senseless, but I was stiff and could
not move hand or foot. I lay a long time--I do not know how
long--but he did not touch me. Jolly Low was at work upon the
house, and he came down where I was, and Mr. Hodges told him he
might lift me up if he was a mind to. He lifted me up and set me on
the steps. Mr. Hodges then sent about three miles for Dr.
Westbrook, and he came and bled me in both arms; but I was so cold
my left arm would not bleed at all, and my right arm bled but a
very little. The Doctor then told me to go to my friend's house and
let him take care of me. Two colored men--Anthony Dukes and Edward
Corrillus--took me under each arm and carried me to Burrell
Corrillus' house, about one hundred and fifty yards. I could not
bear my weight upon my feet or stand at all. The Doctor rode by and
told Mrs. Corrillus to take good care of me and keep me there a
couple of days. I staid there until Sunday afternoon, when two men
lifted me into a buggy and Mr. Corrillus carried me to my wife near
Americus. My hands, arms, back, and legs are almost useless. I have
not been able to lift a bit of food to my mouth. I have to be fed
like a baby. I have not gone before any of the courts. I have no
money to pay a lawyer, and I know it would do no good. Mr. Hodges
has not paid me for my cotton, and says he will not settle with me,
but will settle with any man I will send him. While I lay before
his door he told me that if I died he would pay my wife $50. I hope
there will be some law sometime for us poor oppressed people. If we
could only get land and have homes we could get along; but they
won't sell us any land."

ANDERSONVILLE, GA., _Feb. 7, 1869_.

Mr. Cook is about fifty years old, has a large frame, has been an
industrious, hard-working man, but is now almost entirely paralized and
helpless. He is the most shattered, complete, and pitiable wreck from
human violence I have ever seen. Mr. Hodges, I am told, owns about six
thousand acres of land, and is one of the most prominent and respected
citizens of Sumter County. He is a Methodist preacher, and Mr. Reese
informs me, as I write, that he has heard him preach a great many times
in the last twenty years to both white and colored people at
camp-meetings and different meeting-houses in this region. He refuses to
sell any of his land to the colored p