You want me to go back where? For what?

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A former slave responds to his ex-master's request to come back and work for him:
Sir: I got your letter and was glad to find you had not forgotten Jourdon, and that you wanted me to come back and live with you again, promising to do better for me than anybody else can. I have often felt uneasy about you. I thought the Yankees would have hung you long before this for harboring Rebs they found at your house. I suppose they never heard about your going to Col. Martin's to kill the Union soldier that was left by his company in their stable. Although you shot at me twice before I left you, I did not want to hear of your being hurt, and am glad you are still living. It would do me good to go back to the dear old home again and see Miss mary and Miss Martha and Allen, Esther, Green, and Lee. Give my love to them all, and tell them I hope we will meet in the better world, if not in this. I would have gone back to see you all when I was working in the Nashville hospital, but one of the neighbors told me Henry intended to shoot me if he ever got a chance.
[...]


It's good; read it all.

Via Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Comments

Unknown said…
Wow; that's a powerful, personal, and eloquent testimony to a tragic period of American history. Thanks for sharing.

(Hrrm, LJ seems to be having troubles so I can't openID this comment.)
4:28 AM, June 18, 2009
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