Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-04-08
The Uuionist,s Fate.

The Unionist's Fate.
Two or three years before the South
seeded from the Union fine young
fellow from New England settled in
one Of the country districts of Ala
bama, where he opened school.
Barlow. for that was the teachers
name. had no patience with secession,
but he had come South to make money,
and in order to win popularity and pat
r0nage he disguised his sentiments ant
was apparently willing to drift with
the tide.
He was soon on the best of terms
with his Southern neighbors, and the
year before the war broke out he mar
ried rich girl and found himself the
master Of plantation and about
hundred slaves.
The school was given up. of course.
and Barlow was transformed into a
typical cotton planter.
Even then he was loyal to the Union
at heart, but his greed tempted him
to remain and pretend to sympathize
with the secession cause.
The first gun was fired in Charleston
harbor troops rushed 10 the front. and
new republic was attempting to rise
frcm sea Of blood.
The eX-teacher threw off his old hab-
its and adopted those Of the people
around him. He enjoyed hunting and
outdoor sports, liked his toddy, and was
at his best when he was telling stories
to crowd Of jolly fellows.
Naturally he was popular, and in ev-
cry circle he was a prominent figure.
He contributed literally to the Con-
federate cause, but had no desire to
enter the army. Fortunately he was
not subject to CONSUMPTION, as the laws
of the Confederacy exempted every
man who was the owner Of twenty or
more slaves.
People thought it perfectly natural
and proper for him to stay at home to
protect his property. and he was treat
ed in every respect like native South
erner.
One public duty he could not shirk.
The district had to be patrolled at
night, and the younger men at stated
times rode in couples all over the coun-
~ between sunset and sunrise.
Generally the men on patrol liked
their work. They carried their bran
dy TASKS and plenty of cigars. and
mad their fun. They stopped at the
bachelor quarters of some of the plant
ers, ana 1t was rare thing to finish
patrol scout without a game Of cards
for stakes high enough to make it in
teresting.
Barlow knew enough Of what was
going on to convince him that the Con-
federates would be vanquished. and in
a quiet way he made prepa tons for
the final collapse. Through an agent
in Montgomery he made occasional
purchases of gold and greenbacks, and
he stored large quantities Of cotton in
places supposed to be safe.
Much of his time was devoted to
what might be called campaign or
education with his wife. He stuck to
this systema tically. removed her see
tional prejudices. filled her mind with
longing to enjoy the gay life of the
large Northern cities, and led her to
agree with him that the success OF
the Union cause would be better for
them than it's defeat.
They decided to embrace the first op-
portunity when peace came to sell their
land and go to New York to live. Their
slave property. OF course. would be a
total loss.
With this understanding the husband
and wife continued to play their parts
| as good COnfederates, and the planter
was always ready to patrol his district
and aid in the preservation Of peace
and order among the slave population.
He had become 80 accustomed to the
expression Of Confederate sentiments
that he was rather proud OF his elo-
quence in that line, and his talk was
| fully as extreme as that of his South
ern friends
His wife feared that he would find Il
difficult to prove his loyalty to the
| Union when the time came, but he
told her that the Federals would un-
| uerStduu Ills peculiar SITUATION ana
| would think that he was forced to act
a part to save his life and property.
In fact, it would have been danger
GUS if he had pursued the opposite
course. The few Northern Unlonists
in the South who did not hold thei,
| tongues had a hard road to travel.
| The climax came before anybody
was ready for it. Lees army surren.
dered at Appomattox, and furry OF
confusion and uncertainty followed
throughout the South.
Johnston surrendered In North Caro-
lima, and jefferson Davis was known
to be making his way through Georgia
to the Southwest. The COnfederates
in Texas were still undecided abou
surrendering, and in some localities ii
Alabama and other States there was q
desire to continue the conflict.
In Barlow's neighborhood the people
We're slow in coming to a full under
standing Of the changed condition o
affairs. The Home Guards drilled CIV
k1pry Gay as usual; the patrol syste:.