Letters and diary of Laura M. Towne

Written from the Sea islands of South Carolina.

[Diary] December 25.

The celebration went off grandly. The church was beautiful. Lottie draped the pulpit in long moss and put a wreath of red holly and broad leaves along the top, from which the moss fell like a fringe. The words, “His People Are Free,” were put up opposite the pulpit. Festoons of green hung between the pillars, with a cluster of red berries and magnolia leaves looping each up. On the walls were circlets of green, each surrounding a little flag that Miss Ware sent us. It was beautiful. We teachers were dressed in blue garibaldis, with gilt buttons down the shoulders, and black skirts.

Lieutenant-Colonel Billings, whom they call “Liberty Billings,” of the First South Carolina Volunteers,[1] was there and addressed the children. Mr. Fairfield also and Mr. Hunn. The singing was only pretty good — they were too much excited. The following is ” Whittier’s Hymn,” to the tune of “I will believe”: —

..

“Oh, none in all the world before
Were ever glad as we.
We’re free on Carolina’s shore;
We’re all at home and free!

..

Thou friend and helper of the poor.
Who suffered for our sake,
To open every prison door
And every yoke to break,

..

Look down, O Saviour, sweet and mild,
To help us sing and pray;
The hands that blessed the little child
Upon our foreheads lay.

..

To-day in all our fields of corn,
No driver’s whip we hear.
The holy day that saw Thee born
Was never half so dear.

..

The very oaks are greener clad,
The waters brighter smile,
Oh, never shone a day so glad
In sweet St. Helen’s Isle.

..

For none in all the world before
Were ever glad as we.
We’re free on Carolina’s shore;
We’re all at home and free!”

..

Written for the Philadelphia School on St. Helena at the request of Miss Charlotte Forten, to be sung at Christmas, 1862, by John G. Whittier.

After the exercises we drew each class out in the cross aisle and gave each child a garment.

Mr. Soule has made an estimate that there are 1177 children on St. Helena and Ladies Islands attending school.

On Port Royal, about 550 average attendance.

In Florida, 400.

[1] A negro regiment; Thomas Wentworth Higginson, colonel.

Written from the Sea islands of South Carolina.

[Diary] November 28.

We have been wrapped all day in the smoke of battle and the people hear the roll of cannon. They say it is an attack upon Fort Pulaski. Perhaps it is now in the enemy’s hands. I hope not, but perhaps our folks were too busy junketing to take proper precautions. Nelly says many of the officers were shamefully drunk before the evening was over, and it is said that the rebel ram was in sight all day.

Written from the Sea islands of South Carolina.

[Diary] November 22.

This morning before breakfast Mr. Sam Phillips came. He called so early so as to see me before we went to school, and came with a beautiful bunch of camellias and rosebuds from his garden. I went down to the parlor; he sprang up and advanced so warmly, and gladly took my hands in both of his, and seemed overjoyed to get back. His mother and Sophy[1] are friends, and he looks upon me as his auntie in this far-away place. He told us much about the North, said he was so glad to get back to his people. They surrounded him when he came and fairly cried for joy over him, and this touched his good, kind heart. He has done a great deal for them. The children at our school are never tired of telling what he has done, of how he taught them, and of showing the much-prized books and slates he gave them. They seem to love him far more than any one from the North — indeed, than any one on earth, outside of their families. He is pale and thin. The doctor and his mother thought him not well enough to return, but he said he could not stay away longer.

[1] Miss Towne’s sister.

Written from the Sea islands of South Carolina.

[Diary] November 17.

Aunt Bess gets into such gales of mirth and laughs so heartily whenever she thinks or talks of the flight of the masters after the “Gunshoot at Bay Point.” She tells how she, being lame, could not run to the woods as the others did when Dr. Pope came back, so she had to go out into the cornfield and lie down between the rows, taking little Leah with her, as she was such a baby she could not walk far. The child had a cough, and Aunt Bess was in mortal terror for fear that would betray their hiding-place. She says she almost smothered Leah, and dosed her at night with ashes tea, and the little thing would almost die with suppressed cough before she would give up. It was a hard struggle for the little thing between terror and cough. I dare say she will never forget it, small as she was.

Tina, of Palawana, was telling us to-day how her master’s family were just sitting down to dinner in their far-off, lonely island, when the news came that everybody was flying. They sprang up, left the silver on the table, the dinner untasted, packed a few clothes for the children, and were gone, never to come back.

Written from the Sea islands of South Carolina.

[Diary] Thursday, November 13.

Aunt Phyllis is laughing and chuckling over the prowess of our soldiers. She says “Dey fought and fought and shot down de ‘Secesh,’ and ne’er a white man among ’em but two captains.”

Two colored companies have gone on another expedition to Florida under Captains James and Trowbridge.

Written from the Sea islands of South Carolina.

Diary] October 26.

At church to-day Captain Randolph and Colonel Elwell were present. They came to see the colored men and to recruit, or rather with an eye to recruiting. But there were no able-bodied young men to be seen. They had all taken to the woods at the sight of epaulets, guessing the errand. The seizure and transportation to Pulaski of those men from the village has had a very bad effect. No man likes to be seized and taken from home to unknown parts — especially as they were taught to expect it by their masters; these people hate it, for they think they will surely be sent to Cuba.

Written from the Sea islands of South Carolina.

[Diary] October 25.

Captain James has come to this plantation to recruit negro soldiers. I believe they are to be regularly enrolled in the army. All our men are going to volunteer, but with some there is a dismal forlornness about their consent to go. Nelly uses strong persuasions, and, with one or two lazy, bad fellows, even threats of expulsion from the place, if they will not volunteer. Many go willingly.

Written from the Sea islands of South Carolina.

[Diary] October 24.

Three boats full of rebels attempted to land on these islands last night, two at the village and one at Edding’s Point. The negroes with their guns were on picket; they gave the alarm, fired and drove the rebels off. “That tells for us,” Mr. Soule says; that is, for those who have urged arming the negroes.

Ellen and I maintain that the negroes will fight; others think not. Our men keep guard to-day. Everywhere the people question us eagerly about the fighting, and are amazed and incredulous at our being beaten. Rina asked us to have dinner early so that she could get the tea-things washed up and go home before dark, for fear of “Secesh.”

Written from the Sea islands of South Carolina.

[Diary] October 5.

Mr. Phillips preached under our pines. He says the elders decided to exclude us from communion. So be it. I have done. I wonder whether it was by their own wish, or by instruction that they so decided.

Mr. Judd was here to-day and he says the soldiers rob the negroes on Port Royal and he can get no redress.