39 



However, as soon as the end caiue they, with a few nota- 

 ble exceptions, seenijed tt) have lost all control over them- 

 selves and to think that all of their master's property was 

 their's by ri<>ht of war. They took possession without much 

 ado, for white people to go upon plantations at this time 

 was to run the risk of losing life at their hands. 



More than once, to my knowledge, some of the jilanters 

 were surrounded or shot at. 



On one occasion my father, Mr. S. 1). Doar, was waylaid 

 on the way to his plantation by a gang of his own negroes, 

 and only by the swiftness of his horse Avas his life saved. 



The F. S. Government took charge of all affairs concern- 

 ing the negroes, even regulating any contract for planting 

 or otherwise they wished to make with the Southerners, so 

 that the planters were often hampered or worried in their 

 planting operations by ca])tious officers in Tharleston. 



I still have on hand some of the orders emanating from 

 this source. We had two gentlemen here who refused to be 

 reconstructed. Mr. Alexander Mazyck and Gabriel Mani- 

 gault, said they would not live under the U. S. Government. 

 so moved to Canada and died there, exiled for principle's 

 sake. 



After the War our men showed the true grit that was 

 in them, for after battling for four years with the enemy 

 they returned with heavy heart and little else, but their 

 hands to fight with poverty and to rebuild devastated 

 homes and fields. 



It is needless for me to dwell on tliis, for you well know 

 how they conquered obstacles and gained a livelihood. 



I every now and then hear a young person ask : But what 

 did you do for such and such an article during the War? 

 Well, I'll tell you, we did without a great many things, and 

 luxuries were not to be had and not thought of, for we were 

 closed to all nations and articles of contraband brough! in 

 by blockade runners were only for lln^ rich and favored few. 

 As necessity is the mother of invention we in rented, and we 

 got almost to believe that the substitute was as good as the 

 genuine. Now listen. What we did for coffee, we had 

 parched rye, oats or grist; it was hot and black, but it was 



