The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-10-29

CT, OOSepn, gave MIN DrlcrnelQ, q
splendid plantation of two thousand
acres on the Mississippi River, few
miles below Vicksburg, and number
of slaves. These latter included q
growing negro boy called Ben Mont.
gomery, whom Mr.. Davis made his
body servant. The lad was unusually
iatelligent, and Mr.. Davis saw that in
him we're capabilities not common to
the African race. lie taught him TO
reed, and then to write and soon he
became an admirable assistant. He
wes not only Jefferson Davis body
servant, but also his private secre-
cary, bookkeeper and general facto-
tuM. His penmanship was beautiful,
and his plantation bookkeeping, in its
simplicity and accuracy, was the envy
and admiration of the country side.
He knew more Of the business of the
Davis brothers, except themselves,
than anyone else.
After Jefferson Davis entered poll
tics, Ben Montgomery became still
more useful. When the master was
on his long campaign tours or in
Washington, Montgomery had authori-
ty to open letters not marked as pri-
vste, and to answer them; he had
power in writing answers t. transact
any business necessary for the plau:a-
tion. BY this time Montgomery had
come to have absolute charge of the
Brierfield estate. He did not inter-
,e with the management Of the ne
groes, or with anything else under the
overseer's purview; but the general
business OF The place he transacted
without consulting anybody except
his master.
When Jefferson Davis left Wash
lngton, in 1861. after resiguing his
eeat in the Senate, he went TO Brier-
field. His estate was his sole main
tainance. 1t was certain that, during
the impending struggle, he must be
absent much Of the time, and whom
should he leave in charge of the
estate? Finally Joseph Davis asked,
<'Why not Ben Montgomery" and
the suggestion was adopted. The
usual white overscers were left in
charge Of the farming operations: but
to the slave, Ben Montgomery, was
instructed the financial part Of the
business, under the direction of his
master. The cotton crops of 1861
and 1862 were good, and, although
there was some trouble about mar
keting the crop Of the latter year, it
was 6naaly seat TO New Orleans and
later warehoused in Liverpool, to be
sold when the money it might bring
would be needed. There were not
more than four hundred and fifty
bales, for the South then needed corn
and fosd supplies more that it did cot
ton, aud &c the land was devoted large
ly to food crops Then early in
1858 came the Emancipation Procla.
tion Of President Lincoln, and with it
to the South, the equally dangerous
Act Of eoa6sc alton. This latter was
pat inte execution, wherever possible,
with great energy. Treasury agents,
armed with all the forms of law, or
without them sometimes, seized all
property belonging to the list of sus-
poets as soon as it came under the
protection of the Union armies.
Then, for the first time in his life,
Ben Montgomery asked permission to
visit Richmond.
s'Dear Marse JEFF, he wrote, II
want to go to Richmond to see you,
and want to go right away. There
is something that want to tell you
that dare not write, 80 do please let
me go to Richmond ut once"
Mr.. Davis could not imagine what
the asgr'o had on his mind, but wrote
him to come, and sent him the neces-
.sary permit for slave to travel.
'Mar:e JEFF, said Ben, when he
arrived at Richmond aud hai al op-
portuni,y TO talk with his master
1Iyou know Mr. Lincoln has issued
what he calls an emancipation procla-
nation, sad with it another proclama-
tion con6scating the property of GER
tain archrebels, as he calls them.
Now, they are ne to con6scate your
property just s.. soon as they get
chance. Suppose you and Master Joe
sell me your estates, and do it before
the Yankees capture our country"
"Why, Ben," Mr.. Davis said, "you
are slave and cant hold property in
Mississippi"