USA > Mississippi > Newton County > History of Newton County, Mississippi from 1834 to 1894 > Part 9
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Gen. Sherman leaving Vicksburg with a large army, marched to Jackson and thence to Brandon, and thence to Hillsboro, in Scott county, and entered this county east of Conehatta about three miles. It is supposed
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his destination was Mobile, but for some cause he went no further east than Meridian and Enterprise. On his return west he did not follow the exact roads by which he came out, taking such as had not been so badly raided by his foraging party, so that provisions might be more easily obtained. He passed going east through Conehatta, to Decatur, where he camped for the night and did great damage to the town and citi- zens. The court-house and Methodist church were burned, all the store houses, two hotels and a number of dwelling houses.
From Decatur he went directly east on the Meridian road and made his headquarters at Mr. Reynolds, and remained in that portion of the county two days; he passed out east, on same road, by Beulah church, and camped near where Mr. S. B. Gilbert now lives. After spending a few days in Meridian, and destroying most of the town, he returned on the Jackson and Montgomery stage road, going back through the same neighborhood, but not exactly the same roads. As has been said, it was in the month of February, 1864, and much of the road from Vicksburg to Meridian at that season of the year is almost impassable, especially that portion of prairie in Scott county east and west of Hillsboro.
Yet it proved to be that the month of February of that year was more like October or November-remarkably pleasant and dry. The sun shone and the smoke set- led like Indian summer, and the army made as pleas- ant and easy trips as if it had been in the fall of the year. His army was large and well equipped with everything necessary to carry on the project he had in view. His men kept pretty close together and were able to resist any force sent against them. There was a slight skirmish at Decatur by small parties of Con-
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federates, and probably one man killed on the enemy's side. There was considerable fighting between Deca- tur and Union by Capt. Rayborn, of Newton county, who was killed while bravely defending his home and people. As the army went west it entered the county by the Meridian and Union road, and camped at different parts of Newton county, always choosing some neighborhood where there was plenty for man and beast.
To attempt to give the estimated damage done to a county which such an invading army passed through would be impossible. No one can properly state the damage. It is not supposable that they got all they ate from the county through which they passed, as they had large supply trains, as well as wagon trains carrying their ammunition. They fed their teams and drew largely for their meat supply from the county through which they passed. The soldiers preferred to forage for what they ate, liking better what they got at the average farm house to army rations. Just at that time might be expected in the larders and pan- tries of the country homes fresh smoked pork, includ- ing fine hams; also smoked sausages, butter-milk, .chickens, turkeys, geese, fat shoats-in fact, every- thing a hungry soldier wanted. This was far prefer- able to the " hardtack " and salt pork, which were the usual rations of the soldiers.
The night before General Sherman entered Newton county he stayed at the residence of L. P. Murrell, just over in Scott county, and it is interesting to hear his brave and patriotic wife tell of the the occurrences of that eventful period. The next night he stayed at Decatur ; the next at Mr. William Reynolds' ; so he made no hasty marches through our county. Doubt- less he fared well and was pleased with our country.
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It is a dreadful catastrophe, in connection with the war, to have a great army pass through a country, es- pecially if it is a hostile one. Many losses and hard- ships were entailed upon our people even when our own soldiers marched through the country, and partic- ularly if they were following an invading army. As General Ross' Texas cavalry brigade followed Sher- man's army, they were forced to subsist on a people over which the enemy had twice passed, as he was not prepared to carry any army supplies.
It so occurred during the war that Newton county had Grierson's raid to pass centrally through the county from north to south, and General Sherman's great army marched from west to east and from east to west, clear through the northern part of the county, and then followed by Ross' Texas brigade-all of whom had, in a great measure, to be subsisted from the private stocks of provisions and provender for horses from the citizens, besides taking the very best of the stock that was not hid away beyond their reach.
When the Federal army approached a farm house at which they proposed to stay all night, the work of destruction commenced at a terrible rate. The com- manding general would take the dwelling-house for his headquarters, and he would usually place guards at the door and the family would feel protected. As a general thing no insult would be offered and what- ever was on the inside of the house was safe. But it was impossible to restrain the soldiers, nor did their chief officers care much the property they destroyed. If they wished to feed their teams they did not go in at the door of the crib. These cribs were usually of logs. They would knock off the roof, then throw off the logs until they reached the corn ; from that posi-
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tion the corn would be taken, and the waste was about as great as the use. All kinds of fowls were indis- criminately killed. All the hogs they could find that were fat enough, would be killed, and a most wanton use of hams and the joints of the smoked meat, only the choice part be used, the other thrown away. A farmer had but little left after the army had gone. They used for fuel the rails around the fields and the palings around the yards and premises, and after the army removed the place looked like a cyclone had struck it. Cotton, either in the seed or bale, was destroyed; any valuable houses -- like churches, court-houses, hotels, etc., were burned.
With over fifteen hundred of the best men of the county in the field defending the Confederacy at other points than at home, with the invading armies of the enemy and the pursuing army of our own passing to harrass and punish as much as possible, Newton county felt the iron heel of war. It did so permeate the whole of our southern country that not a household, (like the Egyptian passover), nor an individual but felt the terrible plagues and destruction and horrors of war. Quite a number of negroes followed Sherman's army, though they did not wish many of them-a few, probably, to wait on the officers. They wanted good horses and plenty to feed them on, and the best pro- visions the country people had. So passed the great raid and army through the county, the recollection of which will be long in the minds of the people.
CHAPTER XIV.
CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY AFTER SHERMAN'S MARCH, DEMORALIZATION OF THE COUNTY AND THE SOL- DIERS IN THE FIELD BY SUCH DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY-SOLDIERS IN THE COUNTY ABSENT WITH- OUT LEAVE FROM THE ARMY-GREAT FORTITUDE AND STEADFASTNESS OF SOME MEN AT HOME AND SOME SOLDIERS IN THE ARMY-GREAT CONFIDENCE IN MR. DAVIS AS THE EXECUTIVE HEAD OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES-THINGS AS THEY APPEARED JUST AFTER THE WAR-PRICE OF COTTON AND OTHER GOODS.
The year 1864 was one of serious reverses as well as some victories to the Southern cause. The great neces- sity of massing large bodies of Confederate troops at important points in the South to defend and keep back the enemy, left many portions of the State virtually without resistance. Under these circumstances many raids were made on this unprotected territory. Sher- man's march was made through Mississippi in 1864. and through Georgia and the Carolinas in 1864 and 1865, which so devastated. the country as scarcely to leave anything in the line of his march. These things had a very demoralizing effect on the people. The most patriotic and self-sacrificing men felt the uncer- tainty of final success of the South. The hope of further recruiting the numbers of Southern soldiers was of the most uncertain character. The soldiers
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in the field showed to some extent the same feelings of those at home. Their ranks were constantly less- ened by absences without leave; some went off with no purpose to return under any circumstances.
The enemy, anticipating a speedy close of the war, pressed bard upon the Southern army. Well fed and clothed, with the best and greatest abundance of arms and recruits whenever they were needed, were now making terrible inroads upon the Confederacy, whose soldiers stood as a solid wall of defense against this great odds with death hourly staring them in the face, their ranks constantly being lessened by disease and the casualties of battle. It took the best stuff of which men are made to stay at these places under such circumstances. Confederate money was at such a dis- count as to make it nearly worthless. Ten, twenty, fifty, and probably a hundred dollars of Confederate money would have been refused for one in gold. All kinds of goods not made at home were scarce, and very hard to obtain with Confederate money. The prices of goods, where they were sold at all, were fab- ulously high. Calico ran to ten dollars per yard, while a pair of good boots, towards the close of the war, would have been considered cheap at five hundred dol- lars. Many patriotic and liberal men, who, at the beginning of the war had willingly parted with their gold and all kinds of valuable property, were reluc- tant to make any greater sacrifice. A "tax in kind" had long since been levied that brought in supplies for the army and hospital stores. A large money tax was also levied, and thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars were now paid into the Confederate treasury by the citizens. Newton county at that time-say for two years-paid three hundred thousand dollars beside "one-tenth" of the farm products as a tax in kind. The
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Confederate tax imposed by the Congress at Richmond, was probably one of the most searching that was ever presented to the tax-payers of any country .. This in- cluded an income tax on all amounts of profit in any business of over $250.00. This tax was met, and as a usual thing paid cheerfully by the people, as they felt it was a common cause for which they were contending, and the contributions of money, like the blood of the South, was profusely poured out.
There were some who still felt confidence in the final success and complete separation of the South from the other States. Many there were, who, inspired by the undying patriotism of the executive head, Jefferson Davis, felt assured in his too sanguine belief that we would, still be victorious, and to some the end was a great surprise. But it came with blighting and destructive force, severing the domestic relations of master and slave from the positions they had respec- tively occupied for centuries.
It is stated in Mr. Davis' "Rise and Fall of the Con- federate Government," page 167, 2d volume, that the number of negroes freed was upward of six million, and would deprive the owners of the value of five thousand million dollars. This great loss fell with such force as to almost paralyze the energies of the stoutest heart. Crushing the hopes and blighting the prospects of our most wealthy citizens, not only was it a loss of most they had, but a mortification and humil- iation of their pride, unexpected and unparalleled.
On the 9th of April, 1865, when General Lee surren- dered at Appomatox Court-house, went down all the glory of the old South. General Johnston surrendered on the 11th of the same month. Then Generals Kirby Smith and Dick Taylor very speedily followed, and then came the close of the war which few looked for
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so precipitately. There was great confusion in the the country ; the Confederate currency, which had poorly supplied a medium of exchange for a long time, was now entirely worthless ; but very little gold and silver were left in the country. Everything was now, and for some time afterward, brought to a stand-still; paroled soldiers, from their distant commands, began to return to the counties of their homes. In one sense there was a great relief. The tension of suspense had been so great, and so many things suggested for relief and nothing. yet tangible for cessation of hostilities, that when the end came, soldiers who had been spared to see the end of the war, though greatly disappointed at the result of its close, and patriotic men and women at home who had done all they could, and though like the veteran soldier regretted the terms of capitulation, rejoiced that the war closed.
Many soldiers came home that never expected to have that privilege. Many a noble, brave man fell de- fending the Southern cause, whose memory is cher- ished by his companions in arms and whose loss is mourned by his relatives at home. Yet there was great rejoicing in the return of the Southern soldiers. Some of them were in a Federal prison and others de- tained on account of transportation, and in many in- stances it was late in the year 1865 before they reached home. And with the surrender a new order of things appeared. Most of the farmers of the counties had made arrangements for the cultivation of the crops before the return of the soldiers. The negroes, now free, usually stayed with the former owner until the ' crop was gathered. The returning soldier went imme- diately to work to plant a corn crop or to assist his family to cultivate the crop planted. There was corn and other provisions enough to do the country and
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people lived at home, having very little communica- tion with the outside world. Men who had been ac- customed to great responsibility in business and who had, before this time, large credit and the confidence of the business world, were now without aid-all they had acquired for years swept away by the result of the war or by the torch of the enemy-were now power- less to do for the present. They looked around for a mooring. Many yet had youth and health, talent and energy. They yet had their landed estates and some of them had credit with the monied world. They take courage. A gleam of hope is seen. They commence to retrieve their fallen fortunes or try to make a sup- port for those dependent upon them.
The saddest cases, perhaps, are the old men and women who early in the war gave their young sons, reared in the lap of luxury and wealth, to go and fight the battles for the South. They rushed gladly to the front to do battle for their country. They fell in the thickest of the fray. These old folks are without stay or comfort in their old age. Their money is spent, their servants are free, their untenanted lands are all they have. Their age precludes the possibility of their ever being able to do anything towards re- establishing their fallen fortunes. Under such pres- sure many an old man became despondent and pre- maturely died of grief and misfortune.
Confederate money, as has been said, served the best purpose possible as long as it could be used, now serves as an heir loom of the war between the States or to paper the walls of the houses. All kinds of wearing apparel was "home-made" and was scarce. Most of the fine dressing of the good old days of plenty had been worn out. Very few of the luxuries of life were left. Most of the best stock of the coun-
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try had been taken by the enemy or impressed by our government. Everything around the premises and plantation was in a dilapidated condition. Yet there was a reserved force left in the country and without that the people would have been desperately poor. It will be recollected that the year 1860 was one of the greatest cotton producing years that had been known up to that time. There were, 4,675,770 bales made, and some parts of the cotton making States, made cotton in 1861, the two years taken together left a large supply in the country. Much of this was disposed of in one way or another. Much was sold to the govern- ment and ran the blockade, and much of the govern- ment cotton was kept in the country in the hands of the farmers who held Confederate bonds for it. Many planters had a few bales of cotton left which had escaped the enemy's reach. This staple now com- manded fabulous prices ; fifty to sixty cents per pound was paid for cotton. The temptation of private indi- viduals using government cotton was too great, and before the Federals could take possession in all parts of the country, much was used in an illicit way. This use of this cotton, with what was in the hands of mer- chants and farmers, put into circulation a large amount of money.
A soon as people began to dispose of their cotton there were a few goods brought into the county, and some business was done in the summer and fall of 1865. Goods for the money that was current, even for gold and silver, were very high. Calico was 40 cents ; domestic, of coarse quality, was thirty to forty cents ; cotton yarn was sold at six to seven dollars for five pounds even as late as 1866 and 1867 ; shoes, boots and cloth- ing and all sorts of merchandise were at prices that would prevent the purchase and sale at all under ordi-
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nary circumstances, but the great scarcity and high price of cotton warranted it, and the people accepted the situation.
Among the many things that commanded large prices was wines and liquors. There was much of it placed on the market at prices never before known except in the depreciated currency of war times. The people had become so accustomed to paying these prices during the war, there was not much complaining about it. They had been "dry" so long that they did not hesitate to buy freely when there was any money.
Cotton, after 1866, commenced to go down, and most lines of goods followed ; though the prices of cotton and all other goods remained comparatively high for several years.
CHAPTER XV.
SERIES OF YEARS FROM 1866 TO 1894-LARGE EXPEC- TATIONS ON THE PART OF THE FARMERS TO MAKE COTTON-COTTON STILL HIGH-NEW EXPERIMENTS IN THE WAY OF EMPLOYING THE LABOR OF THE COUNTRY-THIS YEAR (1866) A VERY BAD CROP YEAR AND GREAT FAILURE OF SOME TO REALIZE THEIR EXPECTATIONS FROM FREE LABOR-SAME THINGS REPEATED FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH CON- TINUED FAILURE TO MAKE GOOD CROPS.
THE years of 1866 and 1867 formed an epoch in the history of the country unparalleled and unthought of for the Southern States. By the freedom of the slaves a new order of things was brought upon the farming communities which affected all other occupations. A sudden parting of the relations between master and slave had brought about such an anomalous state of 'affairs as scarcely to be accepted by the former owners of negroes.
The year of 1865 passed off with but few changes in - the domestic relations. The beginning of 1866 is a new era. The Indians, at certain periods of their his- tory, after the lapse of so long a time, would allow all the fire in the country to go out, and after it was all supposed to be gone, they took two sticks, and by long and severe friction with these sticks, produced a new fire, which was distributed to all the inhabitants belonging to that tribe. So it was, the old fire of
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government was quenched by the result of the war. A new fire is now distributed. Many a time it may have been quenched by inability to maintain the standard intended to be introduced among the new freedmen, or many a time it was caused to burn too brightly, and consumed those who should be its bene- ficiaries. The Legislature of the State had made some laws governing the freedman and others regarding con- tracts to be entered into between the employer and the employe, and at the beginning of the year great numbers of these contracts were mutually signed, and the negroes went to work. In many instances the ne- groes preferred to leave their old masters and go to a stranger whom they might address as Mister and not master. There was great effort to make cotton. Seed were scarce ; teams were poor, and in many instances, a resort to oxen, or very young stock, was made to plow the ground. The seasons for making a crop were very unpropitious, and a very small crop of cot- ton (2,154,476 bales), also short corn crop was made.
There was considerable business done on the rail- roads. Merchants who had some means and credit brought goods to the railroad towns and in some cases did some credit business at high prices, for goods were still up. The cotton that was made brought a good price, say average about 40 cents, which in some de- gree made up for short crop. Corn was scarce and high. As yet the Federal government had not removed the county and State officers and no political trouble had as yet ensued that would disturb the relations of the two races. There was an election held in the fall of 1866, and county officers were elected and were duly commissioned and served, without molestation. There were no conflicts between the whites and blacks. Order was maintained in the county ; but little lawless- 9
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ness among the people. The people already poor and needy, and with small crops, the government saw proper to levy a tax of fifteen dollars per bale on all cotton made in the Southern States. This was for the years of 1866 and '67, and it was afterwards reduced to ten dollars per bale. This has been considered a very unjust tax and there have been various proposi- tions to return it. It would entail great expense and much uncertainty to attempt to return this large amount of money to the various planters who paid it, but it might be given back to the States and the amount placed as a school fund in trust with the States and in that way be more benefit and less expense than to reach individual farmers.
The year of 1867 was very much a repetition of the preceding year. It will be remembered that after the retirement of Wm. L. Sharkey, as Provisional Gov- ernor, on the 16th of October, 1865, Gen. Ben. G. Hum- phreys was inducted into the office of Governor of the State of Mississippi, whose people elected him before . the idea of reconstruction of the States had come up before Congress, and after the Convention of August, 1865, when the State, by the action of that Conven- tion, resumed its place among the States of the Union. His administration was wise and patriotic, and there was little disturbance of any sort among the people, as all wished to be law-abiding and went heartily to work to that end. On the 27th of March, 1867, Gen- eral E. O. C. Ord was made Military Commander of the district in which Mississippi was embraced and Gov. ernor Humphreys was removed by this "Reconstruc. tion Act." He was removed by General McDowell June 5th, 1868.
In November, 1867, Gen. Ord ordered an election of delegates to a convention called for the purpose of
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revising the organic laws of the Commonwealth of Mississippi. In this election the most intelligent white men of the State were deprived the right to vote, being excluded by the test-oath, on account of participating . to certain extent in the late war, while the colored peo- ple at this election cast their first votes. They fol- lowed the advice of the "carpet-baggers," who, as polit- ical adventurers, had come among us for the spoils, and succeeded in electing a majority of their own dele- gates to the convention. This was the first political experience that had been felt between the whites and the "newly enfranchised." Some disturbances and difficulties, as a matter of course, came up between the races, but nothing yet of very serious nature.
The crop of 1867 was 1,951,988 bales of cotton, with comparatively poor crop of corn. There was also much neglect in the raising of stock and the care of the farm, and all home industry in the way of making clothes, such as had gone on during the war, was to a great extent abandoned. The high price of cotton had turned all industries into that channel, and to the neglect of everything else. White men stood for the negro, and the high price of goods, the short crop of cotton, caused thousands of dollars to be lost to the planters and merchants, as in many instances the planter who stood for the freedman on his place was unable to meet his obligations with all the crop sur- rendered.
The year 1868 was very memorable in the history of the State and particularly of Newton county. General Ames was acting now as Military Governor after June of this year. None of the acts of the Legislature, or executive officers who were elected by the people, were considered binding, and hence followed a general removal of judicial and county officers. This was the
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