saying “Bobby Lee would never surrender. In spite of all of the bad news, and the long casualty lists, I believe the South’s cause is right, and we will prevail in the end.”
Many more rejoiced in it being over. A great price had been paid. None paid a higher price than the price paid by the Hutchison family of Yorkville. A stark reminder of the terrible toll was the parade of the exhausted, the crippled and the sick veterans that paraded past the farm belonging to Sarah Hutchison. She fed all who stopped, she allowed all who asked, to sleep in the barn as they made their way back to their families.
Other than in the faces of the men, there was little evidence of a war in Yorkville. Sherman had planned to pass through on his way to Georgia, but was persuaded by the CSA deployment to take another route.
By August, the carpetbaggers and the scalawags descended on Yorkville, looking for ways to capitalize on the plight of the impoverished farmers. They made ridiculous offers for the farms and in many cases, the destitute accepted the offers. On more than one occasion, well dressed black men came by, with an air about them, suggesting they believed it was their right to take the land.
Taxes were raised to exorbitant figures, when payment could not be made, the land was seized. The sheriff came to Sarah’s farm. “Miz Thomas, I come to collect the back taxes on your farm,” he said.
I paid all my taxes. Wait, I’ll get the receipts,” Sarah said. She returned with the receipts. “Here’s my receipts, Sheriff. All marked paid.”
“Ma’am, them’s the receipts for the regular taxes. What I need now is the money for the new taxes that was just passed,” the sheriff said.
“Sheriff, I don’t have the money to pay any more taxes. I paid all I owed.”
“As I told you, you need to pay the new taxes. If you don’t pay by the end of the month, I’ll have to evict you and take the farm and equipment.”
At the end of the month, they took her farm, along with the furnishings. With no other options, she and Rebecca moved in with her parents on their farm. With the little bit of money Sarah had left, her father had managed to avoid foreclosure and was able to keep his farm.
Sarah was beaten. “I can’t do it anymore, Papa. I have to do something. I don’t know what, but I am going to do something,” she said.
“Sarah, it’s going to be all right. Things will return to normal next year. You wait. There will be a lot of people looking for work and we will get a bigger cotton crop than we’ve had in years. It’s going to be easy to sell at a good price too. There will be a big market for it. You’ll forget about all of the unpleasantness before you know it,” he said.
“I’ll never forget it as long as I live here, Papa. There are too many ghosts. I need to get away from all of these memories. Rebecca needs a father, but all of the men my age are gone. I heard someone say that one in five Yorkville males was killed. One in five, Papa, and look at the Hutchisons. All three sons gone. There’s just too many reminders here.”
Chapter 3: Looking For Prospects
Calvary Baptist Church, September 1868…
A typical September day in Yorkville. The weather was clear, without the oppressive humidity seen in August. Prior to the war, the Hutchisons and the Walters were members of the Calvary Baptist Church. The congregation was small and did not have a full time preacher. They were served by the Reverend Deas, a circuit preacher who pastored four churches, despite being sixty years old. He had performed the ceremony when Sarah and John had been married.
“Sarah, how are you and Rebecca getting along?” Reverend Deas asked. “I heard about you losing the farm. I’ve seen that happen too many times lately. It’s just downright sinful what them
Many more rejoiced in it being over. A great price had been paid. None paid a higher price than the price paid by the Hutchison family of Yorkville. A stark reminder of the terrible toll was the parade of the exhausted, the crippled and the sick veterans that paraded past the farm belonging to Sarah Hutchison. She fed all who stopped, she allowed all who asked, to sleep in the barn as they made their way back to their families.
Other than in the faces of the men, there was little evidence of a war in Yorkville. Sherman had planned to pass through on his way to Georgia, but was persuaded by the CSA deployment to take another route.
By August, the carpetbaggers and the scalawags descended on Yorkville, looking for ways to capitalize on the plight of the impoverished farmers. They made ridiculous offers for the farms and in many cases, the destitute accepted the offers. On more than one occasion, well dressed black men came by, with an air about them, suggesting they believed it was their right to take the land.
Taxes were raised to exorbitant figures, when payment could not be made, the land was seized. The sheriff came to Sarah’s farm. “Miz Thomas, I come to collect the back taxes on your farm,” he said.
I paid all my taxes. Wait, I’ll get the receipts,” Sarah said. She returned with the receipts. “Here’s my receipts, Sheriff. All marked paid.”
“Ma’am, them’s the receipts for the regular taxes. What I need now is the money for the new taxes that was just passed,” the sheriff said.
“Sheriff, I don’t have the money to pay any more taxes. I paid all I owed.”
“As I told you, you need to pay the new taxes. If you don’t pay by the end of the month, I’ll have to evict you and take the farm and equipment.”
At the end of the month, they took her farm, along with the furnishings. With no other options, she and Rebecca moved in with her parents on their farm. With the little bit of money Sarah had left, her father had managed to avoid foreclosure and was able to keep his farm.
Sarah was beaten. “I can’t do it anymore, Papa. I have to do something. I don’t know what, but I am going to do something,” she said.
“Sarah, it’s going to be all right. Things will return to normal next year. You wait. There will be a lot of people looking for work and we will get a bigger cotton crop than we’ve had in years. It’s going to be easy to sell at a good price too. There will be a big market for it. You’ll forget about all of the unpleasantness before you know it,” he said.
“I’ll never forget it as long as I live here, Papa. There are too many ghosts. I need to get away from all of these memories. Rebecca needs a father, but all of the men my age are gone. I heard someone say that one in five Yorkville males was killed. One in five, Papa, and look at the Hutchisons. All three sons gone. There’s just too many reminders here.”
Chapter 3: Looking For Prospects
Calvary Baptist Church, September 1868…
A typical September day in Yorkville. The weather was clear, without the oppressive humidity seen in August. Prior to the war, the Hutchisons and the Walters were members of the Calvary Baptist Church. The congregation was small and did not have a full time preacher. They were served by the Reverend Deas, a circuit preacher who pastored four churches, despite being sixty years old. He had performed the ceremony when Sarah and John had been married.
“Sarah, how are you and Rebecca getting along?” Reverend Deas asked. “I heard about you losing the farm. I’ve seen that happen too many times lately. It’s just downright sinful what them
Similar Books
One Week To Live
Joan Beth Erickson
Mountain Woman Snake River Blizzard
Johnny Fowler
Jungleland
Christopher S. Stewart
Neighbours And Rivals
Bridy McAvoy
The Captain's Wallflower
Audrey Harrison
PlaybyPlay
Nadia Aidan
Ladyhawke
Joan D. Vinge
Playing Keira
Jennifer Castle
A Little Harmless Addiction
Melissa Schroeder