Life in Old Virginia - Chapters XX-XXI



CHAPTER XX. Life and Customs

I. RELIGION.

The first permanent English settlement in America, was begun by Church of 
England men, and during the age of religious intolerance and persecution 
throughout the Christian world. Lord Baltimore, a Catholic nobleman, came 
to Virginia to seat a colony but upon being presented with the "oath of 
allegiance and supremacy" to the Church of England, he refused, and made 
the settlement in Maryland.

Until about the date of the Revolutionary War, the Church of England 
controlled the colony. Many of the first acts of assembly relate to 
provision for that church. It was required by law that in every settlement 
in which the people met to worship God, a house should be appointed for 
that purpose. Globe lands were laid off and the country divided into 
parishes, and the minister's salary provided for from the best (sweet 
scented) tobacco, and corn.

By an act of the Assembly, 1623-4 it was decreed.

"That no man dispose of any of his tobacco before the minister be 
satisfied, upon pain of forfeiture double his part of the ministers means, 
and one man of every plantation to collect his means of the first and best 
tobacco and corn."

Penalties were imposed for absence during divine service on Sunday, 
without sufficient excuse, and a clause was added forbidding profanation 
of that day by tray-cling or work.

The compulsory payment of ministers was abandoned about 1658, though no 
act of religious freedom was passed until the legislature of 1785 passed 
an act establishing religious freedom, and subsequently repealed all laws 
which recognized the "Protestant Episcopal Church" as the legal 
establishment. The globe lands, and all other church property, was then 
vested in the overseer of the poor for charitable purposes, reserving only 
to the living incumbents an estate for life, and exempting the church 
buildings from confiscation. There are many of the old colonial churches 
yet standing throughout Tidewater Virginia. They are nearly all of the 
same style of architecture, substantially built of brick, the mortar 
between which appears to be nearly as solid and lasting as the brick 
itself.

The Baptists are now the most numerous religious sect in Tidewater 
Virginia. The Methodists are the next in numbers. The Church of England 
has now a comparative few adherents in that section. The Baptists were 
said to be very loyal during the Revolutionary War. They tendered the 
services of their ministers in promoting the enlistment of the youth of 
their religious persuasion, and were prominent in efforts to secure 
religious freedom. They sent many petitions to the legislature of their 
State, asking for religious freedom, amongst which is the following in 
verse

"To the Honorable General Assembly" 
"The Humble Petition of a Country Poet."
"Now liberty is all the plan, 
The chief pursuit of every man
Whose heart is right, and fills the mouth 
Of patriots all, from North to South.

"May a poor bard, from bushes sprung,
Who yet has but to rustics sung, 
Address your honorable House,
And not your angry passions rouse?

"Hark! for awhile your business stop;
One word into your ears I'll drop; 
No longer spend your needless pains, 
To mend and polish o'er our chains,
But break them off before you rise,
Nor disappoint our watchful eyes.

"What say great Washington and Lee?
Our Country is, and must be free'.
What say great Henry, Pendleton,
And Liberty's minutest son?
'Tis all one voice-they ail agree,
'God made us, and we must be free'.
Freedom we crave with every breath,
An equal freedom, or a death.

"The heavenly blessing freely give,
Or make an Act we shall not live;
Tax all things; water, air, and light,
If need be; yea, tax the night,
But let our brave heroic minds
Move freely as Celestial winds.

"Make vice and folly your rod,
But leave our consciences to God;
Leave each man free to choose his form
Of piety, nor at him frown.

"And he who minds the Civil law,
And keeps it whole without a flaw,
Let him, just as he pleases, pray,
And seek for heav'n in his own way;
And if he miss, we all must own
No man is wrong'd but he alone."

The first Baptist church of the colony was at Burley, Isle of Wight 
County, in 1714. In many of the counties, imprisonment was inflicted upon 
the ministers of this sect almost up to the date of the Revolution. A 
notable instance was the imprisonment of Rev. John Walter forty-six days 
in the jail at Urbanna, a town established by law in 1705, in Middlesex 
County. Rev. John Waller was the first Baptist preacher in that county. He 
was born in Spottsylvania County in 1741, and in early youth was said to 
be addicted to every species of wickedness, and was known as "Swearing 
Jack Waller," and the "Devil's Adjutant." His conversion was brought about 
through the meekness of a resident of his native county, who was tried and 
convicted for preaching the Baptist faith, by a jury of which Mr. Waller 
was a. member. In 1773, Mr. Waller removed to South Carolina where he died 
in 1802.

Religious intolerance is a memory only of the long past in Tidewater 
Virginia, as elsewhere generally throughout the world.

The quiet of country life is more conducive to morality and to the greater 
reverence for religion than is usually found in the city life. The evening 
talks of the assembled family around the country fireside make lasting 
impressions upon the youthful listeners, and tends to strengthen their 
morals against temptations which future years may bring before them.

Religious worship entails self-denial of worldly things. When it is 
conducted in the open field, or in the forest, there is an added air of 
sanctity and sincerity which partakes less of the machine worship held in 
the gilded cathedral of the city where cushioned seats, and many other 
comforts abound, and fashion displays its best models.

The groves were Gods first temples Ere man learned 
To hew the shaft, and lay the architrave,
And spread the roof above them-ere he framed 
The lofty vault, to gather and roll back
The sound of anthems; in the darkling wood;
Amid the cool and silence, he knelt down,
And offered to the Mightiest solemn thanks 
And supplication.

There are three camp meeting grounds in the "Northern Neck" peninsula. Two 
of them belong to the Baptists. The one named "Kirkland," in honor of a 
deceased beloved named "Kirk," is distant from Heathsville, the county- 
seat of Northumberland, about one and one-half miles. It is situated on a 
well-drained knoll, in a grove of oak, hickory, chestnut and maple trees. 
The "tents" are built of wood, two stories in height, fancifully and 
tastefully designed, and arranged in blocks, or squares with space for 
walks, or "streets" between each square. The Tabernacle, constructed of 
wood, in the form of a square, is open upon all sides, and contains 
comfortable pine benches. The camp is in the midst of a dense forest which 
is reached through by-roads, and is beyond the sight of a public highway, 
or dwelling place, and far from all sounds excepting those of primitive 
nature.

The "Katy Dids" enliven the scene in the summer's eve by their soft 
rasping melodies, and the squirrels build their nests in the trees, and 
scamper through the grounds in the daylight to gather their winter's store 
of acorns, which in the season are plentifully distributed over the land. 
Solemnity is added to the prayers of the congregation by the hooting owl, 
which sits perched upon some monarch of the forest whose limbs are so 
paralyzed as to shed their bark, and afford a firm foothold for this bird 
of solemn voice.

During the moonlight nights, the sweet notes of the wild mocking birds are 
chanted heavenward from the neighboring forests in unison with the fervent 
hymns of the congregation.

"Marvin Grove," the camp of the Methodists, is located in Richmond County, 
distant from Warsaw, the county seat of justice, fourteen or fifteen 
miles, and is also within a dense forest. It is located upon one side of a 
main road, on the ridge, or backbone, of this Peninsula, in what is 
locally known as the "Forest" or "Quinton Oak." Before the Civil War, this 
was the principal section in which the less wealthy inhabitants were 
located, and where the greater number of "Old Field Schools" were found. 
The main public roads of this section are not deeply worn by constant 
travel. For many miles in some directions, they resemble "Indian trails" 
through the woods, and are as quiet, silent, and lonely for succeeding 
days as when the aboriginal Indian softly trod there in his moccasins, in 
pursuit of the game which was so abundant in his day.

Attached to each camp are frame "boarding tents," open upon all sides and 
containing tables and benches of pine lumber. The floors of these "tents" 
are kept covered with pine saw-dust, the healthy, and peculiar aroma of 
which fills the surrounding atmosphere.

A quiet and orderly deportment is demanded at these sevaral camp grounds 
as elsewhere throughout Tidewater Virginia.

MARVIN GROVE CAMP MEETING.
Religious Services.

Morning Prayers at Six and a-half o'clock. Prayer and Experience Meeting 
at 9 o'clock. Preaching at II A. M., and at 3 and 8 P. M.

Order at Religious Services.
It is expected that no person will sit or talk in front of any tent during 
any religious service.

It is expected that there will be no moving or standing about the grounds 
during any religious service.

It is expected that there will be no smoking at or around the Tabernacle 
during any religious service. 

Order on the Grounds
At sound of the bell at 6 A. M., persons are requested to rise and prepare 
for morning prayer.

At sound of the bell, about half an hour after the close of the services 
at night, it is expected that all persons will retire within the tents and 
that loud talking and laughter will cease.

No one will be permitted to remain under the Tabernacle after the close of 
services at night.

All persons, who by quiet and orderly conduct and behavior, are willing to 
lend their aid to the success of the meeting and no others, are 
respectfully invited to attend.

An efficient police, appointed according to law, will be constantly in 
attendance, and while it is confidently hoped and expected that there will 
be no need for their services, yet should ill disposed persons be present 
and make it necessary to do so, those in charge of the meeting will not 
shrink from the duty of enforcing the law; though they think they can 
trust to the sense of propriety and gentlemanly instincts of their 
visitors for the maintenance of good order. Such other rules as may be 
necessary will be made known from time to time.

Marvin Grove Camp Ground Committee.

"Wharton Grove" Baptist camp stands. upon the banks of the Curritoman 
Fiver, in Lancaster County, in a pretty grove of timber. It is easily 
approached by boats, and therefore can readily be visited by persons on 
both banks of the Rappahannock Fiver.

Religious services are held on these several camp grounds by one or the 
other of the religious sects, during either July or August. They usually 
end with a goodly number of communicants added to their membership.

The camps are largely attended by the residents of the adjacent counties, 
and also by many visitors from the nearby cities in Virginia, and from 
Baltimore, Alexandria, and Washington.

The several grounds were well selected for summer use, with abundance of 
shade, and good water. They would make delightful, healthy summer resorts.

When camp meetings and protracted meetings begin, then one hears many 
stories «s to food and drink. Every old Tidewater Virginia heir learns 
wren the season of camp meeting is at hand, and it is irreverently stated 
that she keeps her weather eye open on t%e loot=out for gentlemen with 
plain, black raiment, and straightstandsmp collars, and high cut vests. 
Whenever the Negro chars are seen scampering around the dwelling house 
lawn in breathless haste, with their heads bowed down, and their arias 
outstretched each one running in opposite direction to the other, and 
occasionally squat flat with lightning-like rapidity upon the earth, and 
grab, as it were, at a shadow, and feathers fly in the air, and a squawk 
of distress is heard, one may know that. camp meeting is at hand, or there 
is a preacher in the "Great House," and that fried chicken will be one of 
the many delicious ingredients of the bountiful repast offered him.

A negro mammy was asked if fried chicken was healthy food: "Suttin'ly dey 
is," she replied, "W'y honey, some o' dem Mefodis preachers down nevah eet 
nothin' else ceptin' fried chicken an' egg pope w'en dey comes to of 
Missus table. Ef it war'nt fitten to eet, yo' knows dey wouldn't look so 
fat an' good looking' as dey is."

In the olden time camp meeting, the congregation was summoned to prayer by 
loud blasts of a large tin horn, which awoke the echoes of the forests in 
tones that suggested strong lungs behind its wide open mouth. It is 
related that a pranky sinner once played a trick upon the sedate, and 
pious minister who was officiating at a successful revival held in a 
primitive "bush arbor" meeting. This sinner secretly conveyed to the camp 
a can full of soft soap, and while the minister's attention was directed 
from the platform upon which a big tin horn was placed, he filled it to 
overflowing with the juicy essence of lye and soap grease, replaced it 
carefully where found, got beyond its reach, and gleefully awaited 
results. It appeared that the minister was detained longer than 
anticipated, and upon noting the hour, he hastily ascended the platform, 
hurriedly picked up the horn, and with full inflated lungs blew with all 
his force into it. The assembled worshippers who were already seated 
contiguous to the platform, received the contents of the horn upon their 
heads.

Ignorant of the cause of the dodging commotion of his congregation, he 
continued to blow until the last atom of seen was cast from the horn over 
the pretty bonnets of the females, and into the upturned faces of the 
astonished males, before he discovered the sad mishap of which he was the 
innocent cause. Scornfully casting aside the soaped horn, he implored his 
congregation to assemble in earnest prayer for the discovery and 
conversion of the "great sinner" who was the principal cause of the 
calamity. He graphically described the punishments meted out to sinners 
who failed to repent, and with particular emphasis, foretold the 
"destruction of the sinner who dared soap a camp meeting horn."

During the course of the revival, it was observed by the minister that a 
certain young man of the congregation was extremely agitated, and loudly 
implored forgiveness of his sins. It was the custom during revivals for 
the minister to go about among the congregation and speak words of 
encouragement and consolation. When the young man was reached, the deep 
agony depicted upon his face was observed, and repeated efforts were made 
to console him. He was reminded that forgiveness of sins was possible 
after due repentance. But his grief increased with the list of sins which 
the pious minister enumerated, and as he continued to declare in loud 
sobbing tones that his sin was greater than all the others yet enumerated, 
the suspicions of the minister were aroused, and without more ado, he shed 
his clerical frock, shook his fist, and shouted, "Brother Deacon Sampson, 
hold my coat while I wallop salvation into this infernal sinner who soaped 
my horn!"

Before the introduction of church organs, there were certain "sisters" or 
"brothers" of the congregation whose duty it was to "raise the hymn." One 
of these hymn raisers had such a sweet voice that the congregation to 
which she belonged. usually waited until she sang several verses, before 
they joined in the singing. During her absence on a certain occasion, one 
of the brethren, whose voice was said to be attuned to notes between a 
foghorn sound and a mule braying for his mate, to the great astonishment 
of the congregation "raised the hymn," and carried it through two or three 
verses until interrupted by the loud sobs and cries of a "sister" who was 
seated in the pew immediately in franc of him. Fearing that the sister was 
sick, he ceased in his hymn raising and leaning forward, asked her if she 
were sick, and what could he do for her, to which she replied:

"Brother Jeems, I couldn't help it. You know what bad luck I've had 
lately. I lost my poor dear husband just a month ago to-day, and my son 
john went off last week, and yesterday my old mule 'Jennie' that I sot 
such stare by, shy up and died too. Poor thing! she used to come to the 
yard gate ev'ry morning and wane me up braying, and when I heard you raise 
that hymn, your voice was so much like the poor old critter I just 
couldn't help crying. God bless you brother Jeems."

It is said that the selection of a "religious faith," is often governed by 
early training and environments. The negroes in days of slavery, usually 
followed their owners in selection of their religious worship. Places were 
provided in the churches of the whites for the colored. In those days, 
there were no separate houses of worship for the negro.

At the ending of the Civil War, the colored provided flair own houses of 
worship In this they were frequently aided through contributions of the 
whites.

Directly after the Civil War, many of the negroes who, in days of slavery, 
had been "exorters" on the plantations, decided they had "a call to
preach," and impatient to enter into the good work, they ordained 
themselves.

Many of the negroes were superstititious, and earnest believers in ghosts 
and "ha'nts." To break the spell of a ha'nt, they depended upon the power 
of certain charms which could ward off ill luck, sickness, accidents, and 
be ill will enemies. The left hind foot of a rabbit caught in a grave yard 
was powerful, especially if caught on a Friday night. A mixture of three 
hairs from the tip of a black cat's tail, the upper jaw of a bull frog, 
and a few drops of the blood from the first hog killing in the fall, when 
[put?] in a black stocking and suspended from a bush in running water, 
would aid the stream in carrying off with its waters many miseries which 
flesh is heir to.

The trials and tribulations of the children of Israel were fascinating 
stories to many of them. They were especially fond of hearing the story of 
the Jews in flair struggles to reach the Land of Cancan. At the close of 
the Civil War, had the United States Government offered to send the 
negroes to the Land of Cancan in a transport "ship named Zion," very many 
of them would have consented to go, and would have been delighted at the 
prospect of being "so near to glory." The Old Ship of Zion,

Hallelujah,
The Old Ship of Zion,
Halle-luljah!

She landed many thousands,
And she ;will land as many more,
O, Glory Hallelujah!

A profound knowledge of the scriptures, or a strict adherence to 
grammatical rules were not necessary qualifications of a negro preacher in 
the early years following the Civil War. On the contrary, the one who used 
the apt phrases, and the simple, though ungrammatical dialect of the 
masses, was the more successful with his hearers.

To reach the masses, it was necessary to have a rapid flow of words, and a 
vivid imagination, with a capacity of fitting the every day life of the 
present with that of the hereafter.

Many of them conducted their discourse in a "sing-a-song" tone, and at the 
end of each three or four words, they would utter an "Ah," as if catching 
their breath. Some of the "old time" white preachers were addicted to this 
practice.

The voice of the preacher was usually intoned to suit his words. When he 
pictured the misery of the sinners during the hereafter, in their cruel 
torments of brimstone fire, the inflections were ringing, loud, and 
warning. This was followed by earnest appeals to the "backsliders" to 
return, and for the sinners to mend their ways, else the torments so 
vividly described would be their lot.

Upon a certain occasion, after a sermon of this description was preached, 
at a pine bush arbor revival meeting, one of the congregation, a hardened 
sinner, and a scoffer of religion, asked the preacher: "How far off yo' 
reckon de devil is fum yere?"

"How of is yo' Bre'r Petah?" asked the preacher.

"Well, suh, I 'spect I'se long 'bout fohty foh"

"W'en yo' wuz b'on inter dis worl" said the preacher, "de devil wuz jes' 
fohty foh years behin' yo', an' all I'se got ter say is, dat of he aint 
cotched up wid yo' yit'taint yo' own fau't."

"Dar, bless de Lam, Bre'r, yo' don't tol' de truth one time," exclaimed 
one of the congregation.

When the picture relates to the joys of heaven, the preacher "is at home," 
because of his vivid imagination. When such joys are being depicted, the 
weaker sisters get excited and "happy." Then they start to singing, first 
in crooning, slow tones, followed by movements of the body swaying from 
side to side in unison with the song:

Come, yo' sinners po'r an' needy
Weak an' wounded, sick an' so'er.
Jesus ready stan's to save yo',
Full uv pity, luv, an' pow'r.

As the preacher pictures the golden streets, the beautifully dressed 
angels in their golden slippers "climbin' up de golden stahrs," and 
playing sweet, heavenly music upon golden harps, the congregation gets 
beyond their own control, and declare their happy mood in voices of appeal 
to the Throne of Grace, indicating their readiness to leave this cold and 
distressful world at once and join in those heavenly joys. They intimate 
their desire to die then and there. When this mood controls, they shake 
each others hands and embrace each other and use endearing expressions of 
good will to all mankind. The feebler and more excited sisters scream 
lightly and fall fainting to the floor or into the arms of those near them.

In protracted meetings, there are always two classes of worshippers, the 
silent worshippers, and the "shouters." The former offer their fervent 
prayers in silence, and are thereby content with the knowledge that the 
ear of God can as readily be reached from the closed closet as from the 
house top.

The "shouters" are equally earnest in their devotions, but a listener, 
upon hearing their loud and excited exclamation, would likely think that 
they had determined that the vast expanse of space between heaven and 
earth, could be overcome only through the greatest eforts of their lungs. 
The shouter being the more excited and nervous of the two classes of 
worshippers, was also the more frequent interrupter of the preacher; often 
when he was in the midst of a prominent and important sentence which he 
should have been permitted to utter uninterrupted to the ending.

"Sister Patsey" was a shouter from "way back befo' de wah," and was 
mortally dreaded by her pious minister who suffered often from her 
interruptions. On the occasion of a sermon upon "the joys of heaven," 
which this pious minister had burned many midnight candles to compose, he 
was abruptly interrupted in the midst of one of his most glowing sentences 
by Sister Patsey:

"Lawd, jes' giv me one mo' feath'a in ma wing o' faith, an' I'se gwine 
flyin' to you'."

"Deah Lawd," said the preacher, "of yo' has one mo' feath'a to spar' 
please sen' it to Sistah Patsey soon's yo' kin."

When the preacher makes a strong hit against the sinner, or vividly 
describes leis misery hereafter, a ready response is sure to follow:

"Poh sinnah man bu'n." "Yas 'tis hot dar."

"No spring wat'a dar honey." "De dchbi1 don' drink it all hisse'f."

[missing]carne of the congregation may raise a hymn like the following:

I'se got on de back uv de Baptis' mule
Sinner doan' yo' stan' dar lookin' laik a fule.
De bridle bit am silva, de saddle am gol'.
An' I'm boun' fo' to go to Aberhams fol'!
An' I'll ride 
Yas I will,
An' I'll ride right on to glory!

I'se sink ma sins in do savin' pool,
An' get on de bac' uv de Baptis' mule,
An' yore I'll stick laik a great big leetz;
'Till de ol' mule stomp en de golden streets:
An' I'll ride,
Yas I will,
An' I'll ride right on to glory!

O, I longs fo' to reach dat heavenly sho'
To meet Saint Petah stan'in' at de do';
He'll say to me, 'O, how does yo' do?
Cum set right yonda' in de golden pew'.
Den I'll res',
Yas I will,
Den I'll res' right dar in glory.

A new preacher who was conducting a revival without much success, 
notwithstanding he pictured to his hearers in glowing language the great 
joys of heaven, and the tortures of eternal fires, and the imprisonment 
therein for all eternity. of the condemned souls, at last awakened his 
congregation to a sense of their danger by asking:

"Does yo' know w'at all etern'ty is? Yell, I tell yo'. Ef one uv dem li'1' 
sparrows w'at yo' see roun' yo' gyrden bushes wuz to dip his bill in do 
'Lantic Ocean an' taik one hop a day an' hop 'cross de country an' put dat 
drop uv watch into de 'Cific Ocean, an' den he hop back to de 'Lantic 
Ocean, jes' one hop a day, an' of he keep dat hoppin' up 'twell do 'Lantic 
Ocean wuz dry as a bone, it wouldn't be break o' day in etern'ty."

"Dar now," said one of the brethren, "Yo' see for yo'se'f how long yo' 
suffer."

During revivals, it was customary for the brethren and sisters to give 
their "experience" in order to encourage others who were doubting and 
hesitating. The "experiences" related by the two sees, male and female, 
were proofs of the fact that woman is of the wearer sex. When the men 
related their experience, they warmed up to the occasion, and in loud and 
defiant tones told of their struggles with temptation, and of their 
wrestling with the individual devil himself. Their scuffles with the "evil 
one" were exciting proofs of, the muscular strength of man, and evidence 
of the mind's power to create beliefs that had no foundation in fact. The 
Man's experience was more muscular than spiritual.

The "sisters" told of their little household crosses and troubles, and how 
they prayed for power to prevent fretting and worrying, and related how 
they asked for spiritual strength to enable them to bear in silence their 
petty annoyances. No one of the sisters ever had the courage to face the 
devil in person and throw him flat on his back and "stomp" on his 
prostrate form, as did her stronger and more combative "brother in the 
faith." The sisters were too tender hearted to treat even the devil in 
such harsh manner.

There was a hardened sinner who had determined to join the church, but his 
record for meanness was such that when he applied for admission, he was 
told to wait awhile and pray for spiritual aid to improve his manners and 
morals. At length he became tired of waiting for a call from the brethren, 
and made a new application. The preacher asked him if he prayed and 
communed with the Lord as to whether he should join the church.

"Yas indeed, I suttin'ly has prayed, an' I tol' de Lawd dat I don' quit 
all ma badness an' dat I wants to jine Shiloh Chu'ch."

"Well," said the preacher, "how'd de Lawd answer yo' pray rs.

"De Lawd he say to me, I wish yo' bettah luck dan I has Stephen, kris I'se 
be'n tryin' to jive dat chu'ch fo' me' den fohty years mahse'f!" 

THE OLD TIME RELIGION.
"It was good for our fathers,
It was good for our mothers,
It was good for our sisters,
It was good for our brothers,
And 'tis good enough for me.

Chorus.
This old time religion,
This old time religion,
This old time religion,
Lord, it's good enough for me."


II. HUNTING IN OLD VIRGINIA.

When the crops are all harvested, and the corn shucked and housed, and the 
fodder stacks built, and the season for fishing has passed, it is then 
time to prepare for oystering, timber getting and hunting. There were few, 
if any, young men raised in that section who failed at one time or other 
to engage in a hunt for game of some species. They usually began the 
custom when mere lads by setting flare boxes. The construction of a bare 
box requires no greater mechanical skill than is necessary to hit a nail 
squarely on the head one time out of every three efforts. There must not 
be any new plank in the construction of a hare- box. The odors of the new 
wood, and its bright appearance would give the cue that there was 
something wrong "laying for him," and he would refuse to be "caught in 
such a trap." A serviceable bog was made from an old, hollow gum log, and 
baited with apple, and set on the edge of an old field, or near a brush 
pile in the woods. It would gladden the heart of the youngster when he 
approached it and found the door dawn, providing it has not shut down on 
some prowling, thievish, vicious cat instead of the old bare which he 
expected to lay hand upon as he cautiously raised the door and inserted 
his arm until in contact with the snarling, spitting mouser. This may be 
his first experience, and he is apt. not to forget it because he will be 
told of it, and teased about it by his older brother, or comrade who will 
relate with gusto, how the young hunter skipped over fences and ditches 
with his hat in his hand, and a yell flour his lungs equal to an Indian on 
the war path. Tidewater Virginia has ever been famous as a hunting ground. 
There are wild ducks and geese on the rivers and creeks during the spring 
and fall months, and partridges, wild turkeys, raccoons, opossums, rabbits 
("old hares") and squirrels in the forests, and game birds in the fields 
and marshes, and in some few sections there are deer and foxes. Dogs are 
specially trained for these several hunts. The negroes usually trained the 
dogs for "night varmints," such as 'coons and 'possoms. A good 'coon dog 
is considered a valuable asset by the negro who is fond of hunting. A 
negro who was noted for his good coon dogs was asked how many lie had, to 
which he replied: "I haint got but fob jilt now. I hev sick bad luck wid 
my pups dat it looks laik I nevah kin git a sta't on dogs agin. Boss has 
yo' any pups yo' wants to part wid to trade for a "muley cow?" The whites 
usually trained the dogs for birds, and for running deer and chasing 
foxes. Each pack had its "leader", dog which could be depended upon to 
keep the "scent" and the "trail;" he was known as the "harker." The hound 
dogs were not usually over fed during the hunting season and for that 
reason were great thieves in stealing food from the kitchen. Hungry, 
thievish hounds have been known to grab a ham, or shoulder of meat from 
the scalding hot water in which it was being cooked in the open fire place.

Every farmer kept several dogs, and the more remote their dwelling house 
was from the main public highway, the greater the number of clogs. When a 
stranger approached such dwelling, his coming was announced through the 
deep baying tones of some watchful hound, whose warning notes were sure to 
awaken from their slumbers a howling pack of young pups, and older dogs to 
join this sentinel of the homestead in bidding defiance to the new comer.

If the road leading to the mansion were winding, so that a short turn 
brought the stranger in view suddenly, within a few yards of the house, 
one might hear the master or mistress giving orders to the servant:

"Sally, run out and see what those dogs are barking at!" and Sally would 
then hunt for a stick or an oyster shell to "chunk back the dogs who 
seemed fierce as wolves

"Git back film yere, yo' yaller debbils, 'fore I chunk yore hide offen 
yo', was Sall pr's forceful warning at which the dogs would slink away, 
and pay no more attention to the stranger, other than to smell of his 
heels as he gladly advanced into the house beyond their reach.

To one unaccustomed too such scenes, and ignorant of the fact that 
"barking dogs seldom bite," great credit would be given Sally for saving 
their life.

Since the Civil War there are few large packs kept as the foes and deer 
have in many places become entirely extinct, and the people have become 
too industrious to spend much time as formerly in hunting.

In years gone by it was the desire of every youngster in Tidewater 
Virginia to own a whole coon dog or a "right smart share" in one. The dog 
of a youngster was a fortunate animal, as he was sure to share in all the 
"good casings" of his owner.

A good coon dog is of medium size. He is either a "yaller dog," or a mud-
brown color. He has no pedigree to speak of. He is best described as a "no 
account lazy dog." When he's lazy "he's jes' restin'," for he knows not 
what to-morrow's night will bring forth. When he starts "out with the 
boys" he sheds his laziness in his kennel. A big dog is not fit for a coon 
hunt because he is too clumsy. A good coon dog must be lively when the 
occasion arises.

The coon fights lying flat upon his back. When shaken down from a tree, 
upon which he has taken refuge, and lands upon the ground, he determines 
at once whether to run or fight. He has sharp claws upon every foot which 
he works with precision and lightning like rapidity. These weapons of 
defense, aided by sharp teeth within snappy haws, will make a lazy dog 
lively and keep him busy to save his hide. An old negro remarked that "de 
coon suttinly mus' lamed his boxin' tricks sparrin' wid lightin'." A goad 
hunter never shoots a coon up a tree; he is always shaken down from the 
limb upon which he has taken refuge, and if he should fortunately land 
upon the back of a big dog he would have all the fun to himself.

A coon hunt is not complete without a spry young negro accompanying the 
party to climb the tree and shake down the coon. The start for a coon hunt 
is made by getting together two or three dogs along abort bed time. The 
hunting ground may be reached within a mile or two, or snore of the 
starting point, in the dense timberd woods, en the edge of a swamp or 
marshy place. When this is reached the hunter lets the dogs loose, and 
"whoops," and whistles in low, long tones to encourage the dogs, and 
sheets "look 'em up," at the same time calling the name of the favorite 
dog ("Liza"). When the scent is struck, the dogs "give mouth," and the 
hunter listens and waits to learn which direction the coon will finally 
decide upon. The voice of the dogs will indicate to the hunter whether 
they have the coon "on the run," or whether they have "struck a cold 
scent." An old man, or a city bred man with starched clothes, and patent 
leather shoes, had better not engage in a coon hunt. The old man would 
wear out his bodily strength in following the coon. The city bred man 
would wear out his "store clothes" and look like a corn field scare crow, 
and before the hunt is ended the coon's claws may reach his face, and then 
he will look like an Apache Indian at a war dance. A Tidewater Virginia 
coon will lead the dogs and the hunters through the thickest of laurel 
bushes and swamp briars, through marshes, and deep dark gulleys and into 
mudholes knee deep, and may select a tree for refuge in a spot that would 
mire a mule.

When the dogs are "on the run," their baying is open mouthed and 
prolonged. When they get close upon the coon, the baying is short, sharp, 
and eager, and when the coon is treed the dogs will raise their heads and 
bay slowly, as if listening between each breath for the hunter. If the 
hunter is within hearing, they are encouraged by him with a "whoop," and 
"Hold him Liza." The hunter can distinguish the voice of each dog in the 
pack. Only one dog gives voice at a time after the coon is treed. The 
others whine, or lie down and wait quietly. Often the hunter reaches the 
tree, a good coon dog will endeavor to point out the coon by going around 
the tree, and moving backward and forward, his nose pointed upward, and 
eagerly barking. The hunter scans the tree by walking around it and 
getting in range of the sky line. If the sky is cloudy, a fire of dry 
leaves and light limbs is made to burn brightly, the flames from which 
expose the whole tree to view.

"Ef Mistuh Coon is up dar I'se gwine shake him down," and up climbs the 
sprightly negro to his duty. "All coons look alike" to one not accustomed 
to coon hunting, but they are not all alike, either in disposition or 
courage. Some will fight upon the ground only, others will fight up a 
tree. A well trained coon dog will stand a few feet from the body of a 
tree ready to pounce upon anything that first comes down to the ground 
from that tree, whether it be the coon, or the negro youngster. It is a 
matter of "first come first served," and the dogs will do it in a hurry. 
Many trees are matted with wild grape and "Virginia Trumpet" vines, and 
dry forest leaves which during the fall months accumulate amongst these 
vines. Should a coon seek refuge in such a tree and the hunters lose 
control of the fire, and it should take to the mass of combustibles up 
that tree while the negro is shaking down a "sassy coon," then matters 
take a serious turn. If the negro remains up the tree, the fire will burn 
him and the coon will scratch him. If he comes down, the dogs will get him 
before the hunters can control them.

"Is o' de Lawd's sake, Mass' Jack, hol' Liza, fur I'm a comin'," and down 
comes the negro. "It's too hot up dar fo' me." If he escapes the dog, it 
is because of the frantic and successful effort of his young master in 
luckily grabbing the tail of "Liz," when she heard something coming down 
that tree.

The most exciting time of a young coon bunter's experience, is when the 
coon drops upon the ground and the bright flames of fire, which formerly 
made all things plain, is suddenly extinguished by the dogs in their 
scuffle and efforts to reach the coon. Then all is blacker than the famed 
darkness of "Egypt's midnight," and amid the barking of the dogs, and the 
screeches of the coon, and the scattering of the fire coals and partly 
burned limbs and leaves, and the sudden and unexpected bumping of each 
hunter, one against the other, in their wild and sightless endeavors to 
avoid being bitten by the dogs, or scratched by the coon, business becomes 
so brisk under the tree that until the fight is finished no one can tell 
how many coons were shaken out of it.

If the coon is an old one, he may have learned the trick of fooling the 
clogs by jumping to the limb of another tree; in that event he leaves the 
dogs "barking up the wrong tree" to be chided by the hunters as good for 
nothing, worthless curs. Sometimes a coon will seek a hollow tree; in that 
event he is "smoked out" by a fire of dry leaves, or the tree is cut down 
and he is reached.

A coon is hunted for the sake of his hide, and a 'possum for his meat. The 
hide of a coon is tanned with the hair and tail upon it. In former years, 
a coon skin cap, with the tail hanging behind, and a calf skin vest were 
the envied apparel of a dandy.

The possum is the favorite with the negro. After capture, the possum is 
usually pat in a bogy or barrel to cleanse and fatten, then it is roasted 
and served in its own rich gravy with Tidewater Virginia sweet yams.

The possum makes no fight when hunted. He usually runs for his hole in 
some hollow tree. When captured he "plays possum" by shutting his eyes as 
if he were asleep, or dead, all the while he is watching cut of one corner 
of his apparently close shut eyes, for an opportunity to escape. While 
"playing possum" he disguises his breathing as much as possible.

There is not so much excitement in a possum hunt as there is in hunting 
coons. Sometimes disappointment follows, as proven by the experience of 
one of the two negroes who went on a possum hunt together. It appears that 
two negroes hunted one night together without success until they were very 
weary. Finally they succeeded in capturing a young possum, and as they 
were hungry as well as tired, they prepared the possum far roasting, 
kindled a fire and swung hip?? over the blaze suspended by the tail, after 
which they decided to take a nap while he roasted. The more crafty of the 
two lay wide awake, and when the possum was cooked enough he fell to and 
ate him. Before completing his feast, he carefully greased the fingers and 
the lips of his sleeping companion with the fattest parts of the possum, 
then laid the clean picked bones near his hands, and lay down along side 
of his companion, turned over on his side and was soon asleep. After 
awhile, his partner in the hunt awoke, and as he was about to raise his 
body from the ground, his hand struck the possum bones. "Hey dar! Wot's 
dis!" said he; then he smacked his greasy lips and tasted his greasy 
fingers: "Dat suttinly is possum grease!"

He then looked eagerly towards the bright blazing fire for the possum! "I 
mus' 'et dat possum in ma sleep, 'base dars de bones and yere's de grease; 
I has no 'membrane, uv eetin' dat possum. I don't 'spute eetin' dat 
possum, but I has less fulness fum eetin' dat possum den any possum I evah 
et befo' in all my Mon days."

Ef possum's et in reason dar's no 'souse fo' one to cry, Fo' de fattes' 
possum cotched is in same kin to of mince pie. Yo' knows yo' se'f de 
trubble dat sick eetin's make de man Wat fills an' crams his appetite wid 
ev'ry bit he can.

I tol' yu' Chile, de trubble comes w'en he lies down to res'; Den de 
biggest, rankest possum jes' sots down 'pan nis brews[mossing], An' wauks 
'bout sick pusson wid a tromp dat wake de dead, An' a dozen yuther possums 
jest' stomp down 'pon his head. Sick nonsense he jes' dreaming', kale he 
et de possum fat Dat wuz sot aside fo' gravy; 'Cose yo' dem all knows dat 
Sweet 'taters goes wid possum, an' de gravy it goes too. 


III. LOG CABINS AND BRICK MANSIONS.

The whole Atlantic coast side of North America, when first settled, was 
covered with forests of big timber. From this material were constructed 
the first human abodes, called log cabins. They consisted of two or three 
rooms with a "lean to"-shed-for a kitchen room. The cabin and "lean to" 
were built of large logs, hewn square on three sides, upper, lower, and 
outside. The more pretentious were hewn on all four sides. At the four 
corners of the cabin, the logs were notched nearly half way through to 
permit fitting evenly and closely together. The open spaces between the 
logs were "chinked" or "daubed," inside and out, with clay to make them 
air tight. The roof was supported with poles as rafters, and was covered 
with "clapboards," strips of straight grained pine, chestnut, or oak, 
split from logs evenly and thin, by means of a "frow," a flat piece of 
iron six to twelve inches long, and three inches to four inches wide, with 
a circular upright end to admit a wooden handle to guide the frow. The 
under side of the frow was made sharp, like a chisel, so that it might 
split the clapboard from the log. A wooden maul was used to strike the 
upper side of the frow and force it through the wood.

The clapboards were riven eighteen inches to twenty-four inches long, four 
to six inches wide, and one-half to one inch in thickness. They were 
placed on the roof to overlap each other, top and bottom., like shingles, 
and were fastened to the rafters with pine "weight" poles laid on top, all 
the way across the roof, on each layer of clapboards. The "weight" poles 
were tied down to the projecting ends of the rafters by means of hickory 
or oak wither,-small limbs twisted for use like ropes.

There were few nails used in the construction of the early log cabins. 
Nails were hand made in those years, and so scarce as to induce persons 
when deserting their plantations to burn their buildings for the purpose 
of getting the nails therefrom. So common was this custom that in 1644 an 
act of the general assembly was passed forbidding this practice. It 
provided that those who left their buildings standing should receive in 
full satisfaction "as many nails as were expended in the building, the 
number to be computed by two different men."

The door was made from wide "puncheons," split from a log like clapboards, 
and hewed down evenly and smoothly with a broad-axe. The pieces comprising 
the door were held together across top and bottom by strips fastened 
thereto by wooden pins. The door was hung on the inside of the cabin by 
wooden hinges, and was fastened by a wooden "latch" also on the inside. To 
the latch was fastened a "string" which passed to the outside through a 
hole in the door, immediately above the latch, where it hung ready to be 
pulled when gaining admittance. The synonym for a hearty welcome was "You 
will always find my latchstring on the outside." The pulling of the latch 
string to the inside upon retiring for the night, was the only burglar 
proof arrangement the early colonist had, aside from the flint and steel 
rifle which hung over the door of every cabin.

Where stones were not plentiful-and there are many such localities in 
Tidewater Virginia,-the chimney was built of "daubin," or logs hewn and 
fitted together, as in the construction of the cabin.

The frame of a "daubin chimney" was of ladder like construction, formed 
with large poles for uprights, through which holes were bored at intervals 
of a few inches, for the rounds. When these structures were set up on end 
and fastened to the cabin, the spaces between the rounds were "daubed" 
thickly inside and outside with a mixture of clay and grass, which, when 
it became hard and dry, withstood the beat and flames.

All chimneys were built on the outside of the cabin, and like the old time 
tavern chimneys, were frequently extended the whole width of the end of 
the cabin. The log chimney was constructed upon the same plan as were the 
walls of the cabin, and was securely daubed with clay all the way up 
inside, and "chinked" with the same material on the outside. When the 
chimney was building, there was a "lug pole" or "Chimney bar" of iron 
inserted above the arch, with its ends resting in the chimney sides. To 
this was suspended chains, and also pot-hooks formed in the shape of an S; 
both were used to hang Acts high above the fire. There was also a "chimney 
crane," fastened to the back of the chimney, to which were attached 
several arms which could be moved forward or backward to hang pots and 
skillets upon, and to swing them over the fire underneath the chimney bar. 
The chimney was usually built so large and so low that abundance of light 
was admitted through it; therefore, many of the cabins had few, if any, 
windows. To each chimney there belonged a "smoke board." This implement 
consisted of several pieces of puncheons, each as long as the width of the 
chimney top. They were fastened to the upper end of a pole, and extended 
from the top down two or three feet. The smoke board was used to lean 
against, and just above the top of the chimney on the outside, to prevent 
the wind from blowing down the chimney, and to aid in making the proper 
draught to draw the smoke up. Experience taught the housekeeper where to 
"lean the smoke board." Pegs were driven into the logs of the cabin to 
form shelves, and to hang clothing and other things upon. Wardrobes were 
not in use in log cabins.

There were few cabins built higher than one story and a loft. The "loft" 
was reached by a pole ladder, which, when not in use, sat up against the 
wall behind the door. Where the family was large, the loft was often used 
by the youngsters of the family as a sleeping place who, upon retiring at 
night, might view the heavens, and count the bright stars between the 
chinks in the roof.

The loft was also used to hang up dried "yerbs" (herbs) such as catnip for 
infants' complaints, mullen for "risings," hops for earache, hoarhound and 
burdock for colds, boneset for chills, wintergreen for colds and canker, 
smartweed for soaking sore feet, sage for sore throats and seasoning 
sausage, thyme for seasoning meats, and rosemary for seasoning lard in 
frying hominy. In some of the cabins, cured hog meat,hams and shoulders,
were hung from the rafters in lieu of a smoke house.

An amusing instance of unnecessary fright, resulting from the custom of 
hanging meat in the loft, is related of a pedler who, while traveling in a 
strange Forest neighborhood, was overtaken by night, and applied at a 
nearby log cabin for shelter. He was cordially invited by an old man and 
his wife to share the comforts of their cabin.

When bedtime was reached, the pedler was given a tallow candle and shown 
up the ladder to the loft, the only other vacant place in the cabin. He 
slept well until towards day break, when he was alarmed by hearing the 
rounds of the loft ladder creaking, and while listening most attentively, 
he saw the head of the old man appear at the top of the ladder, with a big 
butcher knife in his hand, followed by the wife with a Lighted candle 
which she shaded with her apron towards the spot where the pedler's bed 
was spread upon the floor, casting weird and dismal shadows throughout the 
loft. As the two advanced up the ladder, there was low, but earnest 
whispering between them, a part of which only could the wide awake pedler 
hear

"John, dear," whispered the wife, "if I were you I wouldn't do it; we have 
a plenty, and can get along without it Come back, John!" were the alarming 
sentences which the now thoroughly frightened pcdler heard. He lay 
perfectly quiet, hardly breathing lest they might discover he were awake. 
At this juncture, the old wife, in pleading voice, whispered

"John, are you sure the knife is sharp enough so that one lick will do?"

All the while the two were advancing stealthily towards the pedler's bed. 
A step or two more they made, when the pedler threw off his blanket, 
jumped to his "pack," and with all his force, he flung the pack against 
the old couple, the effect of which was to lay them both prone upon the 
floor and extinguish the candle. In the inky darkness, he continued the 
fight upon the old man until the old lady cried out: "For God's sake stop; 
we came only to cut down a shoulder of meat for your breakfast, and not to 
rob or murder-you."

The furniture of a log cabin consisted of the lug pole, chimney crane, 
andirons, fire shovel, tongs, fire bellows, potrack, pot hooks, hangers, 
pots, kettles, bread ovens, frying pans, skillets, pewter plates, blue 
china, or pewter cups, wooden and pewter spoons, knives and forks, wooden 
dough trays, noggings, piggies for holding water, and for working butter, 
china crocks for milk, cedar 'eater buckets with long handled gourds 
therein, three-legged stools, rush bottom chairs, table of pine or oak 
formed from a log with a broad axe, a "dresser" (china closet) consisting 
of shelves for storage of china ware, a knife, spoon and ladlebox, 
spinning wheel, cards for wool or cotton, loom for weaving, the inevitable 
"hair trunk" which the colonist brought from his English home stored with 
all the possessions which he most valued. This article was usually stored 
under the bed, and was the only article within the cabin, or upon the 
plantation which had lock and key to it.

It was only the more prosperous of the early colonists that were able to 
own a clock. The clocks, with their frames, were built wide and high, many 
of which reached to the ceiling of the cabin loft. They were a much prized 
piece of furniture, and being constructed entirely by hand, and formed 
mainly from wood, were therefore very expensive.

In lieu of clocks many used sun dials, which were less expensive, and 
during sun shine were quite as accurate in time keeping. The owner of a 
sun dial was frequently called upon for its loan to a neighbor, that lie 
might ascertain and mark the several hours of the day by the shadows cast 
upon the threshold of his cabin door; or upon the cabin window sill which 
faced the south.

At night the hours were arrived at by viewing the stars in the bright 
heavens. The cock crowing at midnight revealed to the superstitious 
settler whose home was new, within the dense and dark forest where yet no 
shadows could fall, and whose nearest neighbors were the screech and booby 
owls, or to the settler upon the banks of some shimmering stream, within 
the bordering dark and weird shadows, that this was the hour in which 
ghosts appear, and witches rise from their couch to prepare their cauldron 
of evil things for "pants," and the same old chickens, at break of day 
announced in clarion tones that this was the hour to again begin life's 
toil, and that evil spirits must disappear hastily to whence they came, 
and that the witch must cool her cauldron and bottle its contents, ere she 
is dragged to the ducking stool in punishment for her evil practices.

After the Civil War, many of the freedmen embraced the opportunities 
offered by their former masters to purchase a part of their lands and make 
their homes thereon. The majority of these freedmen, for want of better 
means usually built log cabins, some of which were diminutive in width and 
height. One of these freedmen who had been enabled to pay for his home 
through the help of his former master, sorrowfully learned of the sudden 
death of his benefactor, and hearing that a "vendue" (public auction) of 
his old master's household effects was to be held, determined to obtain 
something from "the old home" for a keepsake. The old servant made his bid 
on very many things, but always was outbid until finally the "old 
grandfather's clock" was, knocked down to him at a price he was able to 
pay. Returning thanks to his white neighbors for Their generosity in 
permitting him to become the possessor of this heir loom, he loaded the 
clock on his ox cart with the assistance of some of his friends. Upon 
reaching his cabin, he summoned his family's aid in unloading the clock, 
and when it was placed inside his cabin much to his astonishment, he found 
the clock was taller by two or three feet than the eves of his cabin. Not 
to be outdone, he cut a hole through the floor of the loft and pointed his 
clock skyward. Whenever he wanted to know the hour of the day, he was 
forced to climb the ladder into the loft, and them he kept his treasured 
time piece until he was "called over the river" to join his beloved master.

Very many of the most distinguished and illustrious men of America were 
born in log cabins.

"Honor and fame from no condition rise
Act well your part
For in that all the honor lies."

Many of the oldest dwellings are built on points of land, little 
peninsulas, overlooking the waters of rivers or creeks, on either side, 
anti presenting to the view magnificent scenery of land and water, 
intermingling with groves of green pines, cedars and weeping -willows on 
their banks. These evergreen trees are cheerful and pleasing to the sight 
at all seasons of the year. In winter time, when covered with light snows, 
or heavy frosts, and pendant icicles, they are veritable gems of nature's 
beautiful handiwork.

During the days of slavery, the "servants' quarters" were within sight of 
the "Croat House," the owner's residence, and if the servants were many, 
such homes at the beginning and closing hours of labor, were scenes of 
active life, while the servants were going to, or returning from their 
several tasks, either in the cultivation of the fields, or the felling of 
the forest, and the hauling of the products for shipment. Nevertheless, 
there was a leisure about all their labors, which was equalled only in 
localities of similar life, and differed greatly from the hurry and bustle 
witnessed in the States north of Mason and Dixon's line. Nearly all the 
old time servants' quarters have disappeared, and thus the dwelling places 
of the former owners of numerous servants have lost their distinguishing 
feature which foretold prosperity, and wealth in the number of servants.

Throughout Tidewater Virginia are many "Old Colonial Homes," handsome, 
spacious mansions, the majority of which were built during the century 
prior to the Revolutionary War, and to which large landed estates were 
attached. They were the birth places, or homes of persons illustrious as 
actors in some important event in the history of this nation. Because of 
the historical associations so intimately connected with these dwellings 
they deserve a better fate than is befalling some of them. A large number 
of these houses are rapidly falling into decay, and losing all semblance 
of their former magnificence.

To name the colonial mansions of Tidewater Virginia, and give such history 
of them as is worthy of mention would fill a large but interesting volume.

Many of the older dwellings are built of brick with glazed ends, a 
peculiarity of the manufacture of bricks in the early days. The opinion is 
often expressed that such bricks all came from England, but this is 
doubtful, as the historians of the early period mention the sending to 
Virginia by the London Company "some Italians, Dutchmen, and others to 
manufacture glass, and brick" etc.

The first brick dwelling in America was built at Jamestown, in 1639, for 
Richard Kempe, Secretary to the Governor. In 1642, Sir William Berkeley 
brought with him instructions as governor, to promote the building of 
brick houses, offering "five hundred acres of land to every person who 
should build a house of brick twenty-four feet fang, sixteen feet broad, 
with a cellar to it."

Act of Assembly, December, 1662, made provision for the building of thirty-
two brick houses. The price of bricks and wages of laborers were fixed by 
law. Each of the seventeen counties of the colony were required to build a 
brick house in Jamestown.

A prominent piece of furniture in the old time dwellings was the "tester 
bedstead," with bed posts extending nearly to the ceiling. The bedposts 
were covered over with a canopy of curtains which extended across the tops 
of the four posts, and down the sides and ends to the floor, enclosing the 
whole bedstead. It is related that a resident of the "Forest" section, the 
occupant of a diminutive log cabin, paid a visit of consultation to the 
office of a prominent lawyer in one of the Northern Neck Counties, whose 
home was of princely proportions, and corresponding equipments. As the 
Forester was detained until late in the evening, he was invited to "spend 
the night." At the hour of retiring, he was escorted to a bed chamber in 
which was a "tester bedstead," the first he had ever seen. Doffing his 
clothing, he prepared himself to rest, but upon pushing the canopied 
curtains aside, he found the bed covered with a white, smooth counterpane, 
so snugly and neatly tucked under it on all sides, and with the pillows 
and bolster on top of it, that he concluded the counterpane was a new 
fashioned top sheet, and that the curtains were the only covering. As the 
fire was burning brightly, he, nevertheless, was comfortably warm, while 
on top of all the bed covering, by tucking the curtains close to his body, 
and so lie remained until towards the morning when the fire burned low, 
and the room becoming chilled, he hastily dressed and sat shivering over 
the embers of the departed flames, until a knock was heard at his door 
summoning him to breakfast. At the meeting of his host, a polite inquiry 
was made as to his rest and comfort during the cold right, and a hope was 
expressed that he found a plenty of bed covering. "Well Kunnell," said he, 
"thar mout a been kiverin' a plenty, but they wuz too Burned far off to 
wrap close. I veer about friz."


IV. OLD VIRGINIA TAVERNS.

Before the Civil War, there was but little traffic of strangers throughout 
Tidewater Virginia, and consequently few travelers other than the natives 
whose business might require a journey from their homes, too distant to 
return in one day. Should they be overtaken by a storm, or by night, they, 
or any other stranger, might ask for shelter, and be welcomed by a willing 
invitation to share what comforts there might be found in any home 
throughout that section, without thought upon the part of the host, or 
hostess of recompense in money, or other values.

The "commercial drummer," the insurance agent, the "lighting rod man," the 
"patent medicine fakir," and the hosts of the latter day "hustlers" of 
business enterprises had not made their appearance in that section of 
Virginia prior to the Civil War. The Jew peddlers were almost the only 
strangers to invade that territory, to offer their wares, or to ask for 
patronage. The peddlers carried an assortment of gewgaws, and cheap 
trinkets which readily took the fancy of the negro.

Few of the negroes knew that the Jews, and the "Children of Israel" were 
of the same people. The story of the Children of Israel in slavery to the 
Egyptians, and their final freedom from bondage, and their possession of 
the land of Canaan, was a story which deeply interested the negroes. An 
old, pious, negro mammy who had often heard this story, expressed before 
her mistress the wish to see some of the Children of Israel, inasmuch as 
she could not visit the Land of Canaan. To humor her, the mistress, upon 
learning of the coming of a Jew peddler to the nearby village, told her 
servant she might pay a visit there, and view the "Child of Abraham." The 
servant soon returned, and indignantly exclaimed: "Missus! days no Chillun 
o' Israel. Dat's de same of Jew peddler w'at sole me dem pisen, brass 
yearrings las' 'traded meetin' time. deli low down w'ite man as dat, he 
nevah b'long to no Lan' o' Cainyan."

With some few exceptions, there was but one tavern in a county until after 
the Civil war, and that one was situated within the "Court House Bounds." 
From its earliest history, Virginia has been famed as the home of generous 
hospitality. A writer about the year 1700, in referring to the scarcity of 
inns or ordinaries in Virginia, state:

"No people entertain their friends with better cheer and welcome, and 
strangers, and travelers are here treated in the most free, plentiful and 
hospitable manner, so that a few inns, or ordinaries en the road are 
sufficient."

The tavern was usually built long and narrow, one and a half stories high, 
with dormer windows, the roof sloping down until it formed a cover for the 
porch which ran along the whole length of the house. At both ends of the 
building were stone or brick chimneys, built on the outside. The main body 
of a chimney-containing a fire-place within-was extended to cover the 
entire end of the house. It was a puzzle to the uninstructed, as to which 
was first built the house or the chimneys-or whether the chimneys were not 
originally intended for a larger building. The capacious fire-places, 
extending the whole width of the building, determined the wisdom of the 
builder. Around these fire-places, gathered the guests in the winter 
evenings within the warm, and cheerful glows emitted by the heaps of 
bright, blazing lags of pine, oak, or hickory. Here, in the language of an 
"Old Timer," yarns were "spun and swapped," and jokes told, the latest 
news related, while the listeners chewed their "sweet scented" tobacco, or 
smoked the pipe.

Tobacco chewing, throughout the country at large, was a much more common 
custom, fifty or sixty years ago, than at the present day. The "Old 
Timers" worked their jaws upon a big wad of "home twisted" as rapidly, and 
constantly as a billy goat chewing upon his quid, and they expectorated 
the juice of the weed with a precision, and a profusion that was a wonder, 
and a shock to those whose esthetic taste forbade them to indulge in the 
habit of "chawin'."

Cigars and "store tobacco" were not in use in early times. In those days, 
many of the elderly ladies, as well as the men, smoked the pipe. The pipe 
of tire elderly persons was either of clay, or corn cob, and from its long 
usage had the color of an old meerschaum, and the odors of a scorching hot 
tar barrel. There was fuel in abundance to keep bright fires, as "new 
ground" was being constantly added to the plantation, the clearing of 
which afforded an ample supply. The fuel, in logs of various lengths, was 
hauled to the wood pile and stacked up cane-shaped, to protect it from 
storms of snow and rain. There was seldom such a thing as a wood shed on a 
plantation before the Civil War, and rarely was the fire-wood chopped into 
proper lengths until immediate need required. At bed time, the bright 
coals were thickly covered with ashes which kept them alive and ready for 
the morning's fire, which was blown into flame with fire bellows. Fire-
pans of iron, with lid and handle, were used to carry live coals from one 
fire place to another about the house. The open fire is now a rarity, 
especially in the later built dwellings of the cities. During the coming 
generation, the "family fire-side" will be but a fiction of the past.

An Indian upon seeing one of these big fire places, and observing the 
apparent waste of flaming logs upon the fire, and the people seated at a 
distance from it, said

"Ugh! Injure make little fire, sit close to him; white man make big fire, 
sit way off."

The tavern floor was kept sanded with white sand neatly swept into 
fanciful curves. Attached to each tavern was a "horse lot" in which were 
stalls for horses and sheds for vehicles. In front of each tavern was a 
"horse rack" to which the animal was tethered awaiting either the guest or 
the hostler. Close to one corner of the tavern was a post to which was 
suspended a big bell, with rope attached, to summon the tavern keeper or 
hustler, or to announce "meal time," to the guests. The ringing of the 
tavern bell was notice to the whole village of a new arrival within its 
precincts.

Court day was the one busy day of each month with a Tidewater tavern 
keeper, and if the weather was fair, he was assured of a goodly attendance 
at his table and "horse lot," the receipts from which aided him materially 
in "tiding over" until the following court, a month hence. In the year 
1666, the "Ordinary" (tavern) charges for caring for "man and beast" were 
fixed by law to be paid in tobacco as follows

"A meal for a master, 15 pounds of tobacco.
"A meal for a servant, 10 pounds of tobacco.
"Lodging for either, 5 pounds of tobacco.
"Brandy, English spirits, or Virginia dram, per gal. 160 pounds tobacco.
"Rum per gal. 100 pounds tobacco.
"Cyder, or Perry, per gal. 25 pounds tobacco."

In each tavern, there was a room where liquors were sold, which were drawn 
direct from cask, rundlet, or jug, as called for. There was no display of 
decanters, bottlers, or glassware, such as is seen in the latter day 
barroom, nor was the liquor "red liquor"-rectified and ruined. With the 
exception of perhaps some added water to aid in keeping up what would 
otherwise be a "short supply," the liquors were sold pure as they came 
from the distiller. They consisted mainly of whiskeys, rum, apple and 
peach brandies, and ales.

The most common method of purchase was to call for a "Tickler." Customers 
called for their liquors in quantities of either gallons, quarts, pints, 
or half-pints, which were placed in jugs, or bottles, and after the 
purchaser imbibed or shared with a friend, the remainder of the "tickler" 
was set aside by the tavern keeper to be ready at the call of the 
purchaser, as often as needed until that tickler was exhausted. To "share 
the tickler" with a friend or acquaintance, is one form of old Virginia 
hospitality which has long since ceased. As a matter of necessity, every 
tavern keeper cultivated a "bed of mint," the fragrance of which was best 
appreciated when mired in a julep. The Virginian usually drank "straight 
ticker," but when he departed from this habit, it was either to enjoy his 
julep, or to add a little water to the liquor, and then it became "grog"

Drinking was quite common in the early days. It is stated that even 
ministers of the gospel took their drams, often to their great shame.

Virginia gave birth to very many "first things," amongst them being the 
"mint julep." The Kentucky Colonel, a prodigal son of old Virginia, when 
in his best humor, may lay claim to a patent on this famous beverage, but 
the evidence is against his claim as "first discoverer." It is related 
that shortly after Virginia consented to part with her claims upon 
Kentucky, as a "District of Virginia,"-to enable her to become a state of 
the Union-an old Tidewater Virginian went to Kentucky to pay a visit to 
his son, who had settled there, and while riding along the road on 
horseback, he was overtaken by a heavy rainstorm. He sought shelter at the 
nearest dwelling he came to, and as the storm continued until night set 
in, his host prevailed upon him to spend the night. In grateful 
acknowledgement of the generous hospitality received, the Virginian mixed 
a mint julep for his host, and showed him how to drink it by burying his 
face in the fragrant mint. It is said the two sat up discussing its merits 
until the dawn of day, by which hour the Kentuckian had become proficient 
as a "miser." After a substantial breakfast, the Virginian departed on his 
journey much to the regret of his host. The Virginian remained several 
months with his son, and on his way back to his home, stopped at the gate 
of his former host and inquired of the old negro servant as to his 
master's health.

"Dead suh! Dead! T'was dis sere way suh! Dat grass drink w'at you fix fur 
Mar's Jack he wuz mightily pleased wid, an' he wuz gittin' on mighty fine 
wid it, t'well a youngster cum 'long one day 'fum sum o' dese yere big 
towns in Virginny, an' he tole Mar's Jack dat dey all up in town drinks 
mint juleps wid straws, an' Mar's Jack he took to drinkin' hissen wid 
straws, an' de folke's all say dat what kills Mar's Jack-drinhin' wid 
straws."

A famous Kentucky colonel is credited with the following remark: "There 
are two thin Ms a gentleman never refuses; one is a lady's request, and, 
the other, a mint julep."

The old time tavern keeper cultivated land more or less extensively and 
raised food in abundance for his table. "Side dishes" were an unknown 
quantity in the old time tavern. A whole roast pig, turkey, goose, or ham, 
a quarter of lamb, or roast of beef, were placed within easy reach of the 
guest and he was invited, and expected to help himself. The carving knife 
and fork were placed within reach of the guest.

Virginia taverns kept no subservient "waiters," who with clean or soiled 
napkin dangling over the arm, dance attendance only for "a tip." Young 
negro chaps were trained to "brush away the blue tail fly," and hand such 
dishes of food as might be beyond the reach of the guest. These duties 
they quietly performed, usually to the satisfaction of all, provided they 
did not fall asleep at their task. Old time servants would go to sleep 
with a suddenness that was appalling to one not acquainted with their 
habits. The habit of falling asleep was often indulged in by them, 
regardless of either time, occasion, or place.


V. "STO' KEE, PIN"' IN TIDEWATER VIRGINIA.

For several years after the first settlement was made, there was but one 
store in the whole of the vast territory then known as Virginia. This was 
kept by the cape merchant (treasurer), and from it the whole colony was 
supplied. Village and cross roads stores originated long after counties 
were formed and thickly populated. There was little necessity for stores 
in the early years of Virginia's history, as the clothing and other 
articles of wear, and many utensils also, were manufactured at the homes 
of the settlers. Such other things as they needed, and were unable to make 
at home, they were supplied with direct from Europe, else they managed to 
get along without them. The early inhabitants were necessarily 
resourceful, handy, and self-denying.

In 1810, the assistant marshals who took the United States population 
census were required by law to tape an account of the several 
manufacturing establishments within their several divisions. As there was 
no formal schedule prescribed, each cue made his reports in his own way. 
These reports are interesting reading as showing the condition of the 
people at that late day-203 years after the first settlement at Jamestown. 
One of the Assistant Marshals reports as follows: "With few exceptions 
every household employs a common weaving loom, and almost without 
exception every family tans their own leather. No machines of a peculiar 
hind are used or belongs in the county. The materials for clothing are 
raised and consumed by its inhabitants. The quantity as near as may be is 
twenty-six yards for each person. The weaving with few exceptions is 
performed by females. There are about three female weavers for every 
loom." 

Another assistant marshal reports on a whiskey distillery as follows: 
"This establishment is of a late invention and a considerable curiosity 
which when in full operation manufactures 11-0 or u0 gals. of whiskey per 
day. The demand for its manufacture is invariably great, consequently the 
sale great. Sold for 50c. per gal."

The great "Department Sores" of the cities must have had their prat 
conception from a vie,, of a well stocked Virginia country store, situated 
upon some important navigable stream, where the fisherman, oysterman, 
timberman, and farmer resorted for their sup supplies. . A well stocked 
country store must keep everything from a needle to a crowbar, from a 
piece of ribbon to a counterpane, from a spool of thread to a schooner's 
hawser, from a necktie to a suit of clothes, froze a tin cup to a set of 
furniture, from a hame string to a set of buggy harness. Whatever is 
called for and is not in stock, the merchant will obligingly offer 
something else, which may be a good substitute-for your money. E1 young 
negro husband failing to find a pair of shoes for his young son may find a 
substitute in jewsharps and gingercakes.

The storekeeper is an obliging man, when a customer from a distance visits 
his store. Should the visitor be an aged lady, he will invite her to a 
seat and inquire about her health, and that of her family-for he knows all 
about her usually, as lie does of all his customers. Life in that section 
is like an "open book." Everybody knows everybody else "that's worth 
knowing," and the knowledge they have of one another is not obtained by 
inquisitive intrusion into one another's affairs. They and their 
forefathers have lived and mingled together in all the affairs of life so 
frequently and intimately that there could be no concealment of a 
"character" such as the noted "Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde." It is both 
interesting and astonishing to hear the geneaology of families rehearsed 
with perfect knowledge by those living in far distant counties.

If the old lady is "given to talk" she will give to the storekeeper a 
recital of all her troubles before she intimates her desire to trade. The 
storekeeper will listen attentively, forgetting at the time that he has 
troubles of his own, a few of which will develop when the old lady calls 
for many of the articles he is "out of," and of which he cannot convince 
her he bas good substitutes.

Virginia folks are generally care to suit, and if they Cannot get what 
they call for, they will nevertheless often make purchases to the extent 
of the means which they carry for the occasion. If a customer calls for a 
pair of long shoe strings, and the storekeeper is "out" of long shoe 
strings, he may sell a name string instead, and the long shoe strings at a 
later day.

The size and fit of many articles of clothing-shoes, Bats, pantaloons, 
etc., are determined upon by "reckoning" by the parents of the children 
who were "left at home." The father of a boy who needs a hat or pantaloons 
will "try the fit" of the hat upon his own head, and will "reckon" the 
size of the pantaloons of his boy, with outstretched arms, while grasping 
the bottom hems of each leg of the garment, and will at last "reckon 
they're all right." Unless these garments are for "Sunday wear," the exact 
fit is not of great importance. If the pants are "too short for Jim" they 
"will fit John," and Jim must wait until "Pap" goes again to the village 
store, at which time the kind mother insists that the child-18 year old 
Jim-should accompany Pap, and "get a fit." If Jim does not get a fit at 
the store, his "sweetheart" will surely have one when first she views her 
Jim in the new "rig" which the obliging storekeeper "put upon him" in lieu 
of what was called for and which he was "out of."

It is much easier work to "keep sto" in Virginia than it is to plough corn 
on a hot July day, or to chop cord wood on a cold winter's day in the 
lonely woods, and it is an especially easy job to keep store in the Forest 
section where the daily customers are few and far between, and so distant 
from a railroad that they do not ever entertain the notion of having to 
"catch a train," and therefore have abundance of time. The customer will 
feed his horse at the horse rack before lie gets ready to trade. The 
storekeeper will assist him in the feeding by the loan of an empty soap 
box, and may unhitch one side of the traces and breech band, and "shove 
the buggy back and give the hoss a chance."

Barter was a common method of trading until after the Civil War, and is 
yet to a more limited extent. The merchant would take in trade anything 
which he could find a market for. He might get a few cords of wood from 
one customer, and a bag of goose feathers from another. The old lady 
knitters might barter the products of their busy fingersmittens, socks, 
and neck comforts-for Sunday "poke" bonnets and hoop skirts for their 
daughters. A lady attired in an old fashioned full hoop skirt which was in 
fashion "befo' an' endurin' uv de wah," was approachable only at the risk 
of upsetting her whole apparel.

Whenever one side of the old fashioned hoop skirt came in contact with an 
object of greater resistance the opposite side tilted skyward; and when 
the wearer of this garment was about to be seated she was forced to fold 
the rear of the skirt nearly to her waist, else when she sat down the 
front of the garment would have tilted to an angle sufficiently high as to 
have exposed to view much of her underwear.

Much of the business of a Forest store is yet conducted in "barter" the 
customer exchanging chickens and eggs, and other small products for such 
commodities as may be needed, or that the storekeeper may have on hand.

During the first few years after the Civil War, the custom of bartering, 
or buying and selling, was new to the emancipated negro. Many of the older 
ones were industrious and successful enough to obtain homes of their own, 
or to rent land on shares, and thus become possessed of their own 
chickens, hogs, corn, and other products. These they carried to the nearby 
stores, and after their value was agreed upon, they exchanged-bartered 
them-with the merchant for his goods. As the negro was usually totally 
illiterate, and innocently ignorant of arithmetic, it was a task beyond 
his skill to keep a tally of "how he stood" after each purchase. Toward 
the ending of his bargaining, he might call for an article which greatly 
exceeded the "balance due" him, and upon being informed of his mistake, 
would generally "right himself," and clear up his account by calling for 
the balance in cheese and crackers, or ginger cakes and sardines.

Cheese and crackers were universal favorites with the many, and the 
"ranker" the cheese the greater the demand. Usually the business of the 
Forest storekeeper does not warrant the help of a clerk, and when the 
storekeeper is "pushed with business" he will call upon some one of his 
customers to "lend a hand." During a "big rush of business" at a certain 
one of these stores, the merchant was assisted by a willing, but "green 
one," who was given charge of the cracker barrel and the cheese box, but 
unfortunately the cheese boy, and the "patent axle grease" bogy were in 
close proximity, and in a dark corner of the candle lighted storehouse. A 
negro called for the balance due him, in cheese and crackers, and after 
being served, he seated himself upon a barrel head, and began his repast. 
After he had finished his pound of crackers and a pound of cheese, it was 
discovered by the merchant that the "green helper" had given axle greese 
instead of cheese to the negro, who upon being asked how he liked the 
cheese, smacked his lips, and replied: "I 'spect Boss, yo' mus' a had dat 
cheese on han' a right smaht while; it's a little rankish."

The Village store, and also the cross roads store in a thickly settled 
section, are popular resorts in the evenings for young and old. As they 
assemble, they occupy the stools, benches, nail kegs, barrel heads, and 
every other available article which will afford a seat, excepting the 
floor. The "late comers" seat themselves upon the counter, and then the 
evening's session begins by discussions of "neighborhood happenings," and 
subjects of important interest, etc., and winds up with laughable yarns by 
same kcal wit. In the meantime, the "sto' keeper" is complacently located 
behind his counter, propped up on a cracker, or sugar barrel, enjoying the 
"session," which is uninterrupted by "sordid traffic" until near "bed 
time" when there are sudden calls for "sto' tobacco," sugar, coffee, and 
matches. Thus the Tidewater Virginia storekeeper winds up his busy clays. 
The writer is indebted to these "nightly sessions" for much information 
and amusement.

The store of a village, and prominent cross roads section, are the 
equivalents of the city social club house.



CHAPTER XXI. MISCELLANEOUS

There are many other things about old Virginia worthy of narrative, and in 
this chapter the writer has presumed upon the reader to give in a 
miscellaneous way a number of matters, in which he has become interested.

I. VIRGINIA FINANCIERING.

The credit system in America originated in Virginia. In the early years of 
the Colony there was no money in circulation. Tobacco was the staple crop, 
the standard of values and the circulation medium, as well as the main 
article of export, for the planters. It became a necessity for the planter 
to seek credits for his pressing needs until the harvesting of his tobacco.

This product was bulky and inconvenient to carry from place to place as a 
medium of exchange. Therefore, the Colonial Government authorized tobacco 
warehouses, called "rolling houses," from the method of rolling the 
tobacco along the road in hogsheads to the shipping point.

In the early years of the colony, the public highways of Tidewater 
Virginia were almost impassable for heavily laden vehicles. The planters 
therefore, in order to get their tobacco to the shipping point, prepared 
their hogsheads or casks, for rolling by driving a Ion, wooden spike into 
the center of each end of the cask, a part of which protected beyond to 
serve as axletree. A split sapling g was fitted for shafts and extended to 
rear of cask; the ends of the sapling shafts were there connected with a 
hickory withe; a few slabs were nailed to these, in front of the cask, 
forming a foot board or box, in which were stored for the journey, a 
middling or two of meat, a bag of meal, a frying pan, a hoe, an axe, and a 
blanket to shelter the driver at night, and fodder and corn for the 
animals.

If the distance to market was moderate, the cask was rolled on its hoops, 
which were stout and numerous, bat if fifty or more miles, rough felloes 
were spiked to each end to strengthen it.

There were men who engaged solely in this business. They traveled in 
parties and assisted each other on the journey. They were sometimes 
engaged one or two weeks in making the return trip. At night fall, they 
kindled a fire in the woods by the road side, baked a hoe cake, fried some 
bacon, fed their team, and rolled their blanket around them and slept, by 
the fire near their cask. The "tobacco rollers" were a rough set of men 
generally.

A furnace stood near each warehouse, and tobacco unfit for export was 
burned there in accordance with law which forbade the sale of poor tobacco.

These rolling houses were in charge of government inspectors who iv 
weighed, stored and sold the tobacco, and after the public dues were 
deducted, the balance was delivered to the producer.

Acts were passed providing that the inspectors of the warehouses should be 
obliged to deliver promissory notes for the full quantity of tobacco 
received by them "which notes shall be and are hereby declared to be 
current and paible in all tobacco paiments whatsoever, acording to the 
species expressed in the note * * and shall be transferred from one to 
another in all such paiments, and shall be paid and satisfied by the 
inspector who signed the same upon demand." It was further provided that 
such notes could be renewed, and to counterfeit them was made a felony. If 
the notes were renewed and the fees paid, the tobacco was sold and the 
balance of the proceeds after collecting fees, was turned over to the last 
holder on demand.

The fault in this system was the uncertainty and perishableness of its 
basis, if the tobacco spoiled or deteriorated in quality or quantity. 
Later acts were passed to guard against these conditions, in which it was 
provided that no "crop note" older than eighteen months should be legal 
tender.

In 1033, an attempt was made, at the instance of the foreign merchants, to 
force the colonists to settle their debts in money and not in tobacco, and 
for this purpose an act of Assembly was passed with the following preamble:

"Whereas it hath been the usual custom of merchants and others dealing 
intermutually in this colony, to make all bargains, and contracts, and to 
beep all accounts in tobacco, and not in money" * *. It then goes on to 
enact that in future they should be kept in money, etc. But it was found 
so inconvenient to represent value by an arbitrary standard, the 
representative of which did not exist in the colony, that another act was 
passed in January, 1641, declaring that: "Whereas many and great 
inconveniences do daily arise by dealing for money, Be it enacted and 
confirmed by the authority of this present Grand Assembly, that all money 
debts made since the 20th day of March, 1642, or which hereafter shall be 
made, shall not be pleadable or recoverable in any court of justice under 
this government."

An exception was made in 1643 in favor of debts contracted for horses or 
sheep, but money debts generally were not mach recoverable again until 
1656.

For the whole Colonial period there were no banks. The "Bank of
Alexandria," in Alexandria City, was the first bank chartered in Virginia 
by Act of Assembly, November 23, 1792.

The first organized bank in the United States, and the first one which had 
any direct relation to the Government of the United States, commenced 
operation on January 7, 1782. It had its origin as a banking company 
without a charter, in a meeting of citizens of Philadelphia, on June 17, 
1780, at which it was resolved to open a security subscription of 300,000 
pounds, the intention being to supply the army which was at that time 
destitute of the common necessaries of life, and therefore was on the 
verge of mutiny.

It was granted a charter by Congress, May 20, 1781, under the name of the 
Bank of North America. It also accepted a charter from the State of 
Pennsylvania, which was renewed from time to time until December 3, 1804, 
when it became a National Bank.

The second bank of the United States was chartered by Congress, April 10, 
1816, limited to twenty years, expiring March 3, 1830.

Prior to the chartering of the National Banks, during the Civil War, the 
nation relied mainly upon the issue of State bank notes for the 
circulating medium of exchange, together with the small amount of gold and 
silver coins, much of which was of foreign coinage. In the year 1800, the 
money in circulation was $13.85 per capita. In the year 1905, it was 
$31.08 per capita.

Great distress resulted from the floods of unchartered bank currency 
throughout the nation from 1812 to 1820, and in later years the chartering 
of banks, especially in the Nest, authorizing the issue of circulating 
notes without security and in excess of capital was the cause of much 
trouble. The Governor of Indiana, referring to such banks known as "Wild 
Cat"-said in his message in the year 1853, "The speculator comes to 
Indianapolis with a bundle of bank notes in one hand and the stock in the 
other; in twenty-four hours he is on his way to some distant point of the 
Union to circulate what he denominates a legal currency authorized by the 
legislature of Indiana. He has nominally located his bank in some remote 
part of the State, difficult of access, where he knows no banking 
facilities are required, and intends his notes shall go into the hands of 
persons who will have no means of demanding their redemption."

Much of the money of that period was of such doubtful value that before 
being accepted in payment, it was subject to a discount of greater or 
lesser sum, which was graduated by the reputation of the bank of issue. 
The discount was especially large when the note was exchanged in a State 
other than that in which it was first issued.

These financial conditions gave rise to "note shavers," and "money 
brokers." The former conducted business mainly in the rural sections, and 
the latter were found in the cities, and big towns throughout the United 
States, where they kept "open shop," with a display of bank notes and coin 
in their show windows, like jewelry shops of the present day, ready to 
exchange one State money for another-always for pay.

The necessity of seeking credits during the early years of the colony of 
Virginia became the privilege and custom followed by many Virginia 
gentlemen up to the close of the Civil War. Court day was therefore a busy 
day with the "Note Shavers;" a class of men whose business it was to loan 
money, and to trade in financial paper of every description. They were 
shrewdly informed as to the ability of every "man of note" in their 
section, and could determine at a moment's notice the discount or premium 
at which the man's paper promises should be exchanged or received. The 
planters' notes passed from hand to hand in their own or the adjoining 
counties in payment of other debts, and were sometimes accepted, through 
the local merchants, in payment of their purchases in the nearby cities. 
The notes of a well-to-do planter-the owner of extensive lands and 
numerous servants-were as good, and in many cases were prefered to those 
of many of the bank notes then in circulation. The people were usually 
slow in making final settlements, many of whom renewed their promises from 
time to time until their death. This condition gave rise to a class of 
officers Commissioners-who thrived by the business of settling up such 
estates.

Money was never the idol for the worship of Virginians. While they 
recognized its convenience, to a certain extent, they also recognized the 
fact, through a long experience, that they could lice and thrive without 
an abundance of this commodity. The owners of lands and servants procured 
all the necessaries, and the luxuries of food, which the soil, and the 
adjacent waters, could supply, and to that extent they were self-
sustaining and independent.

These people entertain no greedy anxiety to pile up dollars at the expense 
of their conscience, by sharp practices upon their fellow man, nor even at 
the sacrifice of great self-denial to their own needy comforts.

A full corn crib, wheat bin and meat house, and enough goodly shaped 
stacks of blade fodder, to last until "grazing time," insures the thrifty 
owners an independence, and ease of conscience, which the millionaire 
possessor of ill gotten gains cannot experience, because these are the 
fruits of honest toil which none but the holders thereof have just claims 
upon.

"Our portion is not large, indeed;
But then how little do we need?
For nature's calls are few:
In this the art of living lies,
To want no more than may suffice,
And make that little do."

Up to the period of the general introduction of machinery for the weaving 
and manufacture of cloth, and for many years thereafter, "homespun" goods 
supplied the wants of their household.

Excepting where the planter was improvident, or a great spendthrift, the 
greater amount of indebtedness was created for additional lands and 
servants.

Frequently the lands were tilled until they were no longer productive; 
they were then "turned out," and became "old fields," to replenish through 
years of "rest," while growing timber, after which they were again tilled. 
Thus it was that more land was needed than was cultivated during a season. 
Owing to a better system of soil cultivation, together with the many new 
industries that have been introduced since the Civil War, the "note 
shavers" occupation is now a lost art in that section.

There is now established throughout the rural sections a system of private 
banks, known as the "Mumford Banking Co." Its stock is distributed 
throughout the localities of its several banks which are situated at the 
Court House villages, and the larger towns of Tidewater Virginia.

Until within the last two or three decades, there was not a bank, postal 
money, or registry office, or express office within the whole section of 
rural tidewater.

Prior to the establishment of these conveniences, the merchants and others 
were forced to depend upon the generosity of neighbors, who upon visiting 
a city were burdened with the money and messages of a neighborhood.

The greatest financial struggle which the people of Virginia have 
experienced within a half century was directly after the Civil War. Much 
of the indebtedness during the four years of war, was in Confederate 
money, and when the war closed, with a repudiation of that currency, it 
left the debtor and the creditor in doubt as to how a settlement should be 
had. For this purpose, a "stay law" was enacted, which gave additional 
time for settlement.

The rapid decline of this money is humorously illustrated in a story told 
of a Confederate soldier who was going to his home on a furlough, during 
the last year of the war, and while stopping at a village horse trough to 
water his horse, he was offered $3,000 for the animal. "Three thousand 
dollars," replied the soldier. "Why man, I just now paid the nigger 
hostler $1,000 for currying him."

President Davis in his message of March 11, 1865, refers to the exorbitant 
prices charged for food for the army, "$50 a bushel for corn, $700 a 
barrel for flour."

II. THE SUFFERINGS OF THE CIVIL WAR; SOME WAR POETRY.

Gettsyburg was the greatest battle of the war; Antietam the bloodiest. 
Vherever the two armies alternated in the possession of a battle ground, 
the wounded were necessarily neglected, and thus it was that thousands 
died whose lives could have been saved by slight attention, which was 
impossible to render at the time of need.

A battle field, after severe fighting, presented sights too horrible for 
the human eye. Upon these fields could be seen God's own image, torn limb 
from limb, and scattered like chaff before the wind, or found drenched in 
pools of the heart's blood, gory, ghastly, and sickening to the eye and 
the heart.

Major General Darius 11. Couch, a Federal officer of the Civil War, in 
"Battles and Leaders," makes the following statement concerning the 
suffering and frightful slaughter, touching on the incident of the assault 
on Marye's Heights, battle of Fredericksburg, February 14, 1562: "The 
night was bitter cold and a fearful one for the front line hugging the 
hollows in the ground, and for the wounded who could not be reached. It 
was a night of dreadful suffering. Many died of wounds and exposure, and 
as fast as men died, they stiffened in the wintry air, and on the front 
line were rolled forward for protection to the living. Frozen men were 
placed for dumb sentries."

Brigadier-General John B. Imboden, of the Confederate Army, makes the 
following statement respecting the moving of the wounded from Gettysburg 
back to Virginia.

"The column moved rapidly, considering the rough roads and darkness, and 
from almost every wagon for many miles issued heart rending wails of 
agony. For four hours, I hurried forward on my way to the front, and in 
all that time I was never out of hearing of the groans and cries of the 
wounded and dying. Scarcely one in a hundred had received adequate 
surgical aid, owing to the demands on the hard working surgeons from still 
worse cases that had to be left behind. Many of the wounded in the wagons 
had been without food for thirty-six hours. Their torn and bloody 
clothing, matted and hardened, was rasping the tender inflamed, and still 
oozing wounds. Very few of the wagons had even a layer of straw in them, 
and all were without springs. The road was rough and rocky from heavy 
washings of the preceding day. The jolting was enough to have killed 
strong men, if long exposed to it. From every wagon as the teams trotted 
on, urged by whip and shout, came such cries and shrieks as these:

"Stop. Oh, for God's sake stop just one minute; take me out and leave me 
to die on the roadside.

"I am dying. I am dying. My poor wife, my dear children, what will become 
of you?"

"Some were simply moaning; some were praying; and others uttering the most 
fearful oaths and execrations that despair and agony could bring from 
them, while a majority; with stoicism sustained by blind devotion to the 
cause they fought for, endured without complaint unspeakable tortures, and 
even spoke words of cheer and comfort to their unhappy comrades of less 
will and more acute nerves. Occasionally a wagon would be passed from 
which only low, deep moans could be heard. No help could be rendered to 
any one of the sufferers. No heed could be given to any of their appeals. 
Mercy and duty to the many forbade the loss of a moment in the vain effort 
then and there to comply with the prayers of the few. On, on, we must move 
on. The storm continued and the darkness was appalling. There was no time 
even to fill a canteen with water for a dying man; for, except the drivers 
and the guards, all were wounded and utterly helpless in that vast 
procession of misery. During this one night I realized more of the horrors 
of war than I had in all of the two preceding years."

The last volley of the war was fired about sunset, on May 13, 1865, at the 
battle of Palmetto Rancho, between White's Rancho and the Boca Chica 
Strait, Texas, just ten days short of four years since the killing of 
Ellsworth and Jackson at Alexandria, Virginia. On April 2, 1866, President 
Johnson issued a proclamation declaring the Civil War to be at an end.

The Civil War virtually ended when Lee and Grant met at 2 o'clock P. M., 
on Palm Sunday, April 9, 1865, at Wilmer McLean's dwelling, in Appomattox, 
Virginia, and agreed that the former war horses of the Confederates should 
thereafter be hitched to the plow instead of to the caisson.

During the whole of the war, the excitement was intense throughout the 
whole country, and those only whose hearts were cold and selfish could 
refrain from taking sides with one or the other parties to this great 
conflict of arms. All true Americans, North and South, are proud of the 
valor and heroism displayed by both sides in that mighty struggle for a 
principle as each viewed it from their own standpoint.

"Your flag and my flag and how it flies to-day,
In your land and my land and half a world away; 
Rose red and blood red, its stripes forever gleam.
Snow white and soul white, the good forefathers' dream; 
Slay blue and true blue, with stars that gleam aright,
The gloried guidon of the day, a shelter through the night.

"Your flag and my flag, and oh, how much it holds!
Your land and my land secure within its folds;
Your heart and my heart beat quicker at the sight,
Sun kissed and wind tossed, the red and blue and white; 
The one flag, the great flag, the flag for me and you,
Glorified all else beside, the red and white and blue."

A civilization that permits the scenes of war has not accomplished a good 
mission upon earth. War, the worst survival of savage life, should forever 
cease, and arbitration of nations, and of communities should assume the 
responsibilities.

When the war ended, the soldiers of the two armies returned to their 
respective homes, and took up anew the pursuits of civil life. The quiet 
and rapid manner in which these two great armies of veteran soldiers again 
resumed the duties of private life, was an astonishing lesson to the 
nations of the earth. Many of the ex-Federal soldiers, charmed with the 
climate and the people of the South, returned there to make it their 
abiding home.

Negroes were employed in the work upon fortifications, in hospitals, and 
other places under the Confederate war department. The Journal of the 
House of Representatives of the Confederate States of America, 87th day, 
Monday, February 20, 1865, states:

Several bills were introduced to "incorporate the colored people, so 
called, into the military service, into the Provisional Army of the 
Confederate States, and to organize them into companies, squadrons, 
battalions, regiments, brigades, divisions, or otherwise, as to the 
General in Chief may seem most expedient: Provided, That said 
organizations shall be commanded only by white commissioned officers," etc.

Prior to this date, there were several such bills, or resolutions offered, 
but they failed in providing for negro soldiers for the defense of the 
Confederate States until March [missing], 186[missing], when a bill was, 
passed authorizing the President-Jefferson Davis-to ask for and accept 
from the owners of negro slaves as many able bodied negroes as he might 
deem expedient to perform military service in any capacity he might 
direct. President Davis in his message of March 13, 1865, refers to this 
bill as follows: "The bill for employing negroes as soldiers has not 
reached me though the printed journals of your proceedings inform me of 
its passage. Much benefit is anticipated from this measure, though far 
less than would have resulted from its adoption at an earlier date, so as 
to afford time for their organization and instruction during the winter 
months."

The historian Pollard, in his life of Jefferson Davis makes the following 
comment upon this latter bill for arming the slaves: "The fruits of this 
emasculated measure were two companies of blacks organized from some negro 
vagabonds in Richmond, which were allowed to give free balls at the Libby 
Prison and were exhibited in fine, fresh uniforms on Capitol Square, as 
decoys to obtain sable recruits."

From Journal of the Congress of the Confederate States of America, 1861-
186, Vol. VII, page 542, 75th day, Monday, February 6, 1865.

"Mr. Moore offered the following resolution"

"Resolved. That the Committee on Military Affairs inquire into the 
expediency of investing the President with the authority by law to call 
into the service of the Confederate States all the able bodied negro men 
within the limits of said States, to be used in such manner and for such 
purposes as the Commander in Chief of our armies may direct, and on such 
terms as he may think will render them most efficient in aiding in the 
military defences of our country."

Several amendments to this resolution were offered, amongst which was that 
of Mr. Marshall, by which the President was authorized to "call into the 
military service of the Confederate States such number of the male colored 
population, whether free or slave, between the ages of 18 and 45 years as 
may be called for by the General in Chief commanding the armies of the 
Confederate States and as the President may deem it expedient and 
conducive to the public interest to use in defense of the country. He is 
hereby authorized to incorporate the colored people, so called, into the 
military service, into the Provisional Army of the Confederate States, and 
to organize them into companies, squadrons, battalions, regiments, 
brigades," etc. It provided that these be commanded by white officers, to 
be appointed by the President. They were to receive the same clothing, 
pay, rations, etc., as white soldiers.

"In 1801, 300 free negroes of Petersburg, Va., offered their services to 
the Confederate Government either to fight under white officers, or to 
ditch and dig."

Many servants were voluntary followers of their soldier master. In many 
cases, they were the faithful nurse, or the heart broken, only friend at 
the master's death upon the battle field. For such devoted service, the 
old ex-Confederate would plight his life for his sable friend.

The favorite song of the Confederacy was "Dixie," which it is said was 
composed in the year 1860, by Dan Emmett, a famous comedian, born in New 
York City.

God made dis worl' in jus' six days 
An' finish'd it in various ways.

Chorus

Look away, look away, look away, Dixie lan'.
He den made Dixie trim an' nice,
When Adam called it "Paradise"
Look away, look away, look away, Dixie lan'.

Den I wish I was in Dixie, look 'way, look 'way
In Dixie Lan' I'll took my Stan' to lib and die in Dixie.

Away, away, away down South in Dixie,
Away, away, away down South in Dixie,

I wish I was in de lan' ob cotton,
Old times dar are not forgotten.
Look away, look away, look away, Dixie lan'.
Den I wish I was in Dixie, look 'way, look 'way.

'Twas Dixie lap' wkar I was born in
Early on one frosty mornin'
Look away, look away, look away, Dixie lan'.

In Dixie lap' de darkies grow 
If white folks only plant der toe
Look away, look away, look away, Dixie lan'.
Bey wet de group' wid 'bacco smoke
Den up de darkies head will poke
Look away, look away, look away, Dixie lan'.

Buckwheat cakes an' cornmeal batter 
Makes you fat or a little fatter
Look away, look away, look away, Dixie lan'.

But if yo' want to drive away sorrer,
Come an' hear dis song termorrer
Look away, look away, look away, Dixie lan'.

Den hoe it down an' scratch yo' grabble 
To Dixie Ian' I'm boun' to trabble
Look away, look away, look away, Dixie lan'.

Den here's de health to my ole Missus,
An' all de gals dat wants to kiss us
Look away, look away, look away, Dixie lan'.
Away, away, away down South in Dixie.

At the beginning of the Civil War the Potomac River was the dividing line 
between the Confederate and the Federal States.

The following poem was written by a Confederate soldier from Mississippi, 
named Fontaine, who was noted for his daring deeds during the siege of 
Vicksburg.

It is said it was inspired by having his friend and comrade shot down in 
his presence by an unseen sharpshooter:

"All quiet along the Potomac," they say,
Except here and there a stray picket
Is shot as he walks on his beat to and fro,
By a rifleman hid in the thicket.

'Tis nothing-a private or two now and then
Will not count in the news of the battle;
Not an officer lost-only one of the men
Moaning out, all alone, the death-rattle.

All quiet along the Potomac to-night,
Where the soldiers lie peacefully dreaming;
Their tents, in the rays of the clear autumn moon
Or in the light of their camp-fires, gleaming.

A tremulous sigh as a gentle night wind
Through the forest leaves softly is creeping,
While the stars up above with their glittering eyes
Keep guard o'er the army while sleeping.

There is only the sound of the lone sentry's tread
As he tramps from the rock to the fountain,
And thinks of the two on the low trundle bed
Far away in the cot on the mountain.

His musket falls back, and his face dark and grim,
Grows gentle with memories tender
As he mutters a prayer for the children asleep,
For their mother-may heaven defend her!

The moon seems to shine as brightly as then,
That night when the love yet unspoken
Leaped up to his lips and when low murmured vows
Were pledged to be ever unbroken.

Then, drawing roughly his sleeve o'er his eyes,
He dashes off tears that are welling,
And gathers his gun close up to its place
As if to keep down the heart swelling.

He passes the fountain, the blasted pine tree,
His footsteps are lagging and weary
Yet onward he goes through the broad belt of light
Toward the shades of the forest so dreary.

Hark! was it the night wind rustled the leaves.
Was it moonlight so wondrously flashing?
It looked like a rifle. "Ha! Mary, good-by!"
And the life-blood is ebbing and plashing.

All quiet along the Potomac to-night,
No sound save the rush of the river;
While soft falls the dew on the face of the dead-
That picket's off duty forever.


III. THE EX-CONFEDERATE SOLDIER.

The Confederate soldier reached his home upon his lean war horse which 
Grant and Lee both agreed he needed to plow his land. The less fortunate 
infantryman, who belonged to the "walkin' regiments," came home barefoot, 
and each and all of them with their clothing full of holes, some of which 
were made by briars, and some by bullets. The four years of Civil Par, 
from which they returned, was not a series of pleasant picnics, or of 
mimic war, but was a serious and shocking endeavor of men of the South and 
of the North to kill one another or to run big risks in trying.

The hardships which a soldier endured in the time of war, are almost 
beyond belief. In the matter of clothing and food, the Federal soldier was 
better provided than the Confederate. This was due mainly to the fact that 
the Federal Government had the outside world to draw from while the 
Confederacy was obliged to depend upon home products, and the few articles 
brought in by blockade runners. During the last two years of the war, the 
capture of a big Federal supply train was a matter of as much significance 
to the Confederates as the victory on a battle field.

The enormous increase of prices of articles in the Confederate States was 
so alarming as to force the Confederate Government to an effort to 
regulate them. All attempt was made in the year 1564 to enforce the 
following schedule of prices:

Salt, bush $35.00
Potatoes (Sweet) bus. $4.00
Axes, each 12.00
Pork (fresh) lb. 2.25
Bacon, lb.  3.00
Quinine, per oz. 56.00  
Apples (dried), lb. 5.00
Cotton cloth, yd. 1.20
Beef, (fresh), lb. 1.00
Steel (cast) per lb. 8.00  
Candles, lb. 8.75
Shoes (army) 15.00  
Coffee (Rio) lb. 4.00
Soap (rosin) lb. 1.00  
Flour, (bbl.) 45.00
Sugar (brown) lb. 3.00
Horses or mules, each. 1000.00
Tea, lb. 8.00
Oxen, yoke 1000.00
Tobacco (plug) 3.00
Iron (pig), ton 350.00
Tallow, lb. 2.50
Iron (wrg't bars) ton 1030.00
Duck (10oz.) Yd. 1.50
Lard, lb. 2.75
Whiskey, gal. 10.00
Leather, sole, lb. 6.00
Wheat, bus. 7.50
Nails, cut, keg 100.00
Wool, lb. 8.00
Onions, bush. 8.00
Wagon 350.00  

It is stated that after the first year of the war, the daily rations of a 
Confederate soldier when marching or fighting, were one pint of cornmeal, 
one-fourth poured of bacon. If camping, in addition to this he drew one-
fourth pound of sugar, or one-half pint of molasses, threefourths of a 
pound of black peas, one ounce of salt, and one-eighth of a pound of soap, 
and on Christmas Day, a "jagger of pinetop whiskey."

When Confederate General F. Kirby Smith invaded Kentucky in 1862, his army 
had ten days' rations issued to them and started afoot over the mountains 
to get in the rear of Cumberland Gap. At the end of the sixth day, there 
were not six pounds of rations in the whole division. In order to supply 
his men with something to eat, he bought whole field of corn, which were 
in the roasting ear stage, and the soldiers were told to help themselves. 
Having left their wagon and supply train behind with their cooking 
utensils, they, were obliged to build fires to roast the corn, the result 
being that it was burned black on the outside and raw on the inside. An ex-
Confederate soldier told the writer that his daily ration for more than a 
week before the surrender at Appomattox, was an ear of corn for himself 
and three for his horse.

It is tradition, that there was but one man in the whole of Tidewater 
Virginia who failed to do his duty when called upon by his mother State, 
Virginia, and this was an old fellow who had been a lone widower for many 
years, and just at the date when the State of Virginia issued an urgent 
call for more troops, which included men of his age, he happily met with a 
worthy helpmeet in the person of a widow, who had cast off her widow's 
weeds many years without benefit until this last and fortunate meeting 
with the hero of this story. His newly made spouse believing in the adage 
that "he who is in battle slain can never rise to fight again," declared 
to him in pleading tones that she would die if he went to the war, and to 
save her life, he consented to submit himself to her guidance. Fortunately 
for her scheme, she discovered an old, discarded hen's nest full of eggs 
that had attained an age of strength which made them famous in strong 
odors. This affectionate wife selected two from the nest which she 
believed had secreted the most substantial and lasting odors, and with 
these, she filled both ears of the idol of her eye, then plugged each ear 
solidly with cotton batting, and accompanied him to the recruiting officer 
for the physical examination which each new recruit must undergo. Upon 
being questioned by the examining surgeon as to his ailments, the good 
wife answered that her spouse was "a great sufferer from a misery in his 
ears." Upon removing the cotton plugs, and inhaling the pent up odors of 
the discarded nest, the officer was convinced, and hastily advised the 
good woman to get her husband home as rapidly as possible as he had "but a 
short while to live."

When the Confederate soldier first reached his home after the war, he was 
angry, but he soon banished this feeling, and discovered there were 
victories to be won in peace as glorious as any he had participated in as 
a soldier. Occasionally, he found a proxy, to give vent to feelings such 
as his, in the person of a noted ballad singer named "Gregory," who, 
immediately after the war, conducted what was acknowledged by all his 
audience as "The Best One Alan Show on Earth." Gregory could count on a 
"full house" and a most boisterous and hearty encore wherever, and as 
often as he sang "The Good Old Rebel," accompanying his voice with his 
nimble fingers on a big banjo. The words of this ballad were full of the 
strength of expression, and the sound of defiance suitable to the times. 
Gregory's voice in song made many a heavy heart feel light. Peace to his 
ashes is the wish of all who ever heard him.

THE GOOD OLD REBEL.
"O, I'm a good rebel,
Now that's just what I am,
For this "Fair land of Freedom"
I do not care a damn;
I'm glad I fit against it,
I only wish we'd won,
And I don't want no pardon
For anything I done.

"I hates the Constitution,
This great Republic too,
I hates the freedman's Buro,
In uniform of blue;
I hates the nasty eagle
With all its bragg and fuss
The lyin', thievin' Yankees,
I hates them wuss and wuss.

"I hates the Yankee nation
And everything they do,
I hates the Declaration
Of Independence too;
I hates the glorious Union 
--Tis dripping with our blood
I hates their striped banner,
I fit it all I could.

Three hundred thousand Yankees
Is stiff in Southern dust;
We got three hundred thousand
Before they conquered us;
They died of Southern fever
And Southern steel and shot,
I wish they was three million,
Instead of what we got.

I followed Old Ma's Robert
For four years near about,
Got wounded in three places,
And starved at Pint Lookout;
I cotched the roomaatism
A campin' in the snow,
But I killed a lot o' Yankees,
I'd like to kill some mo'.

I can't take up my musket
And fight 'em now no more,
But I ain't a-going to love 'em,
Now that is sartin sure;
And I don't want no pardon,
For what I was and am,
I won't be reconstructed,
And I don't care a damn."

After a while spent in neighborhood pleasures in which he participated 
with a zest that proved they were appreciated by him, the Confederate 
soldier laid aside his tattered uniform of grey and went to work as he had 
oftentimes gone to battle-determined to win. The cleared fields, the many 
new industries, and the prosperous happy homes in the "New Southland" tell 
the story of the success of the "Old Confederate soldier returned from the 
war."

Throughout the several counties of Virginia, in nearly every instance, 
there are erected beautiful monuments of granite or marble shafts, silent 
but loving tributes to the memory of the "Soldier of the Southern 
Confederacy." They were paid for and are maintained by the voluntary 
contribution of the people in the respective counties.


IV. THE MERRIMAC AND MONITOR.

The several peninsulas into which Tidewater Virginia is divided have each 
their own interesting history which unfortunately cannot be noted here. In 
fact, each county of that section is so intimately, and sufficiently 
connected with incidents of the earliest settlements of America, and with 
other later important events of America's history as to furnish data for 
large volumes.

Virginia guards the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay, as the lands upon both 
sides of the Capes, Charles and Henry, from the shores of the Atlantic 
Ocean inland, are the territory of the State.

On the south side of the entrance is Cape Henry, and there begins the 
"Norfolk Peninsula." This region in which the colonists first set foot 
upon Virginia's soil now contains the second largest city in the State. It 
is named Norfolk, and was first established as a town in 1705. Its 
location for a town was selected by Act of Assembly, in 1680, which 
provided for the building of a town in each of the twenty counties then 
formed: "In Lower Norfolk County on Nicholas [Wise?] his land on the 
Capital Eastern Branch on Elizabeth River at the entrance on the Branch." 
It is one of the few cities of America receiving its charter from the 
Crown of England. In 1736 it was formed into a Borough by Royal Charter 
from George III.

The U. S. Navy Yard is situated within the same harbor, on Elizabeth River 
in that portion known as Gosport, within the city of Portsmouth which was 
established in 1752. The early settlers of this section were mainly Scotch 
and Irish.

This vicinity was often the scene of important military events in the wars 
of the Revolution, and in 1812-15, and also during the Civil War. The most 
notable event occurring in that vicinity during the Civil War was the 
fight between the first iron clad vessels ever to engage in battle.

From out of Norfolk harbor on Saturday, March 8, 1862, there came the 
first "iron clad" vessel to fight a naval battle in the history of the 
world. This iron clad was formerly the U. S. steam frigate "Merrimac," 
which was partly burned and sunk in this harbor in 1861, at the evacuation 
of the Navy Yard there by the Federals. She had been raised by the 
Confederates and transformed into an "iron clad," and named "Virginia." On 
the day above mentioned, this vessel, more frequently referred to in 
history as the "Merrimac," without serious injury to herself or crew 
destroyed several large vessels of the Federal fleet near Newport News, 
and on the following day but for the timely arrival of an "iron clad" 
vessel built for the Federal Government by Ericsson, and named the 
"Monitor," she would have swept the seas, as there was then no vessel 
afloat on the waters of this planet, except the "Monitor," which was her 
equal or could withstand her attack.

On Sunday March 9, 1862, the Merrimac returned from Elizabeth River, where 
she had harbored during the night, and when reaching Hampton Roads to 
complete the destruction of the remaining vessels of the Federal fleet, 
she was met by the "Monitor," which had arrived there during the early 
hours of that morning. The four hours' battle upon this day between these 
two vessels is world renowned as the first ever fought between iron clad 
vessels. The Merrimac was the greater sufferer of the two in the 
engagement which followed with the Monitor.

The Commander of the Merrimac, Commodore Franklin Buchanan and several 
others on board were severely wounded and some killed. Two of her guns 
were broken; her armor damaged; her anchor and all her flagstaffs were 
shot away, and the smoke stack and steam pipe riddled. This vessel during 
the two days she was in action, assisted by five other Confederate vessels-
the Jamestown, Patrick Henry, Raleigh, Beaufort and Teazer-caused a loss 
to the Federals, in killed and wounded, nearly 400 men, and the frigates 
Congress and Cumberland, the tug Dragon, and great damages to the 
Minnesota. This was the last fight between these two iron clads; the 
Confederates subsequently destroyed the Merrimac when they evacuated 
Norfolk.

McKean Buchanan, brother of the Commander of the Confederate Merrimac, was 
an officer on board the U. S. frigate Congress at the time she was 
destroyed by the former vessel which his brother commanded. Thus did 
brother fight against brother during the Civil War.

Owing to its shape, the Monitor escaped serious injury to her hull or to 
her crew in this desperate encounter, excepting her commander, Lieut. John 
L. Worden, who was severely wounded in the eyes. While viewing the 
Merrimac through the peep hole in the turret of his ship a shot from that 
vessel struck fairly in front of his view; it shivered some cement and 
cast it so violently in his face that it blinded him for several days. 
Others in the turret were knocked down by the concussion, but no one 
seriously injured.

There was very great difference in the shape of these two first iron clad 
vessels. The Merrimac, or Virginia, appeared when afloat, like a huge 
roof. Her hull was 275 feet long; about 160 feet of the central portion 
was covered with a roof of wood and iron inclining about 36 degrees. This 
and her sides were composed of oak timbers 28 inches thick, covered 6 
inches deep by railway iron bars and iron plates. A bulwark or false bow 
was added, and beyond this was a strong oak and iron beak, thirty-three 
feet long, for ramming. She carried on each side four eighty pounder 
rifled cannon. Two of the rifles, bow and stern pivots were seven inch, of 
14,500 pounds; the other two were 6.4 inch, of 9,000 pounds each. She had 
furnaces for heating shot and apparatus for throwing hot water. She was 
intended to "make the Yankees hot."

The Monitor was described by the Confederates as a "Yankee cheese box set 
on a plank." The deck of the Monitor was only a few inches above water. 
The round revolving turret was twenty feet in diameter and ten feet in 
height above deck. The smoke stack was made so as to be lowered in action. 
The hull was double, sharp at both ends; the upper hull five feet in 
height rested on the lower and extended over it three feet seven inches 
all around, excepting at the ends where it projected twenty-five feet, 
affording protection to the anchor, propeller and rudder. It was only six 
feet six inches deep, with a flat bottom, and was one hundred twenty-four 
feet in length and thirty-four feet in width at the top.

The whole was built of three inch iron. Its exposed parts were guarded by 
a wall of white oak, thirty inches thick in which was laid iron armor six 
inches thick. The deck contained nothing on it when in action but the 
turret-"cheese box"-the wheel house, and a box covering the smoke stack.

The turret was a round revolving iron Martello tower, twenty feet in 
diameter, and ten feet high; it was composed of eight thicknesses of one 
inch iron plate. The only entrance into the vessel that boarders of it 
could find, was from the top of the turret, and then only one man at a 
time could descend. It contained two eleven inch Dahlgren cannon mounted. 
The turret was turned by a contrivance connected with the engine that 
propelled the vessel, which by the turning of a small wheel brought the 
turret around exactly where wanted to bring the guns to bear upon the 
other vessel.

Lieutenant John M. Brooke, of the Confederate Navy, invented or planned 
the armor of the "Virginia," or "Merrimac," so called. It was considered a 
wonderful achievement in naval architecture, and would have destroyed the 
whole Federal fleet but for the more wonderfully constructed "Monitor."

Notwithstanding that Ericsson (a native of Sweden, but a citizen of New 
York), constructed the Monitor, and is justly entitled to the high credit 
due