frequently. The death of President Lincoln
probably delayed our release. After the Confederacy went down we were
aliens without government or protection in our native land. The
proposition to take the oath of allegiance with full rights of citizenship
under the old flag of our fathers seemed as good as we could expect, and
we were soon anxious to do so and return home. About the 6th of June they
began to discharge us. On the 11th of June the following was posted on the
bulletin board: "All men whose homes are in Virginia and North Carolina
who wish to return via Richmond, whose names begin with D and E, will be
discharged upon taking the oath of allegiance to the United States on
to-morrow--12th June." So, before sunrise, I was on the front line of the
penitents and on my knees awaiting for the blessing of being transformed
from a rebel of the deepest dye into the marvelous light and liberty of a
free, full-fledged, loyal American citizen--with all the privileges of a
free "Nigger." As one of the colored soldiers had told me a few days
before. He said, "De'l turn you out some dese days--den you'll be just as
free as we is--and we is just as free as the birds." The stars and stripes
were stretched under the overhead ceiling of the school house; thirty-two
of us stood under the flag that I had fired a thousand shots at, and,
without mental reservation, took the oath and subscribed to the same in
the records. I was marked, Occupation, Planter (that sounded bigger than
farmer); age, 19; eyes, blue; hair, auburn; complexion, fair; height, 6
feet 3-3/4 inches. I weighed 170 pounds when I went there, and got away
with 145 pounds. We missed that day's ration and they gave us six
hardtacks and a half pound of cod fish, which I eat at once. We (three
hundred of us) arrived at Richmond after dark on the 13th of June. It was
raining and we all held together and were instructed to report to the
Provost office at capitol. As we marched the streets the ladies would
remark, "Oh! look, there is our men; I am so glad to see them. Poor
fellows, they are just out of prison." The officer of the guard at the
capitol informed us that no provision had been made for us, and advised us
to go to the New Market for shelter and to report back at 9 a. m. Here we
were furnished transportation--"free cars." This we took to the commissary
and got rations. When we got to Richmond I had not eaten anything for more
than thirty hours. A store keeper that nig