I had a statement w'n I wus bo'n, but I don' remember jus' now. W'en d' war fus' start I wus water toter fo' my marster. Well, now den, I want t' say dat my marster w'ere I wus bo'n in Wilcox County, Alabama, his name wus Higginbotham . W'en Mr. Higginbotham die, his son, Mr. Sam Higginbotham , wus my young marster. W'en he married, he marry in d' Carroll family. My father an' mother belong to Mr. Higginbotham . Mr. Sam , he move t' Louisiana. W'en he went back t' Alabama, he tuk sick wid d' c'olra, an' die dere. Mr. Sam , he marry Miss Ca'line Carroll . Later on after Mr. Sam die Miss Ca'line marry Mr. Winn . I becom' orfen chillern property, Mr. Winn was d' overseer. W'en I wus a small boy I had play time. I alays had good owners. W'en I get bigger I had some time off after work in d' evenin's an' on Sundays. Then I want t' say I wus hired out an' dey claimed dey wus goin' t' be a war. The north an' d' south wus goin' t' split apart. In 1861 war commence an' she (his mistress) die. I wus den stayin' wid d' Carroll family. D' Carrolls were brothers of my owner. Mr. Jim and Mr. Robert wus soldiers in d' war. Mr. Robert wus in d' infantry an' Mr. Jim they took him along t' drive. W'en dey  war goin' to Barn Chest (evidently the name of a place) Mr. Robert he say t' me, Fay , you go back home an' tell ma she need not be uneasy 'bout me, 'cause d' Yankees is retreatin' t' Nachitoches." So I driv back but I didn' put up d' team. W'en I wus tellin' her, it wus 'bout three mile' over t' Mosses Fiel' (Mosses' Field was the local name for the tract of land on which the battle of mansfield was in part fought). W'en I wus tellin' her, a big cannon shot overhead-- B-O-O-M.  She jus' shook an' say,  C, Fay , git some co'n an' th'ow it t' d' hogs an' go to Chicot." I got some co'n an' start t' git out d' crib. Dey shot another cannon. She say to me,  Go back an' give d' co'n t' d' pigs." W'en I put my feets thru d' crib do, dey shoot another shot, an' I pull my feets back. She tell me t' go back an' feed d' pigs, but I don' know if I ever did git d' co'n t' d' pigs. Mr. Carroll say dat at Mansfiel' where dey wus shootin' d' big guns d' ladies wus cryin'. He tole 'em dey needn' t' cry now' w'en dey wus shootin' d' big guns dey wusn' killin' men, but w'en dey hear d' little guns shoot, den dey could start cryin' 'cause dat mean dat men wus gittin' kill. I dunno if you ever parch popco'n. Dat d' way d' little guns soun'. He say dat den dey could begin cryin'.

Our w'ite people (the Confederates) wus comin' from Shreveport t' meet d' Yankees from Nachitoches, aimin' t' go t' Shreveport. If anything wus a wunnerful consideration it wus den. Mr. Robert Carroll wus stood up by a big tree there at Mansfiel' an' d' captain he said, "Is anybody here dat know d' neighborhood?" Here's d' ting  dey want t' know. W'en d' soldiers start out dey didn' want 'em t' launch out an' git mix up. Dey sent for Mr. Carroll 'cause he live 'bout a mile away. He wus order t' stan' by d' tree an' d' captain went by wavin' a sword, an' purty soon d' captain wus kill. Dey kep' on fightin' an' after a while a soldier come by an' ax w'at he doin' there. He said he had orders t' stan' dere. D' soldier say dat d' captain wus kill an' for him t' go an' help wid d' wounded soldiers. W'en d' big General come from Shreveport an' coman' "Charge", d' Yankees git in d' corner of a rail fence. Dey broke right thru dat fiel' ol' prairie an' 60 men git kill dead befo' dey git across. Nex' day, comin' home, I want t' tell you d' hosses didn' lay on dis side, nor on dat side; dey jus' squat down, dey wus dead. I think it was a wunnerful consideration t' bring up in mem'ry. One night right w'ere d' battle wus fought we had t' camp. It wus rainin' an' sleetin' an' snowin'. I said, "W'at you goin' t' do tonight?" Mr. James Carroll said, "We jus' hafta stan' w'ere we camp. Jus' stack d' guns an' put out, w'at you call d' watchman." I said, "Sentinel", a' he said, "Yes". Dey had w'at you call d' relief. Dey wusn' in bed, dey wus out under a tree in d' col'. Ev'ry house dey'd walk 'em out 'long a runway t' walk guard. It wus a wunnerful distressin' time. D' soldiers had a little song dey sung;

 
'Eat w'en you're hungry,  Drink w'en you're dry.  Ef'n a tree don' kill you,  You'll live 'til you die.  Dis wus 'cause dey had to stan' under trees an' w'en d' Yankees shoot cannon dey'd knock off limbs an' tops of trees an' them under d' trees might git kill from d' fallin' branches. Another song wus;   Hit wus on d' eighth of April,  Dey all remember well,  W'en fifes an' drums were beatin'  For us all t' march�away In slavery times d' slaves went t' chuch wid dere w'ite folks an' heard d' w'ite preacher. I never knew of cullud baptisms. Dey'd have camp meetin' an' w'en cullud people wanted t' jine d' chuch dey'd take 'em in den. I didn' quite git through 'bout d' Mansfiel' battle. Dem 60 men dat wus kill, dey jus' dig a big hole an' put 'em in an' threw dirt on 'em. I went back after two or three days an' d' bodies don' swell an' crack d' groun'. Marster's plantation comin' from Shreveport wus on d' eas' side of Mosses Fiel'. We wus 'bout one an' one-half or two mile from Mosses Fiel'. I wusn' acquaint wid many w'ites 'cause I wus wid d' Carrolls an' dey wus alays kind. I heard dey wus people dis way an' dat, but I don' know 'bout dat. My w'ite folks see dat I wus not abused. W'en news of d' surrender come lots of cullud folks seem to be rejoicin' an' sing, "I's free, I's free as a frog," 'cause a frog had freedom t' git on a log an' jump off w'en he please. Some jus' stayed on wid dere w'ite folks. One time dey say dey sen' all d' niggers back t' Africa. I say dey never git me. I bo'n yere, an' my w'ite folks  bo'n yere, an' yere I goin' t' stay. My young marster say he want me for a nigger driver so he teach me how t' read an' spell so I could ten' t' business. In time of d' war Miss Ca'line say d' soldiers been dere an' take d' bes' horse. Dey sent me off wid Ball, a little horse. W'en I come back I meet some soldiers. Dey say dey goin' take d' horse, if dey don' d' Yankees come take 'em. I tell 'em dey done got Marster Carroll other horse, t' leave dis one. Dey say, "Git down, I goin' give you a few licks anyhow." I fall down but dey never hit me an' dey say,  Maybe dat Mr. Carroll whose horse we tuk, let dis boy go on wid d' horse. Miss Ca'line say she wish she'd let me take Daddy, dat wus d' bes' horse. I wan' t' tell you one story 'bout d' rabbit. D' rabbit an' d' tortus (tortoise) had a race. D' tortus git a lot of tortuses an' put 'em 'long d' way. Ever now an' den a tortus crawl 'long d' way, an' d' rabbit say, "How you now, Br. Tortus?", an' he say, "Slo' an' sho', but my legs very short." W'en dey git t' d' en' d' tortus win 'cause he dere, but he never run d' race 'cause he had tortuses strawed out all 'long d' way. D' tortus had substitutes."  

  Reverend Lafayette Price , the ancient and venerable minister of a small, dilapidated church on the outskirts of Beaumont, received his education under his old master, a plantation owner of the South. He was born in Wilcox county, Alabama, a slave of the Higginbotham family, but after the death of his original masters, became known as 'orphan children property' and went to Louisiana to live with Robert and Jim Carroll , brothers-in-law of Sam Higginbotham . During the Civil War, LaFayette , then about 12 years old (he cannot recollect his exact age) served as water boy for young Robert Carroll at the battle of Mansfield. When the slaves were freed he came to Texas and has been engaged in the ministry since that time. The Reverend lives with his one daughter in a small ramshackle house about a hundred feet from the church, and conducts services every Sunday according to his creed as a Baptist. LaFayette is a small, very dark-skinned type, and with is crop of almost white hair and Van Dyke beard, has facial characteristics much like those of the  patriarch who played the part of "De Lawd" in "Green Pastures. His conversation, which lapses only occasionally into the old-time dialect, is that of a devout person, and he shows himself well informed in the Scriptures.  

Now, I wanter say dis, dat I was bo'n in Alabama, raise up in Lou'siana, and now I's in Texas. I had a statement w'en I was bo'n, but I don' 'member jis' now. I ain' got much strenk (strength) and so fo'th but I's t'ankful. Once I git start I kin go 'head wid dis yere hel'. (Here he indicated his walking stick  "Dem times befo' de war dey uster hab co'n shuckin's. Dey h a big pile of co'n in de shuck. De cap'n of de co'n shuckin' he settin' up on de pile of co'n. He'd git a lick givin' out and throwin' de shuck sometime' 'cause dey'd be years of co'n and de shucks jis' a-flyin'. Dey hab lotser cullud folks come from ev'r w'er. Marster he uster be 'roun' 'til all de co'n mos' shuck de he dodge 'way and hide, 'cuase iffen dey ketch 'im dey "cattle" 'im. W'at I mean by "cattle" 'im? Why dey ketch 'im and put 'im up on dey shoul'ers, and dey march 'roun' wid 'im and dey sings. De cap'n he settin' on de co'n and givin' out de song. Dey uster sing:

  'Shuck man can't let git away, Oh, hood a laddy oh hooey.  Mule want co'n and cow want shuck, Oh, hood a laddy oh hooey.'  "W'en us was comin' to Lou'siana us hafter cross a big ribber. It was sho' a turrible t'ing to git 'cross dat ribber. W'en dey all git 'cross safe, us so t'ankful us sing:  'Jesus has been wid us  Yet still wid us  He's promised to be wid us  To de en'. 'De boat am comin' and  Us stan'in' on de bank  Waitin' for de boat  Praise de Lord.'  "It favers werry good to anyboddy w'at has met wid conflicks and has come t'rough and goes in dis d'rection."  "Anudder w'at dey uster sing was: 'Oh, Ebe, w'er is Adam?  Oh, Ebe, w'er is Adam?  Adam in de gyarden   Pinnin' leaves.   'Adam heerd God's voice,  Adam heerd God's voice,  Adam in de gyarden  Pinnin' leaves.'   'Adam hide b'hind a tree,  Adam hide b'hind a tree,  Adam in de gyarden  Pinnin' leaves.'  Sometime dey sing dis one:  'How long us hafter linger?   How long us hafter linger?   How long us hafter linger?  We hafter linger on de way.'  'Brudder got a light and gone to hebben,  Brudder got a light and gone to hebben,  Brudder got a light and gone to hebben,  We hafter linger on dey way.'  De sinners uster change it and sing:  'Oh yes, we hab some licker Oh yes, we hab some licker   Oh yes, we hab some licker  We hab some licker on de way.'  You know dat niggers lub to sing. Dey kin jis' mek dey song w'ile dey go 'long.  'My sister, you better min' how you walk on de cross  Foot might slip and your soul git los'.'  'Come inchin' 'long,  Come inchin' 'long,  Like a po' inchin' (measuring) worm Marse Jesus come bye-and-bye.'  'Ol' Satan though he had me fas',   Broke his ol' chain and free at las'.'  W'en dey lef' Alabama, I 'members dey all sing:  'Jesus my all to heaven is gone.'    

Young marster he tuk smallpox and die' in Baton Rouge    On Crissmus mo'nin' de good chillen 'ud git Crissmus presents in dey stockin's. Iffen dey hadn' been good dey'd git sumpin' to mek 'em good (a few switches) in dey stockin's. Dat was to teach education to be a good chile and try to wuk better. Dey uster mek ash cake, mek up de cake dough and bake it in de ashes. Dat mek good cake, too  Dey was a 'possum story de ol' boss uster tell de li'l darkies. It go like dis:  'A man went a-huntin'. W'en he tree de 'possum, de possum he go up de tree and crawl out to de en' (end) of de lim' and dere he hol' on. De hunter he clum' (climbed) out atter 'im and de 'possum he say, 'You may shake one foot loose, but I hol' on wid de other foots. You kin shake two foots loose, but I hol' on wid de other foots. You kin shake t'ree foots loose, but I hol' on wid de other  foot. W'en you shakes fo' foots loose, he wrop he tail 'roun' de lim' and den de earfquake may come and de thunder roll, but dat 'possum still hangin' dere, and it gwine tek mo' dan dat to mek 'im turn loose.  I uster dance. Ol' marster come in sometime' and say, 'Fate, you dance,' so often I hafter pat. Atter w'ile though he call me and want me to dance. Den I would say, 'I seed sumpin' (meaning that he had recived spiritual light that he ought not dance), so I don' dance no mo'. Spirit I ain' nebber seed none, but my daughter Evanne she b'leebs in signs from heaven and she kin tell lots of t'ings w'at demonstrate de goodness of de Lord to He chillen.   She tell one time w'en she small, she and her auntie was gwine from one plantation to anudder plantation and it git dark 'cause a storm comin' up. It git so dark dat she git sep'rate'. She been wand'rin' 'roun' long time by herse'f and it kep' gittin' darker and darker. She git so scare' she start' runnin' 'roun' and 'roun' in de dark and scratchin' herse'f on de briar and cuttin' her foots on de rock. All to onct she t'ink 'bout prayin' and she git right down on her knees right dere in de dirt, and she say, 'Lord, please help your po' chile out dis dark. I's done los' and ain' know w'er to go from here.' Den she git up and start on. Jis' den big streak of lightnin' come and light up right down by her feet, and dere was a great big yawnin' ra'veen right by her feet. One mo' step and she'd a fall in. De Lawd he done see her  danger though and sen' dat lightnin' so she won't fall in. Dat 'cause she pray to Him and he allus he'p dem w'at ax Him to. Atter she go a li'l way furder she see a li'l twinkle light off to de side. It guide her right 'cross de prairie and she find some mens done come down to de gin house for sumpin' and light de lantern and dat light dey way for her. Dey ain' nebber come down dere at night befo' but de Lawd done sont dem dere w'en she need dem   Anudder time us folks was in trouble. We hafter hab $600.00 or lose de home. She hab a dream one night. She see lovely lady all dress in 'wite. She sittin' on de edge of de ribber. My daughter say she dere too, and she tryin' to fish. De lovely lady she drap in de hook and she pull up a purchase (perch). She tek dat purchase in her han' and it tu'n to silber, and it shinin' like de stars. She say, 'Don' worry eb'ryt'ing gwineter tu'n out all right and you gwineter git dat money in t'ree week.' Right atter dat, a man come 'long and say he taken de place at a loss. My daughter say, 'No, 'cause we ain' wait de t'ree week yet' so dey don' tek de man's offer, and wait.  De day dat en' de t'ree week, eb'rybody 'bout give up 'cause dey ain' seed no money yet. Long 'bout sundown dey see two men come runnin' 'cross de fiel'. W'en dey git up to de do' us find dey oil men and dey want a lease on de place, and dey give us $600.00 for de lease. And dat de way de dream come true.   

She tell me one time she git a skin over he eye and jis' 'bout to go blin'. She say she pray and say, 'Jesus, please don'  'low me go blin'.' Dat night she hab a dream and she dream she go up to heaven. She start' to go froo de pearly gate and dere a ol' cullud lady sittin' by de gate knittin' and she say, 'W'at you want?' And she say, 'I wanter see de Lord.' And she say, 'Go right up dat road dere,' so she go 'long wid de clouds floatin' all 'roun' her and she say she see de Lord comin'. He hab on a long w'ite robe and dey's angels all 'roun' Him. She look and look at Him and jis' 'bout dis time she wake up. Atter she done look at de Lord de skin done gone offen her eye and she as good as she ever did.  W'en de war fus' start' I was water toter for my marster. Well, now den, I want to say dat my marster w'ere I was bo'n in Wilcox county, Alabama, his name was Higginbotham . W'en Mr. Higginbotham die', his son, Mr. Sam Higginbotham , was my young marster. W'en he married, he marry in de Carroll family. My father and mother b'long to Mr. Higginbotham . Mr. Sam , he move' to Lou'siana. W'en he went back to Alabama, he tuk sick wid de c'olra, and die dere. Mr. Sam , he marry Miss Ca'line Carroll . Later on, after Mr. Sam die' Miss Ca'line marry Mr. Winn . I becom' orfan chillen property, Mr. Winn was de overseer. W'en I was a small boy I had play time. I allus had good owners. W'en I get bigger I had some time off atter wuk in de ev'nin's and on Sundays. Then I want to say I was hire' out and dey claim' dey was goin' to be a war. De North and de South was goin' to split apart. In 1861, war commence and she (his mistress) die'. I was den stayin' wid de  Carroll family. De Carrolls was brothers of my owner. Mr. Jim and Mr. Robert was sojers in de war. Mr. Robert was in de infantry and Mr. Jim tuk him 'long to drive. W'en dey was goin' to Barn Chest (evidently the name of a place) Mr. Robert he say to me, 'Fay , you go back home and tell ma she need not be uneasy 'bout me 'cause de Yankees is retreatin' to Natchitoches.' So I drive back but I didn' put up de team. W'en I was tellin her it was 'bout t'ree mile' over to Mosses Fiel' (local name for the tract of land on which the battle of Mansfield was fought). W'en I was tellin' her, a big cannon shot over head--'B-O-O-M.' She jes' shook and say, 'Oh, Fay , git some co'n and th'ow it to de hogs and go to Chicot.' I got some co'n and start to git out de crib. Dey shot another cannon. She say to me, 'Go back and give de co'n to de pigs.' W'en I put my feets through de crib dey shoot another shot, and I pull my feets back. She tell me to go back and feed de pigs, but I don' know if I ever did git de co'n to de pigs. Mr. Carroll say dat at Mansfiel' w'er dey was shootin' de big guns de ladies was cryin'. He tol' 'em dey needn' to cry now; w'en dey was shootin' de big guns dey wasn' killin' men, but w'en dey hear de li'l guns shoot, den dey could start cryin' 'cause dat mean dat men was gittin' kill'. I dunno if you ever parch popco'n. Dat de way de li'l guns soun'. He say dat den dey would begin cryin'. Our w'ite people (the Confederates) was comin' from Shrevepo't to meet de Yankees from Natchitoches, aimin' to go to Shrevepo't. If anyt'ing was a wunnerful consideration it was den. Mr. Robert Carroll was stood up by a big tree there at Mansfiel' and de captain he said, 'Is anybody here dat know de neighborhood?' Here's de t'ing dey want to  know. W'en de sojers start out dey didn' want 'em to launch out and git mix' up. Dey sont for Mr. Carroll 'cause he live 'bout a mile 'way. He was order' to stan' by de tree and de captain went by wavin' a sword, and purty soon de captain was kill'. Dey kep' on fightin' and atter a w'ile a sojer come by and ax w'at he doin' dere. He say he had orders to stan' dere. De sojer say dat de captain was kill' and for him to go and he'p wid de wounded sojers. W'en de big Gen'ral come from Shrevepo't and comman' 'Charge', de Yankees git in de corner of a rail fence. Dey broke right through dat fiel', ol' prairie and 60 men git kill' dead befo' dey git 'cross. Nex' day, comin' home, I want to tell you de hosses didn' lay on dis side, nor on dat side; dey jus' squat down, dey was dead. I t'ink it was a wunnerful consideration to bring up in mem'ry. One night right w'ere de battle was fought we had to camp. It was rainin' and sleetin' and snowin'. I said, 'W'at you goin' to do tonight?' Mr. James Carroll say, 'We jus' hafta stan' w'ere we camp. Jus' stack de guns and put out, w'at you call de watchman.' Dey had w'at you call de relief. Dey wasn' in bed, dey was out under a tree in de col'. Ev'ry hour dey walk 'em out 'long a runway to walk guard. It was a wunnerful distressin' time. De sojers had a li'l song dey sung:  

'Eat w'en you're hungry,   Drink w'en you're dry,  Effen a tree don' kill you,  You'll live 'til you die.'  Dis was 'cause dey had to stan' under trees and w'en de Yankees shoot cannon dey' knock off lim's and tops of trees and them under de trees might git kill' from de fallin' branches. Anudder song was:  'It was on de eighth of April,  Dey all remember well,  W'en fifes and drums was beatin'  For us all to march--away.'  In slav'ry time de slaves went to chu'ch wid dere w'ite folks and heerd de w'ite preacher. I nebber know of cullud baptisms. Dey' hab camp meetin' and w'en cullud people want' to jine de chu'ch dey' take 'em in den. I didn' quite git through 'bout de Mansfiel' battle. Dem 60 men dat was kill', dey jus' dig a big hole and put 'em in and throw dirt on 'em. I went back atter two or t'ree days and de bodies don' swell and crack de groun'. Marster' plantation comin' from Shrevepo't was on de eas' side of Mosses Fiel'. We was 'bout one and one-half or two mile' from Mosses Fiel'. I wasn' acquaint' wid many w'ites 'cause I was wid de Carrolls and dey was allus kind. I heerd dey was people dis way and dat, but I don' know 'bout dat. My w'ite folks see dat I was not 'bused. W'en news of de surrender come, lots of cullud folks seem to be rejoicin' and sing, 'I's free, I's free as a frog,' 'cause a frog hab freedom to git on a log and jump off w'en he please. Some jus' stay' on wid dere w'ite folks. One time dey say dey sen' all de niggers back to Africa. I  say dey nebber git me. I bo'n yere, and my w'ite folks bo'n yere, and yere I doin' to stay. My young marster say he want me for a nigger driver so he teach me how to read and spell so I could ten' to business. In time of de war Miss Ca'line say de sojers been dere and take de bes' hoss. Dey sen' me off with Ball, a li'l hoss. W'en I come back I meet some sojers. Dey say dey goin' take de hoss, if dey don', de Yankees come take 'em. I tell 'em dey done got Marster Carroll other hoss, to leave dis one. Dey say, 'Git down, I goin' give you a few licks anyhow.' I fall down but dey nebber hit me and dey say, 'Maybe dat de Mr. Carroll whose hoss we tuk, let dis boy go on wid de hoss.' Miss Ca'line say she wish she' let me take Dandy, dat was de bes' hossI want to tell you one story 'bout de rabbit. De rabbit and de tortus (tortoise) had a race. De tortus git a lot of tortuses and put 'em 'long de way. Eber now and den a tortus crawl 'long de way, and de rabbit say, 'How you now, Brother Tortus?,' and he say, 'Slo' and sho', but my legs very short.' W'en dey git to de en' de tortus win 'cause he dere, but he nebber run de race 'cause he had tortuses strowed out all 'long de way. De tortus had substitutes

Reverend Lafayette Price , ancient and venerable minister of a small, dilapidated church on the outskirts of Beaumont, received his education under his old master, a plantation owner of the South. He was born a slave of the Higginbotham family, in Wilcox County, Alabama, but after the death of his original master, he became known as "orphan children property" and went to Louisiana to live with Robert and Jim Carroll , brothers-in-law of Sam Higginbotham . During the Civil War. LaFayette , then about 12 years old( he does not know his exact age) served as water boy for young Robert Carroll at the battle of Mansfield. When the slaves were freed he came to Texas and has been a minister since that time. He lives with his one daughter in a small, ramshackle house near the church and conducts Baptist services each Sunday. LaFayette is small and very dark, and with his crop of almost white hair and his Van Dyke beard, he has facial characteristics much like those of the patriarch who played the part of "De Lawd" in the "Green Pastures" picture. His conversation, is that of a devout person, well informed in the Scriptures.

I had a statement when I was bo'n, but I don' 'member jus' now. When de war fus' start I was water toter for my marster. Well, now den, I wan' to say dat my marster whar I was bo'n in Wilcox County, Alabama, his name was Higginbotham . When Mr. Higginbotham die, his son, Mr. Sam Higginbotham , was my young marster. When he married, he marry in de Carroll family. My father and mother belong to Mr. Higginbotham . Mr. Sam , he move to Louisiana. When he went back to Alabama, he tuk sick wid de cholera and die dere. Mr. Sam , he marry Miss Ca'line Carroll . Later on after Mr. Sam die Miss Ca'line marry Mr. Winn . I become orphan chillen property. Mr. Winn was de overseer. When I was a small boy I had playtime. I allus had good owners. When I get bigger I had some time off after work in de evenin's and on Sundays. Den I want to say I was hired out an' dey claimed dey was goin' to be a war. The north and de south was goin' to split apart. In 1861 war commence and my mistress die. I was den stayin' wid de Carroll family. De Carrolls were brothers of my owner. Mr. Jim and Mr. Robert was soldiers in de war. Mr. Robert was in de infantry and Mr. Jim they took him along to drive. When day was goin' to Barn Chest (evidently the name of a place) Mr. Robert he say to me.  Fay , you go back home and tell ma she need not be uneasy 'bout me 'cause de Yankees is retreatin' to Nachitoches." So I driv back but I didn' put up de team. When I was tellin' her, it was 'bout three mile over to Mosses File' (Mosses' Field was the local name for the tract of land on which the battle of Mansfield was fought, in part). When I was tellin' her, a big cannon shot overhead -- "Boom". She jus' shook and say. "Oh, Fay , git some co'n and throw it to de hogs and go to Chicet." I got some co'n and start to git out de crib. Dey shot another cannon. She say to me, "Go back and give de co'n to de pigs." When I put my feets through de crib do', dey shoot another shot, and I pull my feets back. She tell me to go back and feed de pigs, but I don' know if I ever did git de co'n to de pigs.  Mr. Carroll say dat at Mansfiel' where dey was shootin' de big guns de ladies was cryin'. He tole 'em dey needn' to cry now, when dey was shootin' de big guns dey wasn't killin' men, but when dey hear de little guns shoot, den dey could start cryin', 'cause dat mean dat men was gittin' kill. I dunno if you ever parch popco'n. Dat de way de little guns soun'.

He say dat den dey could begin cryin'. Our w'ite people(the Confederates) was comin' from Shreveport to meet de Yankees from Nachitoches, aimin' to go to Shreveport. If anything was a wunnerful consideration it was den. Mr. Robert Carroll was stood up by a big tree there at Mansfiel' and de captain, he said, "Is anybody here dat know de neighborhood?" Here's de ting dey want to know: When de soldiers start out dey didn' want 'em to launch out and git mix up. Dey sent for Mr. Carroll , 'cause he live 'bout a mile away. He was order to stan' by de tree and de captain want by wavin' a sword, and purty soon de captain was kill. Dey kep' on fightin' and after awhile a soldier come by and ax what he doin' there. He said he had orders to stan' dere. De soldier say dat de captain was kill and for him to go and help wid de wounded soldiers. When de big General come from Shreveport and holler, "Charge," de Yankees git in de corner of a rail fence. Dey broke right through dat fiel' ol' prairie and 60 men git kill dead befo' dey git across. Hex' day, comin' home, I want to tell you de hosses didn' lay on dis side nor on dat side, dey jus' squat down, day was dead. I think it was a wunnerful consideration to bring up in mem'ry.  One night right w'ere de battle was fought we had to camp. It was rainin' and sleetin' and snowin! I said, "What you goin' to do tonight?" Mr. James Carroll said, "We jus' hafts stan' w'ere we camp. Jus' stack de guns and put out what you call de watchman" I said, "Sentinel," and he said, "Yes," Dey had what you call de relief. Dey wasn't in bed, dey was out under a tree in de col.' Ev'ry hour dey'd walk 'em out 'long a runway to walk guard. It was a wunnerful distressin' time. De soldiers had a little song dey sung: "'Eat when you're hungry, Drink when you're dry. Iffen a tree don' kill you, You'll live 'til you die.'   Dis was 'cause dey had to stan' under trees and when de Yankees shoot cannot dey'd knock off limbs and tops of trees and them under de trees might git kill from de fallin' branches. Another song was:  'Hit was on de eighth of April, Dey all 'member well, When fifes and drums were beatin' For us all to march away.'  In slavery times de slaves went to church wid dere w'ite folks and heard de w'ite preacher. I never knew of cullud baptisms. Dey'd have camp meetin' and when cullud people wanted to jine de church dey'd take 'em in den. I didn' quite git through 'bout de Mansfiel' battle. Dem 60 men dat was kill, dey jus' dig a big hole and put 'em in and threw dirt on 'em. I went back after two or three days and de bodies done swell and crack de groun'. Marster's plantation comin' from Shreveport was on de eas' side of Mosses Fiel'. We was 'bout I and 1 1/3 mile from Mosses Fiel'. I wasn't acquaint wid many w'ites 'cause I was wid de Carrolls and dey was allus kind. I heard dey was people dis way and dat, but I don' know 'bout dat. My w'ite folks see dat I was not abused. When news of de surrender come lots of cullud folks to be rejoicin' and sing. "I's free, I's free as a frog" 'cause a frog had freedom to git on a log and jump off when he please. Some jus' stayed on wid dere w'ite folks. One time dey say day sen' all de niggers back to Africa. I say dey never git me. I bin yere, and my w'ite folks bin yere, and yere I goin' to stay. My young marster say he want me for a nigger driver, so he teach me how to read and spell so I could ton' to business. In time of de war Miss Ca' line say de soldiers been dere and take de bes' hoss. Dey sent me off wid Ball, a little hoss. When I come back I meet some soldiers. Dey say dey goin' take de hoss, if dey don' de Yankees come take 'em. I tell 'em dey done got Marster Carroll other hoss, to leave dis one, dey say, "Git down, I goin' give you a few licks anyhow." I fall down but dey never hit me and dey say, "Maybe dat Mr. Carroll whose hoss we tuk, let dis boy go on wid de hoss." Miss Ca'line say she wish she'd let me take Dandy, day was de bes' hoss. "I wan' to tell you one story 'bout de rabbit. De rabbit and de tortus had a race. De tortus git a lot of tortuses and put 'em long de way. Ever now and den a tortus crawl 'long de way, and de rabbit say, "How you now, Brier Tortus?" And he say, "Sle' and sho', but my legs very short." When dey git tired, de tortus win 'cause he dere, but he never run de race, 'cause he had tortuses strewed out all 'long de way. De tortus had other tortuses help him."