Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-10-15
STORY OF A FAITHFUL SLAVE.
How Ben Montgomery Saved the
JEFF Davis Plantations.

How Ben Montgomery Saved the
JEFF Davis Plantations.
When, in 1885, Jefferson Davis, later
president Of the Confederacy, left the
regular army, his elder brother, JOS
eph, gave him Brierfield, a splendid
plantation of two thousand acres on
the Mississippi river, a few miles below
Vicksburg, and a number of slaves.
These latter included a growing Negro
boy called Ben Montgomery, whom Mr..
Davis made his body servant. The lad
was unusually intelligent, and Mr.. Da-
Wis saw that in him were capabilities
not common to the African race. He
taught him to read, and then to write
and soon he became an admirable as
sistant. He was not only Jefferson
Davis's body servant, but also his pri-
vate secretary, bookkeeper, and general
factotum. His penmanship was beau
tiful, and his plantation bookkeeping,
in it's simplicity and accuracy, was the
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 Wash
ington, Montgomery had authority to
open letters not marked as private, and
to answer them; he had power, in writ
ing answers, to transact any business
necessary for the plantation. BY this
time Montgomery had come to have alb
solute charge of the Brierfield estate.
He did not interfere with the manage
ment of the Negroes, 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 Washing
ton, in 1861, after resigning his seat in
the senate, he went to Brierfield. His
estate was his sole maintenance. 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 Montgom-
ery?" and the suggestion was adopted.
The usual white overseers were left In
charge of the farming operations, but
to the slave, Ben Montgomery, was in
the financial part Of the bus
mess, under the direction of his master.
The cotton crops of 1861 and 1862 were
good, and, although there was some
trouble about marketing the crop or
the latter year, it was finally sent 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 food supplies more than it did
cotton, and so the land was devoted
largely to food crops. Then, early in
1868, came the Emancipation Procla-
nation Of President Lincoln, and with
it to the south, the equally dangerous
Act of confiscation. This latter was
put into execution, wherever possible,
with great energy. Treasury agents,
armed with all the forms of law, or
without them sometimes, selzed all
property belonging to the list OF sus-
poets as soon as it came under the pro-
lection of the Union armies.
hn arcf
Ben Montgomery asked permission to
visit Richmond.
"Dear Marse jeff" he wrote, II want
to 20 to Richmond to see you, and
want to go right away. There is some
thing that I want to tell you that
dare not write. so do please let me go
to Richmond at once"
Mr.. Davis could not imagine what
the Negro had on his mind, but wrote
him to come, and sent him the neces-
sary permit for a slave to travel.
"Marse jeff" said Ben, when he ar
rived at Richmond and had an oppor-
tunity to talk with his master, you
know Mr.. Lincoln has issued what he
calls an emancipation proclamation,
and with it another proclamation con-
fiscating the property Of certain arch
rebels, as he calls them. Now, they
are going to confiscate your property
lust as soon as they get chance.
Suppose you and Master Joe sell me
your estates, and do it before the Yam
KEGS capture our country
"Why, Ben," Mr.. Davis said, you
are a slave and can't hold property IN
Mississippi"
THAT is true" said Ben, "but you can
papers. Give me one set and keep one
yourself. Then make out a third paper,
which shall say that under certain con-
ditions the free papers are to be cam
celed."
The conditions were that the Federals
should capture the city of Vicksburg,
and the Davis estate which lay Is miles
below.
"Why, Ben, that's an excellent idea.
Let me think it over for a day or two,
Mr.. Davis said.
He talked it over with his brother
Joseph. 1t was important to them that
they should have the income of this
estate If the Federal soldiers should
capture Vicksburg, about the first
property they would confiscate and
But, if this property belonged to a
Negro, freed before the capture of
Vicksburg, then, under the Emancipa-
ton Proclamation. it would be his. and
could not be seized by the Federal
agents. The plan promised well, and
the Davis brothers, after consultation,
decided to adopt it. Jefferson Davis
loaned to Ben, for the purpose of MAX
ing the sale, $4,000. The consideration
for the estate was 100000, on 10 years
time, with interest at six per cent.
Knowing there would be some trouble
about the matter, the legal papers were
drawn with exceptional care. John A.
Cambpell. who resigned his place on
the United States supreme bench when
the war began, was the attorney; at
the same time he drew Ben's free pa
pers. with a clause in each that, under
certain conditions. the free papers
should become null and void.
Returning to Brierfield. Montgomery
had all the papers promptly recorded in
the proper offices in Warren county.
that he be given any assistance he