.

We lived near Trenton. When de Yankees took New Bern, our marster had us
out in de woods in Jones County mindin' hosses an' takin' care o' things
he had hid there. We got afraid and ran away to New Bern in Craven
County. We all went in a gang and walked. De Yankees took us at Deep
Gully ten miles dis side o' New Bern an' carried us inside de lines. Dey
asked us questions and put us all in jail. Dey put my father ter cookin'
at de jail and give us boys work 'roun' de yard. Dey put de others at
work at de horse stables and houses.

De smallpox and yaller fever caught us dere and killed us by de
hundreds. Thirteen doctors died dere in one day. Jist 'fore Gen. Lee
surrendered dey carried us to Petersburg, Va., and I waited on Major
Emory and de others worked fer de Yankees. When de surrender came we
went back home to Craven County, next to Jones County, and went to
farmin'. Sumpin' to eat could not hardly be found. De second year atter
de war we went back to old marster's plantation. He wuz glad ter see us,
we all et dinner wid him. We looked over de place. I looked over de
little log cabin where I wuz born. Some of de boys who had been slaves,
farmed wid old marster, but I worked at my trade. I wuz a brick moulder.
Yes, a brick maker.

My mother was named Jennie Andrews and my father was Quash Harris. My
father belonged to de Harris family on de nex' plantation in Jones
County. Atter de surrender we all went in his name. We changed from
Andrews to Harris. I do not recollect my grandmother and grandfather. I
can't recollect them.

Marster told us directly after dey declared war dat he expected we would
all soon be free. De majority of de slaves did not want to be free. Dey
were stirred up. Dey didn't want it to be. Dey didn't want no fightin'.
Dey didn't know.

I married Mary Boylan first, of Johnston County, at Wilsons Mills, Jan.
4, 1878. Here is de family record. Ole marster made me copies after de
war, and I copied dis. 'George Harris was married the year 1878, January
the 4th. George Harris was born the year 1855 November the 25th.'

I had five brothers, but they are all dead, fur as I know: John Nathan,
Louis, David, Jefferson, Donald and my name George. My sisters, Mary
Ann, Sara, Lucy, Penny, Emaline, Lizzie, Nancy, Leah and one I can't
remember. Dats all.

I thought Abraham Lincoln wuz a great man. I remember him well. I think
he done de best he knowed how to settle de country. Mr. Roosevelt is a
smart