Sunday, December 4, 1864

CAPTAIN JAMES M. RANDALL, 21st Wisconsin,In the Field, Georgia

Our Division moved at noon, and after a march of 6 miles went into camp at dark. We passed through a poor country. A few of those black refugees whom we left at Buckhead Creek overtook us. We learned that several were drowned in an attempt to cross this stream.


JENNIE LEWIS, On the Road to Freedom

The colored people are in an uproar. Last night the solders pulled up the boat bridge and left people behind the wagons on the other side of a creek. Some turned back and said they were going home. Some people almost drowned trying to get across. The men had to tie logs together with there own clothes. It took till this morning to get everyone across. I was in the mess tent when a solder came to General Davis and said ‘Sir the niggers are back.’

‘Con found it!’ General Davis said. ‘I ordered that bridge to be taken up. Which ones of my lincoln-loving john brown abolishioniss solders refused a direct order? They will be tried and shot! I will not have my lines clogged up with niggers, if I have to remove every bridge from here to Sa-van-da’ (that’s what it sounds like to me). Let them stop up the creeks instead.’

He did not see me in the room or he saw me and did not care that I heard. I ran strate to Rev. Quarles as soon as I could get away. I repeted as best I could word for word what the general said. Rev Quarles called some of the men and women in camp together and they talked for a long time. While words flew around to the colored folks in camp. ‘We should all go back to our homes and let the army fend for itself’ some people said. Caroline and I did not like that talk at all. Our Papa is ahead of us, not behind. Folks sat around camp fires shivering and grumbling and crying and praying until finely the men and women came out of there meeting and spred through the camp to talk to the rest of us. Rev. Quarles, Fortune Bell, and some of the other men from Millidgeville came to my tent.

‘Jennie we are sending a delegation to General Sherman. We want him to know what happened last night. We want him to order General Davis to keep the bridges up and we need you to come along.’ This was Fortune Bell talking.

My heart skipped a beat. Caroline and I looked at each other. ‘What do you want me for?’

‘You are an eye witness to what General Davis said. And’— he stopped and looked at Rev. Quarles. Then he looked at me. ‘General Sherman trusts you. He knows you and likes you. He will listen to what you say.’

I could not say a word but just stood there looking at everyone. Finely I said ‘Im just the cooks assistant. General Sherman is too important to listen to me.’

As I said the words I no know my eyes spoke another truth. Not only do I know General Sherman will listen to me because he has done just that before. I also want to go. But how can I leave Caroline and little Jake when I have just found them! Fortune Bell then said ‘They call you Shermans wife.’

I felt myself get hot under my clothes. ‘Who says that?’ I asked. Caroline had gotten up by now and come to my side. She took my hand and squeezed it.

‘It is not safe for my sister to be on the roads in this country. It is crawling with rebels.’

‘We will ride with the carriers going to the generals headquarters. No one will dare molest us and if they try, we will protect Jennie’ Fortune Bell said.

i heard him talking but I could not get the other words out of my ears ‘Shermans wife! Shermans wife!’ How could such a thing get started? What did people think of me? I looked at Rev. Quarles now but his face was not changed. I asked him if he thought I should go.

‘It is a big responsibility, Jennie. You are the only one who should decide whether you will take it. I will only say that if you decide to go I will answer for you to your mother and father.’

‘It is not the way people think Reverened’ I said. ‘General Sherman is a good, kind man.’

‘I know Jennie. I know you are a good, smart girl. I know you will do what is right.’

I wanted to cry or scream or run out of there. Caroline saved me. ‘You say you will leave in the morning. Then she must take the night to decide. My sister will let you know to-morrow.’

When they left, I looked at Caroline and she looked at me. ‘Shermans wife?’ she said. We laughed and fell upon the bed. ‘Can you see it, Cal? Me part of a delegation—‘ we looked that word up—‘to General Sherman?’

‘He would be glad to see you’ she said.

Now Caroline and Jake are asleep and I am still awake writing all of this in my book. Now I must think about what to do. I do not want to leave Caroline. Captain Pepper has told me never to leave camp without him. These are strong reasons for me to remane right here in camp and Mr. Bell and the men around him can talk to General Sherman. And yet, there is a part of me that itches to see him—.

I must do as Caroline says and sleep on it—if I can ever get to sleep.