What Became of the Slaves on a Georgia Plantation?: Great Auction Sale of Slaves, at Savannah, Georgia, March 2d & 3d, 1859 — John Shaqi
What Became of the Slaves on a Georgia Plantation?: Great Auction Sale of Slaves, at Savannah, Georgia, March 2d & 3d, 1859Doesticks, Q. K. Philander
History
What Became of the Slaves on a Georgia Plantation?: Great Auction Sale of Slaves, at Savannah, Georgia, March 2d & 3d, 1859
Doesticks, Q. K. Philander
Slave trade -- United States; Slavery -- Georgia
It is true they were sold "in families;" but let us see: a man and his
wife were called a "family," their parents and kindred were not taken
into account; the man and wife might be sold to the pine woods of North
Carolina, their brothers and sisters be scattered through the cotton
fields of Alabama and the rice swamps of Louisiana, while the parents
might be left on the old plantation to wear out their weary lives in
heavy grief, and lay their heads in far-off graves, over which their
children might never weep. And no account could be taken of loves
that were as yet unconsummated by marriage; and how many aching hearts
have been divorced by this summary proceeding no man can ever know.
And the separation is as utter, and is infinitely more hopeless, than
that made by the Angel of Death, for then the loved ones are committed
to the care of a merciful Deity; but in the other instance, to the
tender mercies of a slave-driver. These dark-skinned unfortunates are
perfectly unlettered, and could not communicate by writing even if they
should know where to send their missives. And so to each other, and
to the old familiar places of their youth, clung all their sympathies
and affections, not less strong, perhaps, because they are so few. The
blades of grass on all the Butler estates are outnumbered by the tears
that are poured out in agony at the wreck that has been wrought in
happy homes, and the crushing grief that has been laid on loving hearts.
But, then, what business have "niggers" with tears? Besides, didn't
Pierce Butler give them a silver dollar a-piece? which will appear
in the sequel. And, sad as it is, it was all necessary, because a
gentleman was not able to live on the beggarly pittance of half a
million, and so must needs enter into speculations which turned out
adversely.
HOW THEY WERE TREATED IN SAVANNAH.
The negroes were brought to Savannah in small lots, as many at a time
as could be conveniently taken care of, the last of them reaching the
city the Friday before the sale. They were consigned to the care of Mr.
J. Bryan, Auctioneer and Negro Broker, who was to feed and keep them
in condition until disposed of. Immediately on their arrival they were
taken to the Race-course, and there quartered in the sheds erected for
the accommodation of the horses and carriages of gentlemen attending
the races. Into these sheds they were huddled pell-mell, without any
more attention to their comfort than was necessary to prevent their
becoming ill and unsaleable. Each "family" had one or more boxes or
bundles, in which were stowed such scanty articles of their clothing as
were not brought into immediate requisition, and their tin dishes and
gourds for their food and drink.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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