Thomas Wright's Diary

June 1865

8, June 1865

Sad when a fella gets home from war, he walks straight inta another one. Theo told me a few thins, his Da doesn't really own Rivers Edge, his Ma owned the property not the slaves but the land. The land and house are his, occordin ta her Will. He can't keep me from gettin ta the new place, but let's play along.

That is when we planned how ta handle this mess, Uncle Thom was in on the plan. Theo say his Da has a debt comin due after the harvest. More than he could probably have an not be broke. The war has put a burden on the Plantation. He would send word ta the slaves ta work, but try and make the harvest low. Do what they knew would make it that way.

I asked Theo, how bad he needed the land? He say he didn't want the land or the house. That's when it hit me, Theo ta give thum a reason not ta have a good harvest no matter what. Takin the pain of ya Da rath we gives thum all some land an they freedom!

Theo smiled, my thinkin also. Uncle Thom say, we could just help that along, burn some crops a little later. Do what Sherman did, make it hard on him. I say unlessen he does that we won't show our hand. We can have those that don't want ta help, that want ta leave. Help thum leave. Uncle Thom say I can get thum across the river. So our plan was put inta place. Theo will sneak in tanight and tell thum.

10, June 1865

Last night, the big barn burnt ta the ground, lost the cow the plow is shot. Horses weren't in the barn they was in the smaller barn. Most the tools fer the farm were in the barn. The work we did on the barn, well was all a waste. The tools all a waste! I, we know it was set a fire, they yelled an fired they guns as they rode off!

Bowman had the nerve ta show up! Him an that Morgan! He ain't no law! Bowman say see ya barn burnt, ya know thins can get better even worse. How about ya just let me have the land. Give ya the partial in front the new place. Told him ta git, Uncle Thom must a pulled the hammer back on his Griswold I heard the click. He say best git both of yas. I am in right proper mood ta kill.

Bowman say mark my words, thins a get worse fer ya.
Theo got word four families wants ta leave, rest do they best ta foul the harvest up. Uncle Thom say tell thum be ready in two days, I'll gets thum out in two days that night about midnight. Theo sent Joe's boys ta get all new farm tools we need. Told Theo I'd pay fer the stuff, he wanted no part a that. Then said we burn some crops late July, about half his tobacco. That hurt him. Uncle Thom smiled my thinkin also. I didn't much care for it, but agreed.

14, June 1865

All the men including Joe's boys are carrin guns, any where they go, they leave the house best have a gun. Uncle Thom lost one his charges, the other day, young girl about 15 maybe 17 the most. Thom say she was with thum befer they crossed the river. He doubled back checked, couldn't find her. He went searchin again yesterday an back out tanight. Thom looked a might worried never seen him worry so. Think maybe he worried what Bowman do ifin he finds her, what she say befer he kills her more than likely. Theo went out ta look near the river along the Plantation hope he don't get caught.

Waited fer Uncle Thom and Theo ta get back, they showed back about 2 in the mornin, no luck. Wish the band was a playin somethin ta bring my spirits up. Me or Thom kill Bowman have ta kill the Sheriff also. No way around that, he may not be the real Law, but he is the Law. Betsy wants me ta bed, she say think on it in the mornin.

16, June 1865

We found her, well we didn't Joe and Leonard found her. Told Leonard about Joe, he stopped at his Saloon had a beer, asked about me an Theo. Joe brought him over, what they found is a might terrible. Four soldiers that fought many a battle cried, over this. I have seen many dead men, tore ta pieces like paper. Joe an Leonard found her hangin from the large oak tree near the road end of the farm. Not lynched but she was danglin by her arms.
Let's just say she had ta been put up after daylight.

They done thins ta her, parts of her layin on the ground, they didn't harm the face. The rest I don't an can't go inta details. I just won't do it, such evil can not be put inta words. They was a note on her. It say Thom this a be yar nigger bed warmer, we get her next, do a lot more ta her. Be warned! Wild animals would a
drug off what was on the ground ifin she was strun up at night.

Later in the afternoon Bowman an that blame Morgan showed up.
It took all three a my friends an Uncle Thom ta keep me from killin him with out any regrets. He is as evil as any thin in the Union or any where else. He say with a smile heard ya found a nigris hun from a tree by her arms. Pretty cut up from what I hear. I shouted as I was pullin my Griswold just how ya know that?

That's when the fellas stepped in, an stopped me. Uncle Thom say we a get him Thommy boy, now ain't the time. Theo shouted ya evil man Da, I want nothin ta do with ya! Best leave befer Thomas gets ta shootin! Bowman say ya two Blue Bellies best think on what can happen, the bed warmer be next! We put her in the ground, Leonard stayed the night. He wanted ta talk in the mornin. Say he wants ta hear what we gots planned.

17, June 1865

Leonard, say me an Betsy, should come his place he has small out buildin we can stay in. Learn how the farmers around work tagether ta get in the harvest, do the same with plantin. He says maybe till about October. It should be a might calmer. It took a might a talkin ta convince me, figured he was right.

Hate ta run! Never run from a fight. Betsy needs protectin nothin more. Somethin happen ta Betsy why I just go mad, end up in prison or worse. Wrong end of a rope, most likely. So Betsy be a goin with me ta Ohio, Ma should be fine. With Uncle Thom an Joe's boys here. Besides he mess with Ma, that could cause might lot a trouble. We loaded the wagon, started towards Clermontville about ten. About half days journey, ifin we don't dally. Made it ta Leonard's place about 8 at night. Had some left over biscuits that an bacon fer supper. His wife Sara was nice lady, took ta us right off. We a sleep on the floor, in they front room till we get set up out in that nice little buildin he has. Well best try an sleep.

Well, so did Thomas do the right thing?

Should he have stayed on the farm?

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