de Steven A, hoss. Sometimes one win an' den 'nudder. An' sometime dey goes broke a-bettin' but our Marster did not bet our folks off dey say like some ob dem did. I kin 'member w'en I was a boy dem tellin' how de jockeys dat rode de race horse look'. Dey dress up 'special fer de big races. Dey wears de blue silk cap, an de uniform wid de gold an' silver trimmin's, spankin' bran new suit, an' de black boots. "De jockey mus' practice an' keep on a practicin'. Yer mus' know w'en ter hol' de horse back an' w'en ter let him go. De Massa keep 'er practice track an' de jockey boys keep hit hot. I kin' see dem race horses, long slim laigs, high arch heads an' small bodies. Can't yer see dat horse go roun' de track er clickin' his feet? Ker-klonk, ker-klonk, ker-klonk, as dey fly's roun' de track, an' goin' like de win'. "W'en he on de race track 'er runnin' de big races an' de boys gives him de bridle an' turn's him loose ter de gran' finish, yer can hear de gran-stan's clappin' an' er goin' wild. Dey stan' up an' waves dey hankerchefs an' cries an' laffs, an' 'specially effn dey horse wins in de race. Some ob de ole Massa's git so excited dat dey bet dey nigger's an' den effn dey has de money an' dey has bet de one dey like ter keep den dey buys dem back. "Well dis de way de libed jes' befo' de war. De year dat Abe Lincoln was 'lected President. I has heard my folks talk 'bout hit long as dey libed, an' de ole Massa too. De preachers tell dem dat de storm clouds ob war er hangin' ober dem but dey pay no 'tention ter dem. Our ole Marster thinkin' 'bout his plantations an' he slaves an' he too ole ter go ter de war anyway. "I 'members hearin' dem tell 'bout de first shot ob de war, hit was on Fort Sumpter. Abe Lincoln had sent word dat he gwine ter send provision's ter de fort an' de rebels fired on de boats as well as I kin 'member. I kin 'member hearin' dem tell how de whole town ob Charleston went down ter de ribber ter see de first shot fired. Dis was on de twelfth of April, eighteen an' sixty-one, an' w'en de President called fer de volunteers, den Virginny went fer de rebels, an' dey moved de capital ter Richmon'. So my ole Marster saw dat he would be in de war, an' he decided ter cum ter Texas ter 'scape hit. "He took several hundred ob his slaves an' his folks an' horses an' cattle an' his house hol' things an' in a covered wagon driving de mules, horses, an oxen, he started fer Texas. Dey walk long by de wagon an' drive dem wid de long whips. Dey took dere time an' started in time ter stop along de way all dey want an' went befo' de battles at some ob de places. Hit took two years ter make de trip. He stay a whole winter on de way at one place.  "Dey stop in Nashville, Memphis an' Vicksburg, Mississippi. All ob dese places dey trade de horses, mules, oxen, niggers an' anything dat he has he trades an' sells. My ole Marster sold an' traded on he slaves an' eberything he had on de way ter Texas, but he did not trade he personal slaves dat had libed wid him in Richmon', he kept all he personal slaves an' brought dem wid him an' kept dem until freedom. Does I know how dey sold de slaves? I'ze heard dem tell 'bout hit all my life. Dey has de warehouse in de big cities like Memphis, an' Nashville, sometimes dey take de nigger ter hit de day befo' de sale, gib him plenty ter eat, dis is ter make dem look in good humor. Den dey lock dem up fer de night. Effn he is a fightin' nigger, han'cuff him, sometimes chain several togedder wid a chain four or five feet long, dey sleep on pallets. Nex' mornin' dey give dem breakfus' an' dey ready fer de sale. De guard takes dem down ter de platform whar dey is put on de block one atter de udder, den de ole auctioneer start de biddin' off. He say, "Dis nigger is eighteen years ole, he soun' as a dollar, an' he kin pick three hundred pounds ob cotton a day, good disposition, easy ter manage, come up an' examine him, look at his shoulders, regular prize fighter; good cotton picker." Den dey strips him ter de waist an' de buyers cum an' look him ober, den dey start ter biddin', one man say "a hundred dollars," nuther say "hundred fifty", nuther say "two hundred", an nuther raises his bid an' so hit goes on 'til de good ones bring fifteen hundred dollars sometime. Dey takes dem make dem open dey mouth an' see de kin' ob teeth, feel dey arms an' body an' look at each odder same as ter say, "Nothin' de matter wid dis one, I won't lose on him." "W'en dey is sold de auctioneer say "Sold", and he bangs de hammer down on de table an' de man dat buys him cum's an' git him. Our ole Massa did not trade any ob our folks off fer we had been wid him too long, an' had been in de house wid dem waitin' on de white folks eber since dey was in Richmon'. Dey had de slave speculators like dey has in de cotton buyers, dey buys de slaves ter sell ergin an' some buys dem ter work on de farm er de house. Mos'ly ter work on de farms an' in de house, effn hit is slave gals an' wimmen. "Dere was ole Mammy wid her two boys an' two gals; one plantation man cums an' looks at de boys, w'en de boys go on de block, he say, "Dey is de very ones he wants," an' he bid dem up an' buy dem right now. Ole Mammy cry but hit don' do no good, he takes dem down on a plantation, way down in Mississippi. Den annudder plantation man bids de two gals an' mammy throw such a fit dat her ole Massa throw her in kaze she gittin' too ole ter be much 'count. "De plantation owner dat took Mammy an' de two girls takes dem down near whar de boys go an' dey libe dar 'til de Yankees cum an' set dem free. Dey has de big slave warehouses in Nashville an' Memphis. We stay at bof places several months an' de winter cumin' on an' we goes on down ter Vicksburg, Mississippi, an stay 'til de Yankees on de way down dere, den we go ober into Louisiana. "I will try ter tell yer little bit 'bout de war, an' w'at dey was doin' at dis time. As well as I kin 'member, w'at my folks tell dis was in de fall ob eighteen-sixty-two. General Grant was at Holly Springs; General Forrest had cut de railroads an' so Grant went back ter Memphis, but Sherman had cum down de ribber an' landed his soljers up de Yazoo Ribber. De ribber had been on an overflow so de soljers took malaria an' had de fevers. An' de rebels had de bes' places on de hills an' on de creeks an' bayou's, dey had a levee dat was a hundred feet thick an' eighteen feet high, shuttin' up de Yazoo Pass, w'en General Grant cum back dey exploded a mine an' opened up de Pass. Den de rebels cut de trees down an' put dem in de way 'cross de Yazoo; in one place I hear dem tell 'bout how dey put eighty trees cross de bank fer more dan a mile long, dis made de Yankees haver ter clear all dis away 'fore dey could go on. "Dey kept on fightin' first one place den anuther 'til dey has de battle ob Champion Hill, whar Pamberton was located, his force ob men was 'bout eighteen thousand men, de Yankees took 'bout twenty five hundred prisoners an' killed 'bout fourteen hundred men an' de res' ob de rebels fled towards Vicksburg. De Yankees den had 'nuther victory at a bridge ober de Big Black river whar Pemberton had five thousand soljers an' w'en he lost at dis place he retreated ter Vicksburg, an' de Yankees had command ob de Yazoo Ribber an' all no'th ob Vicksburg. Dey was now on de bluffs whar dey had been tryin' ter get fer so long wid de guns dey had taken an' de stores of ammunition de rebels had ter leave in dey hurry ter get away befo' dey taken prisoners. "Den de seige ob Vicksburg begun. General Grant's army was 'bout seventy thousand men; an' de rebels 'bout half so dey jes' held de city long as dey could an' de Yankess jes' starved dem out is de way hit cum down ter us from de folks dat was libin' ober close ter Vicksburg. De bluff ober de city had caves in hit an' de folks in de city moved inter dem, de bes' caves rented fer high rent, an' de food was so high dat folks was starvin' mos'. Flour sold fer ten dollars a pound an' bacon fer five dollars, an' dey eat mule meat, dey say "Mule tongue cold, a-la-Bray," an' named hit a french dish.  "De folks dat libed in dem days say dat de newspapers would not gibe up hope an' dey say "De great General Grant intends ter celebrate de Fourth ob July by big dinner in de city, but he has ter ketch his rabbit 'fore he cooks hit." But de General caught his rabbit an' on de mornin' ob de Fourth ob July, dey was in de city. Dis meant dat de Mississippi was open ter de Yankees an' dey tell dat de merchant steamer Imperial dat lef' St. Louis on de eighth made hits way inter New Orleans on de sixteenth.

My ole Marster had already left Vicksburg but dey tell him 'bout hit atter de city taken. Hit was de same way in Richmon' w'en dey had de seige in de winter ob eighteen an' sixty-two, er three, coffee was four dollars a pound, tea eighteen ter twenty dollars, butter from a dollar an' a half ter two dollars 'er pound, lard fifty cents, corn fifteen dollars a barrel, calico a dollar an' seventy-five cents a yard, an' muslin dress goods was six ter eight dollars er yard. So de wimmen all used de homespun goods an' knitted dey own stockin's. An' de hats de ladies wore was de plaited out ob rye straw an' made wide brims an' fixed dem up like dey used ter buy from Paris befo' de Yankees shut off dey supplies. "We way off on de way ter Texas in Louisiana but we keep up wid w'at is happenin' an' den w'en de war is ober some ob de niggers dat stay in Richmon' cum an' tell us all 'bout hit. Dey tole us 'bout de blowing up ob de Labratory on Friday whar wimmen an' girls an' boys was workin' an' hit killin' some ob dem; an' de burnin' ob de Stuart home dat was named "Chantilly." Den dere was de death ob Stonewall Jackson dat eberybody lobed, dey say dat de funeral train was carried thro' de streets ob Richmon' an' den ter Lexington. De body was wrapped in er Confederate flag an' covered wid de lillies ob de valley an' udder spring flowers. He was buried, at his dyin' request, in de "Valley ob Virginny". Er w'ite lady wrote in de paper 'bout his death an' write er little verse dat go like dis: May his speerit forever wrap de dusky mountain, An' his memory allers lib ergin, As de smalles' bayou an' de bigges' ribber, Rolls on dey way wid his name forever." "W'en de war ended an' few months atter-ward our ole Marster set his slaves free; he gave my pappy some money an' he started fer himself, he went ter Milligan soon atter de ole Marster gave him his freedom an' rented lan' an' raised his fambly, I was one ob four chillun. "I looks back on de times w'en we used ter sit 'roun' de fire in de winter an lissen ter de tales ob de war dat was ter make such a change in our lives, hit caused my folks ter cum ter Texas, an' my ole Marster never went back ter Richmon'. De Yankees got what he left an' didn't bring wid him, so dey was no use ter go back, he settled at de town ob Franklin in Robertson County, an' lived until de year nineteen an' fourteen. Hit was not like ole Virginny but den de times was new an' de country was little bit like de ole states. Dey had plenty ob wild game an' hogs, an' plenty ter eat, an' had jes' started ter raise cotton den an' hit made er bale ter de acre, an' hit brought a good price, fifteen an' twenty cents er poun', so dat he had plenty money once more. "Den dey was folks cumin' ter Texas all de time from de ole states, so hit was all a new world an' dey liked hit. So he jes' stayed an' de niggers stayed too. Dey had de nineteenth celebrations atter aw'ile an' de w'ite folks always helped an' give dem beeves an' hogs ter barbecue, so Texas was a good place ter stay.

I commenced ter work on de railroad w'en I was 'bout grown an' dey commenced ter build in de country. I has always lived on de Brazos ribber er near hit until I commenced ter work on de International & Great Northern railroad. I helped ter build hit from Houston, Texas inter Waco, on de Fort Worth an' Houston branch. I worked fer years fer dis road. I has lived in de town ob Mart for forty years. "De Brazos in dis part ob de country not bein' navigable de shippin' was done by railroad until late years w'en de good roads made hit so dat de trucks could carry de freight too. Now we has de big trucks ob cotton jes' like w'en I was a boy, dey had de long wagon trains ob cotton an' corn a takin' ter de gulf er in East Texas, ter de ribbers ter be shipped by boat ter de gulf er ter de Mississippi. I does not have de bitter memories like some ob de niggers has ob de whippin's fer our Marster did not allow his slaves ter be whipped. An' he gib us free passes, my pappy say back in Virginny dat ole Marster would not keep any but de trusty slaves on his plantations. "W'en dey first cum ter Texas de nigger celebrated de Fourth ob July wid de w'ite folks, dat was befo' dey started de nineteenth. Dey had dey picnics an' dey has de political speeches, fer de nigger voted wid de w'ite folks an' some w'ite men see effn dey could vote all de niggers on a plantation, but dey vote like dey boss tell dem to. Den sometime dey has de picnics whar dey get togedder from de same state, an' dey tell 'bout de war an' how dey lived befo' freedom an' dey sing de ole time southern songs, my pappy liked de song 'bout "Carry Me Back Ter Ole Virginny" de bes'. He say he hope dat hebben be like Ole Virginny. "Dis was one ob de war songs dat was sung 'befo' Richmon' was taken: "Would you like ter hear my song, I'm afraid hits rather long, Of de famous "On to Richmon', double trouble, Of de half a dozen trips, An' de half a dozen slips An' de very latest burstin' ob de bubble? Tis pretty hard ter sing, An' like a roun' roun' ring, Tis a dreadful knotty puzzle ter unravel, Tho' all de papers swore, When we touched Virginny's shore, That Richmon' was a hard road ter trabel, Then pull off yer coat, an' roll up yer sleeve, Fer Richmon' is a hard road ter trabel; Then pull off yer coat, an' roll up yer sleeve, Fer Richmon' is a hard road ter trabel, I believe Note: Dis song sung ter de tune ob "Ole Rosin De Beau."