, 1888-11-22
"OLD SHADY"
General Sherman Relates a War
Experience.
The Song the Old Darkey Used
to Sing.
The Generals Opinion OF Slavery Tho
Negro Race and Its Capability
"A Moral.
rGeneral w. IT. Sherman in the North
American Review for October

General w. #. Sherman in the North
American Review for October.1
noticed recently that General Ben Har-
rison. candidate for president OF the
United States, found himself called on to
deny charge of having said that Il dollar
day was all that an American laborer
should expect. remember when | my
self, worked tor half dollar "A day-Sun'
days, holidays, and rainy days excepted
and we all remember when congress
enacted $l3 month with a ration per
day, full compensation for an able bodied
soldier who had to work twentyfour hours
day, Sundays and holidays inclnded
with the chance of getting killed or
wounded thrown in gratis.
We should be above such demagoguery
now, and | am sure the people of the
United States are not to be deceived by
such nonsense. Still this circumstance
calls 10 my memory little episode which
may explain the matter even to the salts
faction of che most prejudiced.
July 4, 1868, the Union army captured
the city of Vicksburg. In the siege were
three corps d'armee: The Thirteenth.
McClernand; the Fifteenth. Sherman; the
Sixteenth, Mcpherson. After the sur.
render, the Thirteenth corps was sent by
General Grant down the Mississippi to as
sist at Port Hudson and the lower river
towns the Fifteenth, Sherman, was dis
patched inland to Jackson and Raymond,
TO drive the rebels we'll out of Mississippi.
and the Sixteenth. Mcpherson, remained
in Vicksburg as a permanent garrison.
A great many negroes, slaves. had es-
capped within the snion lines. Some were
employed as servants by the officers, who
paid them regular wages; some were en-
ployed by the quartermaster, and the
larger number went North, free, in the
government chartered steamboats,.
Among the first class named was a
hearty ''darky" known as "Old Shady"
who was employed by General Mcpherson
as steward and cook at his headquarters in
Mrs. Edwards house in Vicksburg. Hun
areds are still living, among whom | may
safely mention General w. X. Strong of
Chicago. General Hickenlooper Of Cincin-
matt, Mrs. General Grant Fred Grant,
Mrs. Sherman, and myself well re-
member "Old Shady" After sup
rus of 'darkies' and sing for our
pleasure the songs Of the period, among
them one personal to himself and. as |
then understood, composed by himself
1t was then entitled, the DAY of Jubilee"
but is now recorded as simply "Old Sha-
dy," and | do believe that since the
prophet jeremiah bade the Jews ito sing
with eladness for Jacob. and shout among
the chief of the nations because of their
deliverance from the house of bondage,
that no truer or purer thought ever as
cended from the lips OF man than did at
Vicksburg in the Summer Of 1868, when
"Old Shady sang for us in voice of pure
melody his own song of deliyerance from
the bonds of slavery. Here it is, not in
full for other verses have been added, but
] give it entire as it then was.
OLD SHADY.
Yah Yah! Yah Come iaugh wild me,
De white folks say Old Shady am free,
spec dc year of belize
Am a coming, am a coming.
Hail mighty day
Chorus.
Den away, den away. l can't stay here no
Den away, den away for am going home.
Repeat.
Den away, den away, can't stay here 40
longer
Den away, den away, for | am going home.
Old Massa got scared, and so did his lady :;
Dis chile break for old Uncle Ably.
Open de door, for here's Old Shady
A coming, coming.
Hail mighty day!
Chorus.
Den away, den away, / can't stay here no
longer, etc
Stephens,
'Scuse dis niger for talin his leavins.
spec by and by you III see Uncle Abra-
ham
A coming, coming.
Hailsmighty day!
Chorus.
Den away, den away, can't stay here no
longer, etc.
Goodbye hard work without any pay,
Use going up North where the white
folks say
Dat white wheat bread and dollar day
Am q coming, am coming.
Hail mighty day
Chorus.
Den away, den away, can't stay here no
longer, etc.
oh! Use got a wife and a nice little baby,
Way up North in the lower Canaday,
Won't they shout when they SEE Old
Shady
A coming, q coming.
Hail mighty day!
Chorus.
Den away, den away, can't stay here no
longer, etc.
Now it 10 plain TO me that "Old Shady
is responsible for the saying that white