Intimate Stories of an Extraordinary Year. Elizabeth Laney, Park Interpreter Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site

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1 Intimate Stories of an Extraordinary Year Elizabeth Laney, Park Interpreter Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site

2 September 03, 1865 As I compare my lot with many others, I see only cause for thankfulness. As to the future, if I could, I would scarce lift the curtain. We are in God s hands who alone has brought about this wonderful state of affairs and who only can unravel it.

3 Headlines from the Daily Chronicle & Sentinel, Augusta, GA 22 April 1865 The Surrender of General Lee s Army Information about the surrender and copies of the correspondence between Lee and Grant regarding the surrender. The Battle of Columbus & the Fall of Richmond Reports regarding some of the final battles of the war. Lincoln Assassinated Reports from a Northern newspaper about the assassination of President Lincoln and the wounding of Secretary Seward and his son New York Money Market Celebrations on Wall Street following Lee s surrender as well as financial information.

4 LATE PAPERS AND NEWS Any friends receiving papers or arriving with papers or news from any places not now in full connection by mail, will oblige us specially by reporting to the CHRONICLE & SENTINEL office, and will thus aid in preventing exciting rumors. This news has been rumored on the streets here for some days. Lee s Surrender It took 13 days for news of this event to be reported in the Augusta paper. Lincoln s Assassination It took 7 days for news of this event to be reported in the Augusta paper. The destruction of railroads, bridges and telegraph lines severely hampered efforts to send news across the South in THE SURRENDER OF GENERAL LEE AND HIS COMMAND The Atlanta papers of yesterday morning contain the full correspondence of General Lee s surrender to General Grant The news has been rumored on the streets here for some days.

5 The Capitulation of Gen. Lee At Appomattox C. H. Gen. Lee found himself confronted by Grant. To offer resistance he had but twenty-five thousand men, who were without food or ammunition. At this juncture of affairs he received a communication from Grant who was well aware of the straits to which his great adversary was reduced. A correspondence ensued which resulted in the capitulation of General Lee and twelve thousand of his men. The remaining thirteen thousand were sent off by Lee and ordered to report to General Johnston immediately, or at Charlotte, N.C. within twenty days. The melancholy office of surrendering the army was tendered to General Longstreet, but he declined, and General Lee performed the graceless office with the elevated dignity of his grand nature. He was immediately paroled and given liberty to go either North or South. One report states that he proceeded to Richmond where his family is: and another that he is at Greensboro, N.C. On April 9 th, 1865 General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House.

6 The Battle of Columbus The Macon Telegraph gives the annexed account of the battle of Columbus: We have authentic information of the battle in front of Columbus on Saturday afternoon and night, and the capture of the city. At four o clock on that morning the Yankee force, embracing six thousand mounted infantry and cavalry, with two pieces of light artillery, passed through Opelika, without scarcely making a halt. Taking the Columbus road, their advance reached our picket line, about two miles from the city, about two o clock; a few musket shots drove them back [They] continued at irregular intervals, until night, when the battle opened furiously along the whole line The enemy entered the town at half past nine o clock. April 16, 1865 Billed by Georgia as the last battle of the war between the states. Last major battle of Wilson s Raid, a march led by Gen. James Wilson and intended to bring the Confederacy to its knees by destroying major supply centers at Selma, Alabama and Columbus, Georgia. No trains belonging to any railroad on this side were captured. The Opelika road lost five engines and several cars, in consequence of their gauge being narrow. We lost few stores, as nearly everything of consequence had been removed.

7 The volume of business was light and the speculators hilarious. A chorus of hallelujahs rent the air in the gold room at intervals. Hats were knocked off in showers, and one or two popular members, of stout and dignified appearance, were bustled about by the good humored crowd till they lost their temper and complexion, and were thankful to reach the door.

8 Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 15 th, 1865 at Ford s Theater.

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10 The Armistice Fighting was still going on even as news of the armistice was being forwarded to military commanders. Remarkable Longevity Joseph Crele of Madison, Wisconsin is reported to be the oldest person alive. A Devoted Servant byuh

11 W. H. Atkinson PVT Co D 14 SC INF Confederate States Army

12 Hd. Qtrs. Army No. Va 10 th April 1865 Gen Orders - No 9 After four years of Arduous service marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the army of No. Va. Has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources. I need not tell the brave survivors of so many hard fought battles, who have remained steadfast to the last that I have consented to the result from no distrust of them. But feeling that valor and devotion could accomplish nothing that would compensate for the loss that must have attended the continuance of the contest I determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen. By the terms of the agreement officers & men can return to their homes and remain until exchanged: You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed and I earnestly pray that a Merciful God will extend to you his blessing and protection. With an unceasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to Your Country, and a greatful remembrance of your kind and generous Considerations for my self, I bid you an Affectionate farewell. R. E. Lee

13 Issued by President Andrew Johnson on May 29, 1865 granting amnesty (with a few exceptions) to those who supported the Confederate States of America.

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17 Whereas, Mrs. C. E. Hammond, of Edgefield District, South Carolina, by taking part in the late rebellion against the Government of the United States, has made herself liable to heavy pains and penalties; And whereas, the circumstances of her case render her a proper object of Executive clemency: Now, therefore, be it known, That I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States of America. In consideration of the premises, divers other good and sufficient reasons thereunto moving, do hereby grant to the said Mrs. C. E. Hammond a full pardon and amnesty for all offences by her committed, arising from participation, direct or implied, in the said rebellion, conditioned as follows: 1 st. This pardon to be of no effect until the said Mrs. C.E. Hammond shall take the oath prescribed in the Proclamation of the President, dated May 29 th, d. To be void and of no effect if the said Mrs. C.E. Hammond shall hereafter, at any time, acquire any property whatever in slaves, or make use of slave labor. 3d. That the said Mrs. C.E. Hammond first pay all costs which may have accrued in any proceedings instituted or pending against her person or property before the date of the acceptance of this warrant. 4 th. That the said Mrs. C.E. Hammond shall not, by virtue of this warrant, claim any property or the proceeds of any property that has been sold by the order, judgement, or decree of a court under the confiscation laws of the United States. 5 th. That the said Mrs. C.E. Hammond shall notify the Secretary of State, in writing, that she has received and accepted the foregoing pardon.

18 Letter from Catherine Hammond to her brother-in-law Marcus Hammond September 03, 1865 The boys are hopeful & very attentive to business. The crop promises well. We have not lost many negroes. I wish we could get rid of many of the useless ones. 300 mouths to feed is no small charge. Meat & corn are both low I don t know what course Cousin should adopt to draw her money. At present there is none in the Estate but we have had to go in debt for the expenses of the plantation. Whatever is just and right will be done but it comes very hard on us to pay money that never was any benefit to us or to my dear Husband and at a time when it is so hard to raise money. I have no right to act in the matter and indeed know little about it that I fear to speak of it at all.

19 I fear the work of the Convention touching Slavery it is dead and I for one don t want it back. South Carolina's 'Black Code' An Act to establish and regulate the Domestic Relations of Persons of Colour, and to amend the law in relation to Paupers and Vagrancy. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, now met and sitting in General Assembly, and by the authority of the same, as follows: Contracts for service. XXXV. All persons of color who make contracts for service or labor, shall be known as servants, and those with whom they contract, shall be known as masters. Regulations of labor on farms. XLV. On farms or in out-door service, the hours of labor, except on Sunday, shall be from sun-rise to sun-set, with a reasonable interval for breakfast and dinner. Servants shall rise at the dawn in the morning, feed, water and care for the animals on the farm, do the usual and needful work about the premises, prepare their meals for the day, if required by the master, and begin the farm work or other work by sun-rise. The servant shall be careful of all the animals and property of his master, and especially of the animals and implements used by him, shall protect the same from injury by other persons, and shall be answerable for all property lost, destroyed or injured by his negligence, dishonesty or bad faith. XLVI. All lost time, not caused by the act of the master, and all losses occasioned by neglect of his duties hereinbefore prescribed, may be deducted from the wages of the servant; and food, nursing and other necessaries for the servant, whilst he is absent from work on account of sickness or other cause, may also be deducted from his wages. Servants shall be quiet and orderly in their quarters, at their work, and on the premises; shall extinguish their lights and fires, and retire to rest at seasonable hours.

20 Elizabeth Hammond Eve In the 1930 s Elizabeth Betty dictated a series of notes about her life to one of her children. At Redcliffe we refer simply to this 9-page typed document as Notes by Elizabeth Hammond Eve. My only sister was nine years older than I. And my three brothers older than she was. So I was more like an only child and every wish gratified. Until I was 14 years old and went off to school, I found a present under my father s pillow every morning. Term of 63 and 64, went to the Misses Sedgewick s High School in Augusta. Had a French teacher. Term of 1864 and 65, to Miss Safford in Beech Is. and kept up French and music. Always had my horse or horses and rode every day

21 In January of 1866 Betty and her mother Catherine traveled to New York to join her sister Catty on a trip to Europe. They lived in Paris throughout 1866 and returned near the end of the year.

22 William Gilmore Simms This collection, which featured many of the wellknown poets of the day including several of Simms s own poetic works, was published in 1866 by Richardson and Company of New York as War Poetry of the South.

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26 The Augusta Chronicle & Sentinel for December 26, 1865 The enslaved communities of the Hammond Plantations Reconstruction communities of the Hammond Plantations The Beech Island Primary School The Black Codes, Work Contracts and Sharecropping An Appeal to Pharaoh