the matter of the punishment of slaves. She says,
however, that while there were stories of some very cruel masters, in
her opinion the slave owners of those days were not as cruel as some
people today. She said occasionally slave owners appointed some of the
slaves as overseers, and very often these slave-overseers were very
cruel.

When the war began, the Nesbits and other plantation owners grouped
together, packed their wagons full of supplies, took all of their
slaves, and started on a journey as refugees. They had not gone very far
when a band of Yankee soldiers overtook them, destroyed the wagons, took
seventy of the men prisoners and marched off taking all of the horses,
saying they were on their way to Richmond and when they returned there
would be no more masters and slaves, as the slaves would be freed. Some
of the slaves followed the Yankees, but most of them remained with their
masters' families.

They were not told of their freedom immediately on the termination of
the war, but learned it a little later. As compensation, Mr. Nesbit
promised them money for education. She declares, however, that this
promise was never fulfilled.

Sarah Gray's recollections of slavery, for the most part, seem to be
pleasant. She sums it up in the statement, "In spite of the hardships we
had to go through at times, we had a lot to be thankful for. There were
frolics, and we were given plenty of good food to eat, especially after
a wedding."

The aged ex-slave now lives with a few distant relatives. She is well
cared for by a family for whom she worked as a nurse for 35 years, and
she declares that she is happy in her old age, feeling that her life has
been usefully spent.

PLANTATION LIFE as viewed by Ex-Slave

ALICE GREEN
Athens
Georgia

Written by: Corry Fowler,
Athens --

Edited by: Sarah H. Hall
Athens
and
John N. Booth
District Supervisor
Federal Writers' Project
Residencies 6 & 7

Alice Green's supposed address led the interviewer to a cabin with a
padlocked front door. A small Negro girl who was playing in the
adjoining yard admitted, after some coaxing, that she knew where Alice
could be found. Pointing down the street, she said: "See dat house wid
de sheet hangin' out in front. Dat's whar Aunt Alice lives now." A few
moments later a rap on the door of the house designated was answered by
a small, slender Negress.

"Yes Mam, I'm Alice Green," was her solemn response