Spinster
12-12-2006, 12:31 PM
26 December, 1861
Fort Gaines, Isle Dauphine
Dear Friends
Gracious a'me, what 'citment.
When I came down to work at Gaines in '59 to raise us a little cash money, leaving Sister to keep the house in Mobile, I figured to just work hard until we got ahead some, and I thought the island might be good for my lungs.
When the war broke out, and the Fort changed hands to the Republic of Alabama, I stayed. The Federals left owing me a month's pay, but when I told Capt Thomas about it, he paid me of his own pocket. His mama came from one of those fine old French families in Mobile, you know quality jess shines through in a man like that, yes it does.
Then, things got a bit more organized, more troops came, and my work got pretty heavy. Oh, they'd detail the men to help with the laundry pots and the wood and to keep the cook fires going, but still its a powerful amount of thinking to keep that many things going at oncet.
I thought about quitting, but Sister got married, and it didn't seem right for me to move back in up there, with her with a new Husband in the house, even if we have known him for years, and even if it is still half my house.
But Capt Thomas and Capt Wainwright found Mrs. Morgan and her boy Tiberius and hired them to come about two months ago, and that eased the work a good bit. There's plenty to go around, mind you, t'aint no one sitting idle. We are all earning our pay.
We were getting ready for a little Christmas, opening all sorts of cakes and such that came in on the boat, and cooking big joints for the men, and Capt brought in a new man to stay with us. Mr. Trent is to build quarters for all the new troops coming in, and he is to lodge with us, as all the barracks are full to bursting. He come from that cotton factory up on the Dog River that burned here awhile back--he was livin there and lost his room as well as his job. There ain't no sign of building back, so he came here.
Tiberius was beside himself opening all the crates and such, and talking about getting to serve the eggnog to all the young masters early in the morning. He planned to just sit up all night until peeking light and run over there so he could be certain to be the first to say "Christmas Gift" and get his reward from them.
We had all settled for the night, except Tiberius, when we heard a good bit of clatter. Mistah Landrum allowed that they were called out, Christmas Eve though it was, something about the gunboats off the coast. We heard the guns across the bay at Morgan begin to boom, and the men were gone.
Christmas morning dawned bright and cold, with a scant guard in the Fort and almost no one for Tiberius to call 'Christmas Gift' on. I had a package for him though--he is such a child and Mrs. Morgan's Papa gave him to her to play with when she was a child herself.
Not knowing when troops would arrive back, and still hearing guns from Morgan, we fixed a breakfast, and soon heard and saw the news----blockade runners, the like of which I have not seen before, come through with all sorts of things, past the gunboats, and hiding in the inlets around the island and up towards the Dog River. Gaudy men, and women of the sort not to be seen in the nice parts of town. Mrs. Morgan said they were brave and all, but told Tiberius he was not to go near them.
So we spread the Christmas feast, and made a fine day of it. Capt Thomas said we'd done aplenty, and gave leisure for the afternoon. Capt Wainwright got up a parade with all sorts of pans and plates and the men sang and marched around the Fort. Mrs. Morgan beat on the sock board with a stick and Tiberius and Mr. Trent got out the big copper pots. Later on we had a lot more music and frolic and I got out the snake jug. I didn't let Tiberius have none though, and Mr. Trent made a face when he smelled it. I think he is Temperance.
Those two hit right off together--kinda funny to see them, their heads so close and into something when they had just met. I think they are two of a kind though--Mrs. Morgan makes Tiberius wear shoes because she wants him to put on airs like she has money, and Tiberius shucks them as soon as he is out of her sight. Mr. Trent hung his shoes on a peg as soon as he came in. They took off with a crab net and headed for the jetty as soon as the Capt. gave leisure.
We held back some of the Christmas in case the rest of the troops got back in, but I served it up the next day, and Capt Thomas said he would get me some things to bake up for them special when they got back. Capt Wainwright held divine services, and we sang all the old songs.
Mr. Trent started drawing out a plan for the new quarters--he is a good hand at drawing. I figure the officers will diddle around making changes on those plans and it will take forever to get started. But Mr. Trent also put Tiberius to looking for wash lumber on the beach, to see if he could get me some shelves up in this kitchen instead of always stacking things here and there.
I finished the toe on a pair of stockings for Mrs. Morgan, put in a new heel for Private Thomas, finished up a flannel shirt and a lined blanket. January blows cold down here, and will be here soon enough.
Kind Regards,
Mrs. Lawson
Fort Gaines, Isle Dauphine
Dear Friends
Gracious a'me, what 'citment.
When I came down to work at Gaines in '59 to raise us a little cash money, leaving Sister to keep the house in Mobile, I figured to just work hard until we got ahead some, and I thought the island might be good for my lungs.
When the war broke out, and the Fort changed hands to the Republic of Alabama, I stayed. The Federals left owing me a month's pay, but when I told Capt Thomas about it, he paid me of his own pocket. His mama came from one of those fine old French families in Mobile, you know quality jess shines through in a man like that, yes it does.
Then, things got a bit more organized, more troops came, and my work got pretty heavy. Oh, they'd detail the men to help with the laundry pots and the wood and to keep the cook fires going, but still its a powerful amount of thinking to keep that many things going at oncet.
I thought about quitting, but Sister got married, and it didn't seem right for me to move back in up there, with her with a new Husband in the house, even if we have known him for years, and even if it is still half my house.
But Capt Thomas and Capt Wainwright found Mrs. Morgan and her boy Tiberius and hired them to come about two months ago, and that eased the work a good bit. There's plenty to go around, mind you, t'aint no one sitting idle. We are all earning our pay.
We were getting ready for a little Christmas, opening all sorts of cakes and such that came in on the boat, and cooking big joints for the men, and Capt brought in a new man to stay with us. Mr. Trent is to build quarters for all the new troops coming in, and he is to lodge with us, as all the barracks are full to bursting. He come from that cotton factory up on the Dog River that burned here awhile back--he was livin there and lost his room as well as his job. There ain't no sign of building back, so he came here.
Tiberius was beside himself opening all the crates and such, and talking about getting to serve the eggnog to all the young masters early in the morning. He planned to just sit up all night until peeking light and run over there so he could be certain to be the first to say "Christmas Gift" and get his reward from them.
We had all settled for the night, except Tiberius, when we heard a good bit of clatter. Mistah Landrum allowed that they were called out, Christmas Eve though it was, something about the gunboats off the coast. We heard the guns across the bay at Morgan begin to boom, and the men were gone.
Christmas morning dawned bright and cold, with a scant guard in the Fort and almost no one for Tiberius to call 'Christmas Gift' on. I had a package for him though--he is such a child and Mrs. Morgan's Papa gave him to her to play with when she was a child herself.
Not knowing when troops would arrive back, and still hearing guns from Morgan, we fixed a breakfast, and soon heard and saw the news----blockade runners, the like of which I have not seen before, come through with all sorts of things, past the gunboats, and hiding in the inlets around the island and up towards the Dog River. Gaudy men, and women of the sort not to be seen in the nice parts of town. Mrs. Morgan said they were brave and all, but told Tiberius he was not to go near them.
So we spread the Christmas feast, and made a fine day of it. Capt Thomas said we'd done aplenty, and gave leisure for the afternoon. Capt Wainwright got up a parade with all sorts of pans and plates and the men sang and marched around the Fort. Mrs. Morgan beat on the sock board with a stick and Tiberius and Mr. Trent got out the big copper pots. Later on we had a lot more music and frolic and I got out the snake jug. I didn't let Tiberius have none though, and Mr. Trent made a face when he smelled it. I think he is Temperance.
Those two hit right off together--kinda funny to see them, their heads so close and into something when they had just met. I think they are two of a kind though--Mrs. Morgan makes Tiberius wear shoes because she wants him to put on airs like she has money, and Tiberius shucks them as soon as he is out of her sight. Mr. Trent hung his shoes on a peg as soon as he came in. They took off with a crab net and headed for the jetty as soon as the Capt. gave leisure.
We held back some of the Christmas in case the rest of the troops got back in, but I served it up the next day, and Capt Thomas said he would get me some things to bake up for them special when they got back. Capt Wainwright held divine services, and we sang all the old songs.
Mr. Trent started drawing out a plan for the new quarters--he is a good hand at drawing. I figure the officers will diddle around making changes on those plans and it will take forever to get started. But Mr. Trent also put Tiberius to looking for wash lumber on the beach, to see if he could get me some shelves up in this kitchen instead of always stacking things here and there.
I finished the toe on a pair of stockings for Mrs. Morgan, put in a new heel for Private Thomas, finished up a flannel shirt and a lined blanket. January blows cold down here, and will be here soon enough.
Kind Regards,
Mrs. Lawson