Stephanie McCurry about Confederate Reckoning

We've had several discussions of Confederate Reckoning: Power and Politics in the Civil War South on this forum. I read about half of the book, I thought it was very provocative and well sourced. The most interesting thing for me was the discussion of the slave revolt on Jeff Davis's plantation.

In the book, McCurry talks about an "outbreak" at the plantations of CSA president Jefferson Davis and his brother Joseph Davis. They owned two plantations located on the Mississippi River about twenty miles south of Vicksburg. In February 1862, Jefferson advised his brother to move the slaves and other valuable property further inland, where they would be safer against a Union attack along the river. In May 1862, after New Orleans fell, Joseph took several pieces of property – including house slaves – by fly boat off the plantation, and eventually wound up in Choctow County, AL.

That led to events which would cause “Jefferson Davis (to) watch helplessly from Richmond as his elder brother, Joseph, struggled vainly to beat back the challenge of their slaves’ bid for freedom,” as McCurry puts it. Immediately after Joseph Davis left,

…the Davis slaves made their move, responding not to the immediate presence of the Union army (which was not yet near), but to the signal that (the departure of) Joseph Davis had sent about the shifting balance of power. No sooner had Joseph pushed off from the dock than the remaining slaves seized control of the two plantations, sacking the Hurricane plantation, destroying the cotton, carrying off every article of value, and refusing to work. They would retain control of the plantation, indeed would refuse to be forced off even later by federal troops, seizing a rough and ready freedom while still on their home plantation. By the end of May 1862, Jefferson and Varina Davis received a series of lurid accounts of events on Brierfield plantation. “Negroes at Brierfield…said to be in a state of insubordination…”​

Sometime later, Joseph Davis had Confederate forces conduct a raid against the plantation. The slaves slaves had armed themselves, and shot at the Confederate raiders. Eventually, at least fifteen slaves were captured, and some were killed. The Confederate lieutenant who led the raid claimed that “almost all the slaves on Davis plantation had guns and newspapers.” The slaves at the Davis plantation became part of the uncounted casualties in their own war for black southerner independence.

McCurry further describes the aftermath for Jefferson Davis:

While the battle was raging, Jefferson Davis retained his composure, at least publicly. But the blow had to have been staggering. His slaves had led federal soldiers to the farm where his private family possessions were concealed, despoiling his property and pointing out place after place where his valuables were hidden. A crowd of thousands (so it was said) had gathered to watch the boxes torn open and emptied of their contents, books and papers strewn all over the yard and through the woods for miles, fine carpets cut to pieces and carried off for saddle blankets… His image-the image of the Confederate president-had been desecrated by Union soldiers… and the Brierfield slaves had celebrated the fourth of July alongside not their masters, but the school marms and other disciples of the Freedman’s cause.”​

Now, how many people know that there was a slave resurrection of Jeff Davis's plantations during the war? It's an interesting story, if only for symbolic reasons. But I hadn't seen much mention of it elsewhere.

-Alan
 
I have heard that many slave masters treated their slaves "kindly" . Seems to demonstrate that this was not the case on the Davis plantation.
 
We've had several discussions of Confederate Reckoning: Power and Politics in the Civil War South on this forum. I read about half of the book, I thought it was very provocative and well sourced. The most interesting thing for me was the discussion of the slave revolt on Jeff Davis's plantation.

In the book, McCurry talks about an "outbreak" at the plantations of CSA president Jefferson Davis and his brother Joseph Davis. They owned two plantations located on the Mississippi River about twenty miles south of Vicksburg. In February 1862, Jefferson advised his brother to move the slaves and other valuable property further inland, where they would be safer against a Union attack along the river. In May 1862, after New Orleans fell, Joseph took several pieces of property – including house slaves – by fly boat off the plantation, and eventually wound up in Choctow County, AL.

That led to events which would cause “Jefferson Davis (to) watch helplessly from Richmond as his elder brother, Joseph, struggled vainly to beat back the challenge of their slaves’ bid for freedom,” as McCurry puts it. Immediately after Joseph Davis left,

…the Davis slaves made their move, responding not to the immediate presence of the Union army (which was not yet near), but to the signal that (the departure of) Joseph Davis had sent about the shifting balance of power. No sooner had Joseph pushed off from the dock than the remaining slaves seized control of the two plantations, sacking the Hurricane plantation, destroying the cotton, carrying off every article of value, and refusing to work. They would retain control of the plantation, indeed would refuse to be forced off even later by federal troops, seizing a rough and ready freedom while still on their home plantation. By the end of May 1862, Jefferson and Varina Davis received a series of lurid accounts of events on Brierfield plantation. “Negroes at Brierfield…said to be in a state of insubordination…”​

Sometime later, Joseph Davis had Confederate forces conduct a raid against the plantation. The slaves slaves had armed themselves, and shot at the Confederate raiders. Eventually, at least fifteen slaves were captured, and some were killed. The Confederate lieutenant who led the raid claimed that “almost all the slaves on Davis plantation had guns and newspapers.” The slaves at the Davis plantation became part of the uncounted casualties in their own war for black southerner independence.

McCurry further describes the aftermath for Jefferson Davis:

While the battle was raging, Jefferson Davis retained his composure, at least publicly. But the blow had to have been staggering. His slaves had led federal soldiers to the farm where his private family possessions were concealed, despoiling his property and pointing out place after place where his valuables were hidden. A crowd of thousands (so it was said) had gathered to watch the boxes torn open and emptied of their contents, books and papers strewn all over the yard and through the woods for miles, fine carpets cut to pieces and carried off for saddle blankets… His image-the image of the Confederate president-had been desecrated by Union soldiers… and the Brierfield slaves had celebrated the fourth of July alongside not their masters, but the school marms and other disciples of the Freedman’s cause.”​

Now, how many people know that there was a slave resurrection of Jeff Davis's plantations during the war? It's an interesting story, if only for symbolic reasons. But I hadn't seen much mention of it elsewhere.

-Alan

One of the things I like about McCurry's work is that there is less of the repetition that you get in some other books of the same theme, same quotes, same description of places. She takes a particular event or place--the food riots, Jeff Davis's slaves taking over plantations--and gives us a perspective into that time that I find refreshing.
 
Davis's Homes...
Rosemont... it seems to still be standing..
http://www.civilwar.org/civil-war-d...emont-plantation-home-of-jefferson-davis.html
http://misspreservation.com/2009/10/29/rosemont-plantation/

Beauvoir (this was years after the war)
http://www.beauvoir.org/

Hurricane Plantation... sacked and burned..

Brierfield .. this one was sacked by the union... its on an island now..
http://www.upress.state.ms.us/books/1246
http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/39864


Hurricane Plantation... sacked and burned..

Davis Bend... interesting Jefferson Davis brother was trying to make a slave utopia at Hurricane
 
McCurry starts her talk with an interesting idea, that of looking at the Confederacy as a proposed nation state within the larger context of the Western world of the 1800s. She says it was something entirely new in the history of the world, that of a nation created "as a pro-slavery, anti-democratic nation state dedicated to the proposition that all men were not created equal."

She also states that "white southerners acted out of confidence" and were "in complete defiance of the spirit of the age."
 
McCurry starts her talk with an interesting idea, that of looking at the Confederacy as a proposed nation state within the larger context of the Western world of the 1800s. She says it was something entirely new in the history of the world, that of a nation created "as a pro-slavery, anti-democratic nation state dedicated to the proposition that all men were not created equal."

She also states that "white southerners acted out of confidence" and were "in complete defiance of the spirit of the age."

The concept of a "as a pro-slavery, anti-democratic nation state dedicated to the proposition that all men were not created equal" was stated by CSA VP Alexander Stephens in his famous Cornerstone Speech.

Of course, the Confederacy was not the only nation-state where slaves were used. The implication was that slavery would be an inherent and essential part of their society. (Versus, for example, northern society, which started with slavery but gradually abolished it.)

- Alan
 
The concept of a "as a pro-slavery, anti-democratic nation state dedicated to the proposition that all men were not created equal" was stated by CSA VP Alexander Stephens in his famous Cornerstone Speech.

Of course, the Confederacy was not the only nation-state where slaves were used. The implication was that slavery would be an inherent and essential part of their society. (Versus, for example, northern society, which started with slavery but gradually abolished it.)

- Alan
Except that Cuba was a colonial province and Brazil was an Empire. No one else in the Western Hemisphere was trying to pose as having slavery and democracy at the same time.
 
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