Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-05-28
SAVANNAH.

is the leading city of the South, whose
elm and oak. shane trees rival New Ha-
ven, and whose parks and fountains can
not be exeelled by any city in the States
for utility and beauty. Here we were
shown about the city by "native Geor-
gian, who took great pains to show us
where the Union troops burned whole
squares of the city, but who, neverthe-
less, was, like every rebel soldier we have
met, genial, kind and hospitable, leaving
nothing undone that could contribute to
the pleasure of a man he had met in
the field" Here let us say that wher-
ever we have been abused and cursed as
id Yankee, we always found that
the party was locker on" in the re-
bellion, while those who treated us best
were the soldiers who honorably sur
rendered" With this gentleman was
made the trip to
FORT M'ALLIsTER,
But we hardly felt repaid for our long
dusty drive, when we arrived at the fort
near the Ogeeehee river and saw only a
few low mounds and scattered timbers,
and nothing by which to identify the
spot where General Hazen's troops made
the mast gallant charge of the war" in
full sight of General Sherman. The
charge on this fort was the grand finale
of Shernan's march to the sea. Along
the route we saw many detachments of
NEGROES
working in the rice fields, and were in
formed by our companion that they work
ed well, and were treated well and our
observation confirms his statement, as
well in regard to the negroes in North
and South Carolina as in Georgia. But
some Of them live like the heather, and
in several fields we saw men and women
working together, stark naked, and in
many places they wore nothing but an
old shirt. A rather questionable way OF
keeping cool,' we thought, but yet ii
may be pleasant when people get fused
to it" Having occupied so much time
at the Fort it was far in the evening
when we arrived in sight of Savannah
The negroes had finished their labor, and
with the satisfaction of having done an
honest days work which is the necessary
result of free labor, they sat by the road
side singing and chatting in a Cheerful
and happy manner. AT one place W,
saw a company of well-dressed darkey'
gathered around large fire, which they
had built of pine logs, and we were sur
prised to learn that it was a
PRAYER MEETING.
We halted awhile to listen to thei
prayers and exhortations, and we mus
say that many contained more sense
earnestness and spirit than exhortation
in meetings we have attended among tn,
whites. One old grey-headed darkey il
his exhortation, spoke nearly as follows
Brederen, de goodness of de Lord an
spoken about in de Bible, an, when
read him de Lord he spokens to me il
dis wise hab commanded Faro t,
let my people go, an | hab led you ou
of de Egyptian bondage; an now what
Why, my brederen, we are complainin.
We say de Lord haint done nuff fur us
We say we want land, we want larnin'
bnt we don't show NJ earnestness. w
many of us wont work wild all our Nigh
and git desc things, but complain. Nov
brederen, we's got ter wander in de will
derness forty yeahs an be most starved
and suffer, afore our childrel will be pu
rified nuf to go up an possess de land
Amen, +" Amen" Glory" came iron
the whole company, after which siste
spoke, and " Old Hundred" was sung
Just before we drove away, an old gen
tleman got up and said as how h
knowd Yankee face" that there wa
ga friend listenin' tew de meetin'" (rt
| ferring TO us), and hoped we would bea
"clean record of deir doings to d
white brederen of de norf." At the clos
of this speech, the whole company, whic
stared at us and showed considerable e,
citement, began hymn or song to tn
| tune of
"GLORY HALLELUJAH,
which they sung with such vigor tina
the dark pine woods echoed back th
song from every direction, and we bega
to fear that some of them would gro,
wild in their efforts to sing louder, an
the frantic demonstrations they made t
show their approval of the sentimen
1t almost shocked us, such sudde
transaction was it from sacred to tempe
raj things. Three of the most strikin
verses rem in this wise:
De Yankees am comm and the cullud folks is fire
De Yankees am a comm and the cuilud folks il fire
| De Yankees am COMM and the cuIlud folks is fre
] DE Lord am comm down.
! De spirit OBJ de Lord bless de white folks too
/ De spirit OBJ de Lord bless de white folks too