Above And Beyond The Call Of Duty - Page 3

thea_447 · #21 08-14-2005, 04:24 PM

Uncle Billy" belonged to Micajah Davis of Bedford County, Virginia who was Collector of Customs for the Confederate government and had to flee with his official records when Gov. Hunter raided the defenseless Valley. The family treasures had to be left with "Uncle Billy". After the fighting was over, Davis returned to recover the valuables. "Uncle Billy" went outside, tied a string between two trees and another string between two other trees. Underneath where the strings crossed, he dug up the chest of valuables intact. Not surprisingly, none of the Judge's other slaves deserted him either. (James ****ins, New Orleans Picayune, 14 October, 1907.)

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"Toney" climbed up behind 19 year old James B. Isbell and refused to get down and go back to the house, so they both finally rode off from Sumter County, Alabama, and joined General Forrest's free swinging cavalry. Forrest hit hard and often but "Toney" and James were with him all the way, including the disaster at Franklin. Captain James Isbell surrendered at Gainesville on May 9, 1865 with "Toney" by his side.

In 1914, young Frank Isbell, age 15, was sent to Idabel, Oklahoma to teach an Indian how to manage a Ford car purchased by Frank's uncle. An old Negro with white hair and beard happened to pass and saw Frank sitting at the wheel of the car parked by the side of the road. The old man's keen eyes snapped back for a second look. "What's your name, young man?" "Frank Isbell. Why?" "I knowed it!" Cap'm Isbell's grandson! Lawdy mercy! I'm your FOLKS!" Old "Toney" forced young Frank to go home with him for some real Southern cooking, and for a long rerun of the old stories he had heard often from his grandfather. (Fletcher Isbell, Arlington, Virginia)

Alabaman · #22 08-19-2005, 01:44 PM

Has anyone on this board ever personally talked to a black slave? Relax...its an honest question; "legit" if you will. This question is sent with good intention. Sincerely, Alabaman.

ole · #23 08-19-2005, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alabaman

Has anyone on this board ever personally talked to a black slave? Relax...its an honest question; "legit" if you will. This question is sent with good intention. Sincerely, Alabaman.

Point well taken, Alabaman. All the nice, nice, bad, bad, is speculation and opinion. The sources are suspect. Thank you.
Ole

johan_steele · #24 08-20-2005, 11:30 AM

Very suspect. Both sides have/had an agenda to put the best/worst face on slavery. That things got skewed around is not in question; nor even the reason why. Which is why I've put forward the books I have as reasonably accurate and legit sources.

As to how many thought slavery a good idea? I think the numbers of "contrabands" throughout the war answer the question of what the majority of slaves really thought. And the brutal actions of some Slaveholders (during & after) to repress that grasp for freedom speak volumes as to what they thought.

Places like Cobb's Plantation cemented the idea that slavery was wrong and evil in an entire Army, many of whom had been ambivelant to the plight of slaves to that point.

My daughter is named for a slave, the founder of my wifes line. The grandmother of my wife remembers well the stories told by her grandmother and she recalls all too well the benevolance of Jim Crow... a policy that many might call merely an extension of slavery.

THere can be no doubt that there were good masters, good people who owned slaves and treated them well. I will not dispute such a fact, nor will I dispute that there were those that were evil beyond what we can think of today.

I challenge any who would say that slavery was not that bad, or who would defend the institution to go and stand in a particular field just South of Eastover SC; do so after dark and scream it at the top of your lungs. IIRC the mass grave holds slaves that a master opted to murder rather than to allow their freedom. I think the spirits of those murdered slaves might well have something rather different to say.

Were such actions the extreme exception rather than the norm? Yes, and no. As they were not so rare as some would have us believe. Nor was/is the hate that still permeates some places and some people.

Which is why I really do believe the ultimate irony for such men would be to find at their final judgement: God; a black woman. After all can there be any doubt that God has a sense of humor?

FSPowers · #25 09-12-2005, 05:13 PM

The fact that there is little information of African-Americans in CSA service are attributed to two factors:The fact that the Confederates were not the greatest record keepers, and actions to have that type of history suppressed.

Thankfully that information is started to come out.

Wouldn't that make Liberals flip?

Alabaman · #26 09-12-2005, 06:20 PM

Johan Steel & Mr. Powers:

Actually my question, "Has anyone on this board ever talked to a slave" was a literal question.
I will reiterate the question:
Has anyone on this board, during their life-time, ever personally communicated with a black person who was born a slave in the ante-bellum South?

My reason for the question:
I have talked with two former slaves. One time in 1966 & once in the late 1970's. My question, as originally asked was a "legit" question during a 'lull' in the threads. It was by no means an inflammatory or "taking-up" for slavery statement. Boy, talking about jumping to conclusions...
I thought I was clear. Very sorry I wasn't.

Later...
Rob Adams

johan_steele · #27 09-12-2005, 06:34 PM

It was a legit question and one well asked, all the authentic slaves, and thus the first hand accounts of either cruelty or benevolance, are long gone. Reread mine and Mr Powers post.

Alabaman · #28 09-12-2005, 06:44 PM

Johan:
I talked to ex-slaves, both (well) over 100 yrs. in age at the time. What I am trying to say is...it was a very rewarding experience. Not a bad one. One was a man, the other a woman. We (family) used to take the old timer food, and talked to him. The old lady was living by her self in an old, delapidated "house" way back in the woods. I was a fur trapper during college and she lived on the land I trapped. She died shortly thereafter. Much history was lost in not recording these peoples words. It was a very rewarding and rare 'insight' into our past. Rob Adams

johan_steele · #29 09-12-2005, 09:27 PM

"Much history was lost in not recording these peoples words." Of that there is no doubt; some were recorded and are available through the national archives. It's amazing how little we really do know. Though, in all honesty I have no doubt why.

ole · #30 09-13-2005, 01:46 AM

Alabaman posted:
"I have talked with two former slaves. One time in 1966 & once in the late 1970's. My question, as originally asked was a "legit" question during a 'lull' in the threads. It was by no means an inflammatory or "taking-up" for slavery statement. Boy, talking about jumping to conclusions...
I thought I was clear. Very sorry I wasn't."

I took your post to mean that no one has talked to a real slave. Sorry about the misunderstanding.

To clear things up a bit more, the former slave you talked to in '66 had to have been at least 101 when you talked to him. If he had any recollection of slavery, he would have had to have been at least 3 if not 6 when emancipated. That put's him at 104 - 111. I'd be very interested in hearing about his recollections. That is, if you say he was a slave, I believe you. I'm more interested in knowing what he said. The same goes for the woman.

You're the only person I've ever heard of that talked to a former slave. This would be amazingly wonderful information to share.
Ole