From H. W.
Sunday, May 8. I have been wanting to see a Baptism performed as it is here in the creek, and as there was to be one to-day C. arranged yesterday for us all to go up. We had a lovely drive, reaching the bridge by the church just as the Baptism began, and, sitting in the wagon where we could see and hear everything, we witnessed the whole ceremony and saw the vast crowd that had collected for the same purpose. As the last came up out of the water the people began to sing, and we moved with the crowd towards the church, which was presently filled, as many more people outside sitting about. We sat for about four hours, through all the services. The minister soon changed his clothes and came in, but in the meantime the people sung. Mr. Parker took occasion in his sermon to express very liberal views towards other denominations of Christians, and then invited “all members of sister churches to remain to the Communion service.” There has been so much talk and trouble about this, and all who were not Baptists have been so vigorously excluded,165 that we were very glad to see the new minister take a different ground, and remained gladly. While the deacons were arranging the Table, those who chose went out, after which the elders went to the doors to call them back. “Member, member, what you keep de church waitin’ for?” and again the church was filled, floor and gallery,—I never saw such a sight,—but the minister’s earnestness and the general seriousness of the people made it unlike a spectacle, and a serious, most interesting occasion. Then there was a collection taken up in the elders’ hats, the people making change while old Robert would attempt to persuade them to leave the whole bill! Then two couples were severally married, not both at once after Mr. Phillips’ heathenish fashion, pronouncing them all husbands and wives!
May 16. I found that the Court was to meet here at nine o’clock. Mr. Soule asked me to be present, and I listened all day to the examination of the various witnesses. It was very interesting; but it was very sad to see how little dependence could be placed upon their word. Men and boys took the oath one after the other and then lied as if they had sworn to do so. Their ingenuity was wonderful, and we had to come to the conclusion that if those who we supposed spoke the truth had been on the other side they would have lied as badly as the others. It has now become very important to carry the case through and discover if possible who have perjured themselves, as they must learn how important it is for them to speak the truth. But little additional light was thrown by the labor of to-day, and they adjourned at night till Thursday, at Pine Grove.
May 19. The court sat at Pine Grove, but though the moral certainty was very great, it was almost impossible to convict on the evidence, because they lied so.
A man came in great excitement to tell us that the rebels had made a raid during the night onto Morgan Island and carried off all the people. F. and R. immediately took the sailboat and went over to the gunboat to let them know.
May 22. F. went to church to find out about the poor Morgan Island people, and heard from Mrs. Wells that eleven people, men and women, had been carried off by fifteen Secesh—three of Hamilton Fripp’s sons were among them. They took all the clothes, money, and eatables they could find, and told the people that they were living well and earning forty cents a day while their old mistress was starving and had no one to work for her, and they thought it was time they went to take care of her. One man escaped after his hands were tied, and one woman refused to get into the boat, and they knocked her down and left her. They have frightened poor Mrs. Wells pretty effectually by saying they should like to carry Mr. Wells off on the points of their bayonets. “That man that pays them forty cents a day.” A picket has been stationed there and another on Eddings Point.
May 27. My “seamster,” Maria, has a little girl who she sent me word should be my little chambermaid, and she wished me to name her. Her youngest child, Noble, I did not know, he is such a great boy, and I remarked that he was bigger than Cicero was two years ago. “Too much, Missus, him lick Cicero now,” and she explained that it was because he was a Yankee child, and then she and Rose enlarged upon the general superiority of the Yankee children, who could all “lick” all the Secesh children of twice their years! It was very funny, but I daresay there is some truth in it, as the women only work when they feel able to do so, and moreover they all have a greater variety of food.
The boys returned from the gunboats with full accounts from the officers of the disgraceful abandonment of the expedition166 and its complete failure, owing in the first place to the drunkenness of an officer and then to the failure of common sense. General Foster has arrived167—I hope he will prove to be somebody; this poor Department seems doomed. General Birney seems to have shown as little sense in this matter as on the negro question.
May 31. To dine at Pine Grove, stopping on the way to see if I could find any of Pierce Butler’s168 people among the St. Simonians who have settled on the deserted plantation of Hamilton Fripp. Found one woman who was nursery-maid at Mr. Hazard’s, who she said was a cousin of “Butler’s;” she remembered him well and his two daughters, also Mrs. Butler. “She was a very great lady—a very great lady, and a most beautiful lady—slender-like: she tell Mr. Butler if he give up the slavery, she would likes to live there, but she couldn’t stan’ that; but he wouldn’t ‘grees to that, so she goes ’way and she get a dewoce. Oh, but she could ride hos’!” She said that Mr. Butler was a very kind master to his servants indeed, “but sometimes he have bad overseer.”
June 15. Rode through the quarters to tell the people myself that I was going home for a visit. “But you comin’ back dough—arter we get use’ to you you mustn’t lef’ we—and you sarvice to we when we sick too much.” “Hi!” said old Betty, “you brudder an’ sister been eat you like one oyshter!” “Dey tink you like one angel come down,” said old Judy, “and they no ben see you so long time.”
The long letter that comes next is perhaps the most interesting and convincing of all that Mr. Philbrick wrote.