time, the Yankees visited the Willis plantation and offered
Green a stick of candy if he would tell them where the master hid his
whiskey. Isaiah ignorantly gave the information. The leader of the
troops then blew his trumpet and his men came from every direction. He
gave orders that they search for an underground cellar. Very soon they
found the well-stocked hiding place. The troops drank as much as they
wanted and invited the slaves to help themselves. Later, when Col.
Willis arrived and the mistress, who was furious, told him, she said,
"If it hadn't been for that little villain, the Yankees would never have
found your whiskey." The master understood, however, that Isaiah hadn't
known what he was doing, and refused to punish him.

The Yankees came to the Willis plantation to notify the Negroes of their
freedom. One thing they said stands out in Green's memory. "If your
mistress calls you 'John,' call her 'Sally.' You are as free as she is
and she can't whip you any more. If you remain, sign a paper so that you
will receive pay for your work." Mrs. Willis looked on with tears in her
eyes and shook her head sadly. The next day the master notified each
slave family that they could remain on his plantation if they desired
and he would give each $75.00 at Christmas. Looking at Isaiah's
step-father, he told him that since he was afflicted he would pay him
only $50.00, but this amount was refused. Wishing to keep the man, Col.
Willis finally offered him as much as he promised the ablebodied men.

Some slave owners did not let their slaves know of their freedom, and
kept them in ignorance as long as six months; some even longer.

Green's family remained on the Willis plantation until they were forced
to move, due to their ex-master's extravagance. As Isaiah remarked, "He
ran through with 3,000 acres of land and died on rented land in Morgan
County."

Directly after the war, Col. Willis was nominated for the office of
legislator of Georgia. Realizing that the vote of the ex-slaves would
probably mean election for him, he rode through his plantation trying to
get them to vote for him. He was not successful, however, and some
families were asked to move off his plantation, especially those whom
he didn't particularly like.

Years later, Green's family moved to Atlanta. Isaiah is now living in
the shelter provided by the Dept. of Public Welfare. He appears to be
fairly contented.

[HW: Isaac (Isaiah) Green]

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