The Portland daily press., 1865-05-19
NV Last Ride in Dixie.

fscated farm, and see what the government is
doing to protect and advance the interests of
the freed people of color lMfH
The farm visited lies on the Norfolk side of
Elizabeth river, and abreast of Fortress Mon
roe, and contains 1900 acres. The Superin-
steadent Of Negro affairs in Norfolk, placed us
z in care OF Capt, Turkey Of Boston, who man
ages these affairs on that side of the river.
The conhscated family carriage Of Gov. Hen
ry A. Wise was used for our conveyance, and
we found it very much like the cause which
that mad-cap has been advocating, viz: very
rickety and needing frequent tinkering to
hold it together. The party occupying the
carriage, and the object of our visit indicated
the great change that had taken place in the
last three years in that part of the "Old Do
minion." The party was composed of SUI
perintendent OF negro affairs, a lady who had
charge of Aousishing school Tor colored chill
sdren, two teachers 10 another colored school,
(young ladies from Calais, MaiDe,) and your
correspondent. IA family carriage Of the f.
F. V. order, occupied by fragrant abolitionists
we. could not go beyond the limits of Nor
folk without a pass from the Provost Marshal,
and this obtained we set out on our trip
The only object of special interest on the
road was the ruins of the bridge at Tanners
Greek, though some people might regard the
negro sentinel who demanded our pass at the
creek as an object Of interest. When Gen.
wool was marchipg;on Norfolk, May 10, 1852,
the rebels set fire to this bridge andit was de-
stroyed its entire length. We cross the creek
on a scow.
Aitera two hours ride the Taylor farm was
reached. The visitor is impressed with the
large number Of log houses placed in little
villages here and there on the farm, and also
with a building centrally located, which is
at the same time a church and schoolhouse
We drove up the main avenue TO headquar.
tiers, which, in the palmy days of slavery, was
the house of the overseer; for Mr.. Taylor
was too much of an aristocrat- to live on bis
own farm. Here we found in the person o.
the superintendent of the. farm, Mr.. f.. O
Irish, son of Gen. Irish, formerly of Gorham
From him we learned that there were between
eight and nine hundred colored people on the
farm, only six or eight OF whom were males
above the age of fourteen years. The people
were mainly families of soldiers in The Union
army; and this colony could speak with pride
of the fact that they were represented by two
hundred muskets in the Federal forces.e3
The log houses ON this farm are built dou-
BILE, giving to each family large square room,
and a lott over it. The houses are so placed
that to each is given three acres ofland for a
garden, making, an acre and a half to each
family. These gardens the women have fenc
ed in with what they call ssslabs,1 which are
thin pine Stats, four inches wide and six OF
eight feet long, split out of logs. They make
neat and substantial fence. All the rest o.
the farm is cultivated in common, corn being
the main crop. e54IAsS =
Though the ration served out to this colony
of labofers is IA diminished one, its bulk pei
month is about one hundred and twenty-five
barrels at this season of tle year. 1t is q
pleasure to record the fact that the govern
ment keeps its promise to the colored soldier
to shelter and iced his family while he is en-
gagged ia putting down the Shareholders re.
belion.s ~ egeo.F ~ 81
But IN my judgment the most importan,
and far.reaching benefit the government is be.
slowing on the African race is in the aid /,
gives to schools. In the Department of Vir.
ginia and North Carolina, schoolhouses, quar-
tiers and rations for the teachers are supplied
,s,,1.
the teachers to be paid by benevolent soce.
ties. In the school on this farm there are two
hundred and fifty scholars. At the time Of
our visit the school had been in existence ten
months. Nearly every scholar began with
the alphabet, yet in ten months one hundred
and forty of these children could read in easy
reading, and there were six girls who could
take up book or a newspaper, and read of
as readily as girls who have been to school all
their lives. Still there are people, mainly Of
the Copperhead persuasion, who doubt the
capacity of these slave children to learn. II
any o your readers has a neighbor Of that
way of thinking let me state another fact. A
few months ago, a party Of gentlemen who
had been to Washington to attend meet
ing of the Christian Commission, came to
Norfolk to see the sights, and after pi
loting them among the vast ruins of the
Navy Yard, l invited them into a colored
school. 1t was made up mainly of boys and
girls of ten to fifteen years of age. The
teacher, a Miss Bartlett from New Hamp-
shire, examined class in geography and one
in mental arithmetic. When we had retired
from the school / inquired of gentleman
from Connecticut what he thought of the re-
citation. He replied that he had been for four
years superintendent OF schools in his State.
and that the recitations he had Just heard
pnlfQla tn m In, 10
schools of Connecticut, from children of the
same age. Two years ago not child in that
school knew the alphabet; and as the!father OF
one of the pupils said to me, prior to that
time 1t would have been as much as colOred
persons life was worth to have been seen with
q book in his hand. The execution of John
Brown put all Virginia into state of fear
full fright. and every regulation against the
negro was strictly enforced.
II visited several log houses on the Tavlor
farm and beard the children read:rit being
saturday and no school, They showed a com.
mpndable pride in their Attachments, and were
happy in seeing me so much pleased. Their
highest ambition IS to be like the Yankees.
and particularly to acquire knowledge, which
they understand Is the representative of pow
or. When a teacher asked colored school
whv the negroes could moi make slaves OF the
Yankees. wide-awake boy answered, "be
cause they kno,u too much for us" giving
knowledge its right value. -,
On our return towards Norfolk, we turned
off to the left at q point seven or eight miles
from the city, and rcde to what is appropri,,
ately called ocean view,' for there we mad
an unobstructed view of the broad and tenn
pestuous Atlantic. On our road home we
passed few of this truck farmers that sup
ply early fruit and vegetables for the northern
markets; acres Of which at the present writ.
ing, are red with strawberries. Thank God
that the acres of Virginia are no longer to be
made red with the blood of the slave or that
OF the Northern soldier fighting for the I'm
ion! . "a u.s., OF MAINE. :