man never whupped anybody. Young marster married in the
Marmaduke family in Gates County. He sold one man who belonged to his
wife, Mary. I never saw a slave sold.
"I have seen lots o' paterollers. They were my friends. I had friends
among 'em because I had a young missus they run with. Dats why they let
me alone. I went with her to cotton pickin's at night. They came, but
they didn't touch me. My young missus married Dr. Perry from the same
neighborhood in Perquimans County. Bill Simpson married her sister. He
was from the same place. Watson White married the other one. He was
from Perquimans.
"There were no half-white children on Marster's plantation, and no
mixups that ever came out to be a disgrace in any way. My white folks
were fine people. I remember marster's brother's son Tommy going off to
war. Marster's brother was named Willis Riddick. He never came back. I
got a letter from my missus since I been in Raleigh. She was a fine
lady. She put fine clothes on me. I was a foreman on the plantation and
looked after things in general. I had charge of everything at the lots
and in the fields. They trusted me.
"When the war broke out I left my marster and went to Portsmouth,
Virginia. General Miles captured me and put me in uniform. I waited on
him as a body servant, a private in the U.S. Army. I stayed with him
until General Lee surrendered. When Lee surrendered I stayed in
Washington with General Miles at the Willard Hotel and waited on him. I
stayed there a long time. I was with General Miles at Fortress Monroe
and stayed with him till he was in charge of North Carolina. He was a
general, and had the 69th Irish brigade. He also had the Bluecats and
Greentorches.
"I waited on him at the Abbeck House, Alexandria, Virginia after the
war. I stayed with the general a long time after the war. I didn't go
with General Miles when he was ordered to the plains of the west.
"I stayed on the Bureau here in Raleigh. Dr. H.C. Wagel was in charge.
After I left the Bureau I worked at the N.C. State College several
years then I worked with the city at the city parks. I never left the
state after coming here With General Miles.
"I had mighty good white people, was treated all right, was made
foreman and treated with every kindness. I haven't anything to say
against slavery. My old folks put my clothes on me when I was a boy.
They gave me shoes and stockings and put them on me when I was a little
boy. I loved them and I
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