Historical Romance of the American Negro Part 11

I don't know how it is! I suppose it is because I am a sensitive woman; but our arrival in the Mississippi river seemed to put a new soul into me that I am altogether unable to define. Like the far-travelled Queen of Sheba, there seemed no more spirit left within me. My first and grandest sensation arose, no doubt, from the fact that the reunion between my well-beloved Tom and me was almost an accomplished fact, because we were now both on the same river, and the rapid "Natchez,"

a.s.sisted by the mighty forces of the great rushing river, would soon bring us face to face, after several years of separation, which looked to me like half a lifetime already. Then there was the mighty "Father of Waters" himself, always majestic, solemn and grand, bearing your boat along upon his mighty bosom, like a perfect fly! And then we seemed to live our lives over again in our dear children, and the two thoughtful, contemplative girls were filled with a wonder that seemed to strike them dumb. It was a truly wondrous sight, especially for those pa.s.sengers who had never been on the mighty "Father of Waters" before, nor even seen his rushing waters. Oh, the Mississippi, the Mississippi! How I thought and thought, and thought again how my dear Tom had battled on for many a day against the powerful rebel forts on this very river, to clear Uncle Sam's way from the headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico! It brought the tears to my eyes when I thought how my own tender husband had fought and bled on this very stream that the Union, one and all re-united, might be restored to the nation at large; how Tom had fought and bled, and almost died that the shackles might be knocked off the suffering slave, and freedom reign all over the land, from the Lakes to the Gulf.

Thus I stood for many a long hour in my usual feeling, womanish, sentimental way, watching the gathering and thundering waters, over which the swift and beautiful "Natchez," the floating palace of the Mississippi, hurried and bowled along like a thing of life. And as we swept on past Vicksburg and other places that had long ago surrendered to the Union armies, I thought of Lincoln's famous words (President Lincoln's): "The Mississippi, the 'Father of Waters' flows once more annexed to the sea!"

And in this way the joyous days and nights pa.s.sed away on the rapid "Natchez," whilst the pa.s.sengers spent the time in any way they pleased, reading, talking and sleeping by day, and dancing, courting and lolling away the evening hours, or looking lazily at the rushing waters of the great river. Attracted by the hilarity in the saloon, my girls spent some time flirting and waltzing around with the other children on the boat, nice, harmless playmates, whom I mentioned before. Indeed, the girls were quite fortunate in having such nice girl companions, for of all the curses on the face of the earth, I think bad company is about the worst of all!

Somehow or other this voyage down the Mississippi and Ohio seemed food for my health. The complete want of domestic cares, the fresh air on the open deck, the happiness of the two children, and all my delightful surroundings, made me fat and rosy, and the girls, also. Indeed, we were complimented on our appearance before we left the boat. The rapid "Natchez" flew along in, and in due course the "Crescent City," as New Orleans is called, arose upon our view, and thrilled us with the utmost delight.

We drew up to the land-place in due time, and now followed one of those wild, exciting scenes that usually take place when we come to the end of a grand journey and antic.i.p.ate grand things in the immediate future. No sooner had the gang-planks been thrown out, but the usual rush for the sh.o.r.e, and the usual rush on board, took place at once. Cabs, carriages and porters, all were on hand. As I had taken the precaution to communicate with those dear friends at whose house I lodged when I rescued my own dear mother, Mrs. John B. Sutherland, from slavery, there were two of the self-same sweet ladies awaiting us on the wharf, and signalling to us before we even came up to it, whilst myself and the girls waved our handkerchiefs to them in reply. But when the gang-planks were flung down between us and the sh.o.r.e, the dear souls rushed on board, and a scene of wild embracing, kissing, tears and laughter followed, that it would be quite vain for me to describe. In that brief and joyous meeting on the deck of the "Natchez," we all experienced a lifetime of bliss. With a terrible vim, indeed, did we all realize the truth of the 13th chapter of First Corinthians, wherein the great apostle of the Gentiles dilates so eloquently on love (not charity).

Well, the girls and I got all our traps together, called for a cab, when we all got in, and drove for my cosy old quarters. Although I had only spent a week with that dear family on my last visit, the attachment that had grown up between us was truly wonderful. I had heard from them several times, and they never, never forgot my dear mother and me. When we all reached the never-to-be-forgotten house with the cab, we received another ovation at the door from those who had remained at home. The grand welcome put the girls and me into the very best humor. After we had heard and told each other's news, the girls and myself walked forth to meet dear husband and father at the hospital. Our impatience was so great, mine at least was, that we did not seem able to live out this day unless we met with Capt. Thomas Lincoln, of the Union Army, in the South. We soon reached the hospital, where we were received with all that politeness, tenderness and humanity that are so characteristic of doctors and nurses. I told them at once who we were, and they were very greatly astonished and delighted, indeed, to think that we had thus purposely travelled all the way from one extreme end of the United States to the other on a pilgrimage of love and devotion for husband and father. As I told them that Tom knew nothing about our coming, I asked them to take us into a parlor, and simply to announce to my husband that some friends had called to see him. Our attendants smiled with pleasure at the proposal, and led us into one of the parlors of this beautiful hospital, and we had not long to wait till we heard a heavy man coming-clank, clank, clanking along on one crutch. (He sent me word that at first he used two, but now he only required one of them). When Tom came to the door, we three advanced to meet him, and now followed a wild scene of tears, laughter, embracing and joy, which my dear readers will understand far better than I am able to describe. The wild, heaving, rushing waters of the Mississippi were as nothing to this. Oh, sweet is the pleasure after pain! We seemed to live a whole lifetime of joy of the most Elysian bliss whilst seated in that never-to-be-forgotten parlor. Thus hour after hour pa.s.sed away, till it was dinner time, but on this occasion, Tom's dinner and ours were served up in this parlor.

By this time the news had been well spread throughout the hospital, and even into the city of New Orleans, that the children and I had come to see Tom. And no sooner had we got through with our dinner when the tide of visitors began-doctors, nurses, with their lady and gentlemen friends from all quarters, besides almost all the officials on the premises, at least those who could get away from their duties, to come and shake hands and speak a kind word to us three pilgrim travelers to their own hospital. No doubt but a good deal of this interest arose from the high favor in which Captain Thomas Lincoln had been held from the first, and that in turn was greatly due to his well-known bravery on the field of battle and of fame. Then Tom is of a tall, commanding, splendid personage, and a perfect magnet among all comers.

We had intended to spend the afternoon in our own way, but circ.u.mstances alter cases, and the afternoon wore away with nothing at all but one round of introductions after another round, till at last the first crowds began to die off as tea time drew near; and as the authorities at the hospital were very kind, indeed, and as we were still in that self-same parlor where we had spent the day, as an additional favor to us four our tea was served up in the same place where we had had our dinner. And so we all sat down, our hearts overflowing with joy-joy that found vent even in tears, and filled our eyes, out of grat.i.tude to that good G.o.d who had thus allowed us all to meet again, "for His mercy endureth forever." One of the girls having said grace before meal, we all fell to, and had a most glorious repast of the very best that the hospital and the city of New Orleans could produce.

As good news flies fast in a strange place, especially where a good cause is under way, we had no sooner got through with our most capital tea than the newspaper reporters began to arrive. And those reporters were the politest gentlemen I ever saw in my life, for they treated us with as much kindly interest as if we had all been acquainted for the last twenty years. Tom and I asked them to be seated whilst we had a brief consultation between ourselves aside. This consultation was about my own coming to New Orleans at a former time, and releasing my own dear mother from slavery. But as the bottom had already been knocked out of the peculiar inst.i.tution, as it was playfully called, and what remained of it would soon pa.s.s away, we did not consider that there was any risk to run, and decide to tell the whole truth, and give all the facts of the case to the reporters, leaving it to their own discretion to say and do anything that they pleased, themselves. So the reporting gentlemen took their seats, got out their note-books, and went to work, writing down our depositions, one and all, first and last, asking us questions which we answered with the greatest pleasure. There was a good deal of amus.e.m.e.nt in the parlor that evening over the reporting business, I suspect arising out of the slavery question, and the whole of us being a lot of "runaways"!

In the meantime, when all had left, the girls and myself were completely worn out both in mind and body, with travel, fatigue and excitement. Tom saw us to the gate where we all took leave for the night, after which we steered for our cosy lodgings, and all got to bed as rapidly as possible, for we were as tired and worn out as soldiers after a hard-fought field!

The children and I had a grand, long sleep, and came down late to breakfast. There had been showers of warm rain in the early morning, and the breezes that blew over New Orleans were as well perfumed with the odor of Southern flowers and vegetation as ever lady's boudoir was with the perfumes and colognes. Fresh-cut flowers in vases stood on the dining-room table, and there were plenty of the fresh fruits of the Sunny South, which the family had brought in from the market in the early morning. The girls seemed quite at sea amid so many tropical pleasures, and my first-born exclaimed, as she looked around and viewed the plants, and flowers, and shrubbery in every direction, both in the house and out of it,

"My goodness, mamma; the people have good times down here in Dixie. Papa has a grand time in that fine hospital, reading the latest news from the front, and scenting the perfumery wafted from 10,000 flowers and shrubs!

I just envy him so much happiness."

"Yes," said the younger child, "and he is here all the time."

To which her elder sister rejoined,

"Oh, my dear sister, I wish that mamma and papa would stay here altogether, and not go back to Buffalo!"

"What?" said I, in great surprise, "don't you know that there are 10,000 serpents among the gra.s.ses and shrubs out in the woods? Don't you want to go back to our sweet little church on Vine street, in Buffalo? And don't you want to visit the Gibsons, at Richmond Hill, once more?"

"Oh, yes, mamma," she replied, "I want to go back to cla.s.s to the church on Vine street, Buffalo, and I want to dig up potatoes, and pull down apples and peaches at Richmond Hill, where those good Gibsons live, in Western Canada."

"But," resumed my oldest daughter, "you say, mamma, that there are 10,000 serpents in this part of the Sunny South; is that so?"

"Yes," I replied, whilst I cut another orange in two, "there are more than 10,000, I suppose; but take all the hundreds of species in the world, there is not one species in a hundred that is poisonous at all; and they will seldom or never sting anybody, if one does not go in their way, or trample on them in the woods. They generally get out of the way.

But tell me, my dear, what makes you so fond of the South?"

"Indeed, mamma, I can hardly tell, unless it be that there is such a sweet and delicious feeling about all our surroundings here. Why, the very winds themselves seem to be fond of blowing about in this place."

"Yes," put in the younger; "the very winds are fond of blowing about in this place."

These latter remarks were heard by some of the family and guests, and we all raised a loud laugh, whilst the youngest added:

"Sister, please pa.s.s me another of those small, sweet oranges! I don't see for the very life of me why we could not live in the State of Louisiana. And then, mamma says the snakes are not very dangerous, and we could be careful, and look out for them."

"Oh, yes," rejoined her sister; "we could be careful, and look out for them. And would not the good Lord Himself protect us against them?"

"No doubt he would," remarked the other, "if Christianity can protect us against serpents about New Orleans."

By this time we were in a great state of merriment over the two girls, and rose from the breakfast table as if we had been leaving a successful entertainment, and walked out to see the garden.

After we had made the rounds of the garden, and regaled our senses with all that was most delicious in the Sunny South, we came back to the house, when a member of this good family placed before us on the sitting-room table, one of the New Orleans morning papers, which contained the following article. I think the good reporter who wrote this most grandiloquent article on myself, family and connections must either have been drinking too much wine, or else he is on the point of getting married! I can account for such high praise in no other way. But let us hear what he has got to say:

"ARRIVAL OF MRS. THOMAS LINCOLN AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS.

"It is an old and true saying 'that wonders never cease,' and again we are reminded of the words used by Paul against his enemies,-'Those who have turned the world up-side down have come hither also!' We Southern people, after this, need wonder no longer at the terrible war that the mighty North has brought about our ears! There arrived in the port of New Orleans yesterday, the wife and two daughters of Capt. Thos.

Lincoln, an inmate of one of our hospitals, a captain of colored troops, promoted on the battle-field for bravery. Mrs. Lincoln is a perfect paragon among ladies, and seem to possess every accomplishment under the sun,-both mind and body. She is only twenty-seven years of age, and brought her children, two well-grown girls-along with her, having traveled by rail from Buffalo, New York, and from thence came on the 'Natchez,' down the Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans. Their arrival was a great surprise to Captain Lincoln, and all the high authorities at the hospital; and a tremendous, warm welcome was what they all received from all whom they met. We ourselves heard of their arrival, hurried up to the hospital, met Captain Lincoln's wife and daughters in one of the parlors there, and were very much impressed indeed by this entire happy family, who appeared to us 'as fine as silk.' We found all four brimful of talk and intelligence; Mrs. Lincoln and the girls being expert hands on the piano, whilst the girls have evidently had splendid opportunities of getting a first-cla.s.s training in every way. Indeed the intelligence of the great North has not yet been told by one half!

"We remember reading in the public papers, some nine or ten years ago, that this self-same Capt. Thos. Lincoln and Miss Beulah Jackson, now Mrs. Lincoln, made their escape from Riverside Hall, Kentucky, and were married on the evening of the same day at Cincinnati, Ohio. Tom Lincoln, as he used to be called, was general manager at the old baronial residence, and Beulah went by the facetious name of 'The Flower Girl of Riverside Hall,' and Beulah is 'Flower Girl' still.

"Mrs. Lincoln and the girls are very comfortably lodged at the house of some old friends where, according to present appearances, they will spend the winter,-a solace and a comfort to the brave husband and father, who is slowly recovering from the wounds he received on the banks of the Mississippi whilst heroically contending with the enemy up the river. The happiness of this now re-united family, and under such romantic circ.u.mstances, taught us that the age of chivalry has not yet gone by.

"We are all aware that this war sent by G.o.d himself for the downfall of slavery, was begun in Kansas, transferred to South Carolina, and then spread over almost all the Southern States. It was the abolitionism of the North aided by the anger and high-strung temper of the South that blew up the flames of war, and brought on the present state of things that we now see! And there were not only men in the great abolition campaign, but a few intrepid women also, who traveled the Northern States, attended great meetings, where they played, and sang, and even made most eloquent addresses to fire the great northern heart, and thus these talented and warring women, these Deborahs of the great North, were a mighty factor in blowing up the raging fires of abolitionism, and driving the nation into war.

"Mrs. Thomas Lincoln herself was one of those moving spirits, and her great natural intelligence, splendid training, and good looks helped to put wind in her sails, and to stir up the war spirit of the dominant North in every kind of way possible.

"As slavery is almost dead and gone,-and what remains cannot exist much longer, we must accept the entire situation with as good a grace as we can! It can do no harm now to let the cat out of the bag and tell the whole truth! We have shown that not only is Capt. Thos. Lincoln a brave man, but his affectionate and beautiful wife is brave also; and she proved it about ten years ago, when she was only some seventeen years of age, and came to this very city of New Orleans, and 'stole away' her own handsome and accomplished mother out of one of the grandest houses here, marched on board the New York steamer with her, and conveyed her to Buffalo, New York, by way of Havana and New York City. Surely that was a great feat for a mere seventeen-year-old married woman, or 'big' school girl if you prefer it,-to perform,-that is travelling all the way by rail to Cincinnati, then down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and then braving the dangers of the Gulf of Mexico and the stormy North Atlantic and all this to have her own beloved mother under the self-same roof with herself-and she succeeded in the bargain! We are informed that her mother,-formerly called Harriet Jackson, was married some eight or nine years ago to Mr. John B. Sutherland, of Buffalo, N. Y. Under all these altered circ.u.mstances we think that the right thing to do now, is to accept of the changed situation with all the grace that we can,-turn over a new leaf, and do all for our former slaves, but now our freed brothers and sisters that lies in our power. It is clearly the will of G.o.d that men should be free. It will never do to talk about 'goods and chattels' any longer. If Tom Lincoln and Beulah Jackson had not left Riverside Hall in Kentucky, it is quite clear that had it not been for G.o.d and Northern Liberty, we would never have seen such a splendid development of things, as we now behold at the hospital which we have just visited, that is,-a brave and well-trained soldier from the battle-field and a mother and two daughters that possess all the gifts and the graces that can ever be claimed by the mistress of the 'White House,' at Washington, and the queens and ladies of rank of Europe.

"With all our hearts we welcome our visitors to the Crescent City of New Orleans, and desire to make a good impression on their hearts and minds, trusting that their stay among us will be very pleasant indeed; and may they ever be much in love with the Sunny South."

CHAPTER XI.

_Grand Demonstration at the Military Hospital-Music and Speeches-The Armies Reviewed by President Lincoln-The War in Virginia-Fight at New Market Heights-Fall of Petersburg and Richmond-Flight of the Rebels-Their Surrender at Appomattox Court House-Rejoicing Over the Good News-The Lincoln Family Leave New Orleans, and Arrive Home at Buffalo._

[Ill.u.s.tration: _HOUSE WHERE LINCOLN DIED._]

As the hospital where my husband was staying was at this time one of the greatest attractions of New Orleans, the authorities determined to make the most of our arrival there, and in short get up a demonstration in force in honor of the colored soldier and the glorious deeds he had done on the far-extended battle-field, all the way from the Potomac to the Rio Grande; and it was decided that some high military general should be asked to take the chair at this great meeting in the largest hall at the hospital. As the newspaper reporters were once more on hand in force, it will be unnecessary for me to say any more about this grand demonstration, only I may say that men have a peculiar love for flattering the fair s.e.x, and I think that newspaper reporters, at least those in the Sunny South, lead all the rest of the flatterers. I will here insert a copy from the article of the same paper that contained the glowing account of our arrival at New Orleans:

"GRAND DEMONSTRATION AT THE MILITARY HOSPITAL-MRS. BEULAH LINCOLN ON THE COLORED SOLDIER.

"It will be a long time before the citizens of New Orleans and Louisiana will forget the mighty gathering that took place last night at the Military Hospital, where the commanding general took the chair, and n.o.bly presided for two hours over a mixed mult.i.tude of all races and professions, to be entertained by Capt. Thos. Lincoln, Mrs. Beulah Lincoln and their two daughters, all of whom are by this time well-known to the people of Louisiana. The colored soldiers, officers, and general population were out in force, and between them and the white portion of the audience, standing room at last was a premium, and hundreds were turned away for want of room in the hall.

"All things being now in readiness, the chairman called the meeting to order by saying,-'Ladies and Gentlemen! We are a.s.sembled here to-night for an evening's entertainment from the Lincoln Family of Buffalo, and we may also consider this a public reception of the same family. And inasmuch as Mrs. Lincoln is a splendid hand on the piano, and a 'number one' singer in the bargain, and as I had the pleasure of hearing her myself, only the other day, going through the 'Mocking Bird' at a rate and in a way such as I have never heard-no, never, elsewhere-I will ask this accomplished lady to give us 'The Mocking Bird,' and sing to her own accompaniment at the same time.'

"When Mrs. Lincoln arose and advanced to the grand piano on the stage in front of the audience, a most tremendous outburst of applause arose from the audience, and almost brought down the roof. But our plucky and accomplished musician struck in without stint, and such a 'Mocking Bird'

came forth from her lungs and off the chords of the piano as has not been heard for many a long day on the lower Mississippi. The attention was such as could be felt, and when she got through with the performance, the applause was simply indescribable. An encore was immediately called for with such vigor that the fair player was forced to comply, and with grand spirit and vim she gave us 'We Are Coming Father Abraham, Six Hundred Thousand More.' This really is a grand story, to which Mrs. Lincoln's clever hands and powerful, sweet voice did ample justice. Another encore was called for, but the gallant chairman interfered by rising and saying, 'We now call upon Captain Thos. Lincoln for a few remarks. Let us all give our most earnest attention to Captain Tom.'

"When the applause that had greeted his appearance had somewhat died down, Captain Lincoln went on to say, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, such a night as this makes up for all I have suffered in the cause of the Union and Freedom. When I first entered the army to a.s.sist in putting down the rebellion, I came down to the State of Louisiana and did my level best against the enemy along the lower Mississippi. While we in Louisiana and the colored troops in South Carolina under General Hunter, proved from our first blows that we could and would fight, the President and his Cabinet were deterred by many prejudiced men in the north and in the very army itself from enlisting colored men. A portion of the northern press were forever thundering against the enlistment of colored men, on account of the prejudice against the color of the skin, or at least against the inheritance of a few drops of African blood. They were envious and jealous lest the descendant of African parentage should fall side by side with the fair-skinned Caucasian, should die and be buried with him, or if he survived the shock of war, should receive the self-same honors as his Anglo-Saxon brother. Of course the white man of the north knew that we could fight quite as well as himself. Why not?

But he was afraid of our proving that our claims to manhood were as good as anything he could claim for himself; and therefore he felt unwilling to give us a chance. Then again, not only did the slave-holders of the south desire the continuation of slavery, but there was an 'immense mixed mult.i.tude' of their sympathizers north of Mason and Dixon's Line, who took the same view of the situation, and who foresaw that, once the colored race marched to the field, slavery would come to an end. This opposition was rampant in the Union Army and throughout the north till the Southrons had given us dozens, if not hundreds of lickings on many a hard fought field, and the winter of 1862 saw the entire nation in a fearful state of depression. What was to be done?-The answer was at hand!-As a matter of immediate military necessity call the colored men into the field,-free them,-and end the war! Then drilling of colored men began at once, from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains, and from the Great Lakes to the Ohio and Missouri rivers, and now I believe that we have some two hundred thousand colored men in the field and in the fleets together. Neither have we fought for pay nor from any other personal selfish motive; we have fought for the salvation of Uncle Sam and the freedom of the slave at one and the same time. We have not fought for ourselves alone, we have fought for others, and all the commanding generals have ever given us a good word, and never a bad one.