Preface by Agnes Nichols Walls [Aug. 20, 1922-Feb. 22, 2006] This is the ਍  猀琀漀爀礀 愀戀漀甀琀 愀 氀愀搀礀 眀栀漀 氀椀瘀攀搀 搀甀爀椀渀最 琀栀攀 䌀椀瘀椀氀 圀愀爀⸀ 䠀攀爀 渀愀洀攀 眀愀猀 䄀洀愀渀搀愀 䐀愀氀琀漀渀 ഀഀ Massey. I am Agnes Nichols Walls, and I am re-writing this in the month of July, ਍  ㄀㤀㤀㠀⸀ 䤀 漀爀椀最椀渀愀氀氀礀 眀爀漀琀攀 琀栀椀猀 眀栀攀渀 䤀 眀愀猀 愀戀漀甀琀 ㄀㈀ 礀攀愀爀猀 漀氀搀 愀猀 猀栀攀 琀漀氀搀 洀攀 愀戀漀甀琀 ഀഀ her life. She was my mother's grandmother. My mother was the little girl she ਍  琀漀氀搀 愀戀漀甀琀⸀ 圀栀攀渀 栀攀爀 搀愀甀最栀琀攀爀 刀漀猀攀 搀椀攀搀Ⰰ 䄀洀愀渀搀愀 䐀愀氀琀漀渀 䴀愀猀猀攀礀 琀漀漀欀 琀栀攀 戀愀戀礀Ⰰ ഀഀ Amanda Rosetta Slaton, and raised her. I am now about 75 years old. I have lost ਍  琀栀攀 昀椀爀猀琀 瀀愀最攀 愀猀 猀栀攀 琀漀氀搀 洀攀Ⰰ 猀漀 䤀 眀椀氀氀 琀爀礀 琀漀 爀攀挀愀氀氀 眀栀愀琀 猀栀攀 猀愀椀搀 椀渀 琀栀攀 ഀഀ first page. Amanda died in 1939 when she was 97 years old. I don't know for ਍  猀甀爀攀 栀漀眀 漀氀搀 猀栀攀 眀愀猀 戀甀琀 猀栀攀 琀漀氀搀 洀攀 猀栀攀 眀愀猀 ㄀㘀 礀攀愀爀猀 漀氀搀 眀栀攀渀 琀栀攀 䌀椀瘀椀氀 圀愀爀 ഀഀ started. She lived in the part of Georgia where Sherman marched from Atlanta ਍  琀漀 琀栀攀 匀攀愀⸀ 匀栀攀 琀漀氀搀 洀攀 洀愀渀礀 琀椀洀攀猀 愀戀漀甀琀 琀栀攀 唀渀椀漀渀 猀漀氀搀椀攀爀猀 挀漀洀椀渀最 愀渀搀 琀愀欀椀渀最 ഀഀ everything they had to eat and their horses and mules. She said one time her ਍  栀甀猀戀愀渀搀 䘀爀愀渀欀 栀愀搀 愀 戀椀最 眀栀椀琀攀 栀漀爀猀攀 栀攀 栀愀搀 爀攀挀攀椀瘀攀搀 愀猀 瀀愀礀洀攀渀琀 昀漀爀 眀漀爀欀 瀀攀爀昀漀爀洀攀搀⸀ ഀഀ One day he was plowing the field with the horse and a Union soldier came and ਍  琀漀漀欀 琀栀攀 栀漀爀猀攀 愀渀搀 氀攀昀琀 栀椀洀 琀栀攀 栀漀爀猀攀 栀攀 栀愀搀 戀攀攀渀 爀椀搀椀渀最⸀ 吀栀攀 栀漀爀猀攀 栀攀 氀攀昀琀 ഀഀ could barely stand up. There was nothing Frank could do to stop him. As I was ਍  最爀漀眀椀渀最 甀瀀Ⰰ 猀栀攀 氀椀瘀攀搀 眀椀琀栀 洀礀 洀漀琀栀攀爀 愀渀搀 昀愀琀栀攀爀 愀渀搀 洀攀 愀渀搀 洀礀 猀椀猀琀攀爀 甀渀琀椀氀 猀栀攀 ഀഀ died. She was very sick in her last years, so my sister and I took turns staying ਍  眀椀琀栀 栀攀爀⸀ 䴀礀 昀愀琀栀攀爀 眀愀猀 愀 猀栀愀爀攀挀爀漀瀀瀀攀爀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 䴀漀琀栀攀爀 栀愀搀 琀漀 眀漀爀欀 琀栀攀 昀椀攀氀搀猀 眀椀琀栀 ഀഀ him most of the time. Grandma Massey loved me, but because Wilma, my sister, ਍  眀愀猀 昀漀甀爀 礀攀愀爀猀 礀漀甀渀最攀爀Ⰰ 猀栀攀 搀椀搀渀✀琀 攀砀瀀攀挀琀 猀漀 洀甀挀栀 眀漀爀欀 昀爀漀洀 栀攀爀⸀ 圀椀氀洀愀 眀漀甀氀搀 ഀഀ get in bed with her, and she would tell Wilma stories. Wilma told Grandma that ਍  猀漀洀攀搀愀礀 猀栀攀 眀漀甀氀搀 渀愀洀攀 栀攀爀 氀椀琀琀氀攀 最椀爀氀 愀昀琀攀爀 栀攀爀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 猀栀攀 搀椀搀℀㰀⼀戀㸀㰀⼀瀀㸀ഀഀ ਍㰀瀀㸀㰀戀㸀 吀栀攀 猀琀漀爀礀 愀猀 琀漀氀搀 戀礀 䄀洀愀渀搀愀 䐀愀氀琀漀渀 䴀愀猀猀攀礀 椀渀 ㄀㤀㌀㔀㰀⼀戀㸀㰀⼀瀀㸀ഀഀ

. She said they had to study by the light of the fireplace. Then there was ਍  琀栀攀 漀氀搀 戀氀甀攀 戀愀挀欀 猀瀀攀氀氀攀爀 愀渀搀 眀攀 甀猀攀搀 猀氀愀琀攀猀 椀渀猀琀攀愀搀 漀昀 瀀愀瀀攀爀⸀ 伀甀爀 漀氀搀 猀挀栀漀漀氀 ഀഀ building was an old log house with three large fireplaces in it. We sat on slab ਍  戀攀渀挀栀攀猀Ⰰ 搀椀搀渀✀琀 栀愀瘀攀 愀渀礀 搀椀猀栀攀猀⸀ 吀栀攀爀攀 眀愀猀渀✀琀 戀甀琀 瘀攀爀礀 昀攀眀 猀挀栀漀漀氀 琀攀愀挀栀攀爀猀 琀栀攀渀⸀ ഀഀ There were only a few who had education enough to teach. My first school teacher ਍  眀愀猀 䴀挀䬀攀渀氀礀 䈀愀氀搀椀渀最 嬀䴀挀䬀椀渀渀攀礀 䈀漀氀椀渀最崀⸀ 䠀攀 栀愀搀 琀漀 眀愀氀欀 琀眀漀 洀椀氀攀猀 琀漀 琀攀愀挀栀⸀ 吀栀攀 ഀഀ teacher as well as us children carried corn bread for lunch. In those days people ਍  琀栀漀甀最栀琀 琀栀攀礀 眀愀猀 搀漀椀渀最 眀攀氀氀 琀漀 栀愀瘀攀 昀氀漀甀爀 漀渀挀攀 愀 眀攀攀欀 漀渀 匀甀渀搀愀礀 洀漀爀渀椀渀最⸀ 倀攀漀瀀氀攀 ഀഀ had to raise the wheat to make their flour. I was a grown girl before I ever ਍  猀愀眀 愀 戀漀甀最栀琀 猀愀挀欀 漀昀 昀氀漀甀爀⸀㰀⼀戀㸀㰀⼀瀀㸀ഀഀ

When I came home from school every evening, I had to bring up the night ਍  眀愀琀攀爀 昀爀漀洀 琀栀攀 猀瀀爀椀渀最 愀戀漀甀琀 愀 昀漀甀爀琀栀 漀昀 愀 洀椀氀攀 愀眀愀礀⸀ 䤀 栀愀搀 琀漀 瀀爀攀瀀愀爀攀 瀀椀渀攀 渀漀琀猀 ഀഀ [sic] for the night. We didn't have lamps. We molded candles and used them and ਍  琀栀攀 瀀椀渀攀 渀漀琀猀 昀漀爀 氀椀最栀琀⸀ 䤀 眀愀猀 琀愀猀欀攀搀 琀漀 搀漀 猀漀 洀甀挀栀 眀漀爀欀 戀攀昀漀爀攀 䤀 挀漀甀氀搀 最漀 琀漀 ഀഀ bed at night. People raised but very little cotton. Most people just raised ਍  攀渀漀甀最栀 琀漀 洀愀欀攀 琀栀攀椀爀 漀眀渀 挀氀漀琀栀椀渀最Ⰰ 昀漀爀 琀栀攀礀 瀀椀挀欀 琀栀攀 猀攀攀搀 漀甀琀 眀椀琀栀 琀栀攀椀爀 昀椀渀最攀爀⸀ ഀഀ It was carded and spun into thread and then worked into cloth. It sure took ਍  愀 琀椀洀攀 琀漀 洀愀欀攀 愀 搀爀攀猀猀⸀ 圀栀攀渀 䤀 最漀琀 漀渀攀 䤀 欀渀攀眀 栀漀眀 䤀 最漀琀 椀琀⸀ 㰀⼀戀㸀㰀⼀瀀㸀ഀഀ

We raised [a] lot of farm products such as cabbage, tobacco, beans and potatoes. ਍  圀攀 愀氀猀漀 爀愀椀猀攀搀 挀愀琀琀氀攀Ⰰ 栀漀最猀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 琀甀爀欀攀礀猀 愀渀搀 琀栀攀 洀愀爀欀攀琀 眀愀猀 愀戀漀甀琀 昀漀爀琀礀 洀椀氀攀猀⸀ ഀഀ I remember my father, George Dalton, and William Murray driving a drove of turkeys ਍  愀渀搀 挀愀爀爀礀椀渀最 愀 戀愀爀爀攀氀 漀昀 琀漀戀愀挀挀漀 琀漀 䄀琀栀攀渀猀⸀ 䤀琀 琀漀漀欀 琀栀攀洀 愀戀漀甀琀 琀栀爀攀攀 搀愀礀猀 琀漀 ഀഀ make the trip. They bunched the turkeys up and put them in the road in front ਍  漀昀 琀栀攀洀Ⰰ 琀栀攀渀 瀀甀琀 愀渀 愀砀攀氀 嬀猀椀挀崀 琀栀爀漀甀最栀 琀栀攀 戀愀爀爀攀氀 愀渀搀 栀椀琀挀栀攀搀 愀渀 漀砀 琀漀 琀栀攀 ഀഀ barrel and let it roll on the ground. They had to camp out at night. When it ਍  戀攀挀愀洀攀 搀愀爀欀 琀栀攀 琀甀爀欀攀礀猀 眀漀甀氀搀 猀琀漀瀀 愀渀搀 昀氀礀 甀瀀 椀渀琀漀 愀 琀爀攀攀⸀ 吀栀攀礀 眀漀甀氀搀 栀愀瘀攀 琀漀 ഀഀ stop and camp there all night. When they got to the market they sold the turkeys, ਍  琀漀戀愀挀挀漀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 漀砀 愀氀氀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 猀琀愀爀琀 漀渀 琀栀攀椀爀 樀漀甀爀渀攀礀 戀愀挀欀 栀漀洀攀⸀ 䤀 眀攀渀琀 眀椀琀栀 洀礀 昀愀琀栀攀爀 ഀഀ to market once. He bought me a hat. It was the first bought hat I had ever owned. ਍  䄀戀漀甀琀 琀栀愀琀 琀椀洀攀 栀漀漀瀀 猀欀椀爀琀猀 挀漀洀攀 椀渀 猀琀礀氀攀⸀ 䤀 最漀琀 漀渀攀 漀昀 琀栀漀猀攀 愀渀搀 眀栀攀渀 䤀 瀀甀琀 ഀഀ it on and my hat, I thought I was dressed fine. For I always wore a bonnet everywhere ਍  䤀 眀攀渀琀Ⰰ 攀瘀攀渀 挀栀甀爀挀栀⸀㰀⼀戀㸀㰀⼀瀀㸀ഀഀ

In 1861 the Civil War broke out. I had seven brothers in the War; five ਍  漀昀 琀栀攀洀 眀攀渀琀 漀昀昀 椀渀 琀栀攀 昀椀爀猀琀 挀愀氀氀⸀ 䰀攀漀渀愀爀搀Ⰰ 刀愀搀昀漀爀搀Ⰰ 䌀栀愀瀀Ⰰ 䈀攀渀 愀渀搀 圀椀氀戀甀爀渀Ⰰ ഀഀ and three of them were married leaving wives and children. A few months later ਍  琀栀攀爀攀 眀愀猀 愀渀漀琀栀攀爀 挀愀氀氀 琀栀愀琀 琀漀漀欀 琀栀攀 漀氀搀攀猀琀 漀渀攀 愀渀搀 漀渀攀 礀漀甀渀最攀爀Ⰰ 䌀爀漀眀 愀渀搀 䨀漀栀渀⸀ ഀഀ It was a sad time that I will never forget. The morning my five brothers started ਍  䤀 挀愀渀 爀攀洀攀洀戀攀爀 洀礀 洀漀琀栀攀爀 猀琀愀渀搀椀渀最 漀渀 琀栀攀 瀀漀爀挀栀 眀椀琀栀 栀攀爀 愀爀洀 愀爀漀甀渀搀 愀 瀀漀猀琀 猀挀爀攀愀洀椀渀最 ഀഀ and crying. It wasn't long after they left 'til one of my brothers, John, took ਍  戀爀愀椀渀 昀攀瘀攀爀 愀渀搀 搀椀攀搀⸀ 䈀爀漀琀栀攀爀 䈀攀渀 挀愀洀攀 眀椀琀栀 栀椀猀 戀漀搀礀 漀渀 琀栀攀 琀爀愀椀渀 琀漀 䄀琀栀攀渀猀⸀ ഀഀ That was the nearest railroad station. He was carried into the depot. Ben lay ਍  漀渀 栀椀猀 挀愀猀欀攀琀 琀椀氀 洀漀爀渀椀渀最⸀ 䈀攀渀 愀渀搀 䐀椀挀欀 匀愀甀氀洀愀渀 戀爀漀甀最栀琀 栀椀洀 栀漀洀攀 昀漀爀琀礀 洀椀氀攀猀 ഀഀ in a wagon. We didn't know he was dead 'til they got home with his body. They ਍  最漀琀 栀漀洀攀 愀戀漀甀琀 猀甀渀猀攀琀⸀ 圀攀 戀甀爀椀攀搀 栀椀洀 愀琀 琀栀攀 䰀椀渀攀 挀栀甀爀挀栀⸀ 䈀攀渀 猀琀愀礀攀搀 愀戀漀甀琀 攀椀最栀琀 ഀഀ days after John was buried. Wilburn was wounded in the Marylon [Maryland] battle. ਍  䈀椀氀氀 倀愀礀琀漀渀 琀漀氀搀 甀猀 眀栀攀渀 栀攀 挀漀洀攀 栀漀洀攀⸀ 䠀攀 猀愀椀搀 栀攀 眀愀猀 猀琀愀渀搀椀渀最 戀礀 栀椀猀 猀椀搀攀 眀栀攀渀 ഀഀ he was shot down. The Yankees were charging on them so they had to run. Bill ਍  猀愀椀搀 栀攀 瀀椀挀欀攀搀 栀椀洀 嬀圀椀氀戀甀爀渀紀 甀瀀Ⰰ 挀愀爀爀椀攀搀 愀渀搀 氀愀椀搀 栀椀洀 椀渀 琀栀攀 猀栀愀搀攀 漀昀 愀 琀爀攀攀 ഀഀ and had to run. That was the last we heard of him, he never did return home. ਍  吀栀攀 䴀愀爀礀氀漀渀 戀愀琀琀氀攀 眀愀猀 琀栀攀 栀愀爀搀攀猀琀 戀愀琀琀氀攀 琀栀攀礀 栀愀搀⸀ 吀栀愀琀 眀愀猀 眀栀攀渀 䰀攀漀渀愀爀搀 眀愀猀 ഀഀ wounded in the knee. The Yankees came and got him and Chap too. They never come ਍  栀漀洀攀 昀漀爀 猀攀瘀攀爀愀氀 洀漀渀琀栀猀 愀昀琀攀爀 瀀攀愀挀攀 眀愀猀 洀愀搀攀⸀ 吀栀攀礀 瀀甀琀 䌀栀愀瀀 漀渀 愀 猀栀椀瀀 愀渀搀 欀攀瀀琀 ഀഀ him on the water for sixty days. He was so tan when he come home, didn't any ਍  漀昀 甀猀 欀渀漀眀 栀椀洀⸀ 䠀攀 栀愀搀 挀栀椀氀氀猀 愀渀搀 昀攀瘀攀爀 愀渀搀 搀椀攀搀 愀 猀栀漀爀琀 眀栀椀氀攀 愀昀琀攀爀 栀攀 挀漀洀攀 ഀഀ home. I remember the morning he come. Father was sitting on the porch. He come ਍  甀瀀 琀漀 琀栀攀 最愀琀攀⸀ 䤀琀 眀愀猀 愀 戀椀最 爀攀甀渀椀漀渀 眀栀攀渀 眀攀 爀攀挀漀最渀椀稀攀搀 栀椀洀Ⰰ 昀漀爀 眀攀 愀氀氀 琀栀漀甀最栀琀 ഀഀ he was dead. My sister lived about a mile and half away. The news was carried ਍  琀漀 栀攀爀⸀ 匀栀攀 眀愀猀 眀愀猀栀椀渀最 愀琀 琀栀攀 戀爀愀渀挀栀⸀ 匀栀攀 氀攀昀琀 栀攀爀 眀愀猀栀椀渀最Ⰰ 猀漀洀攀 椀渀 琀栀攀 琀甀戀猀Ⰰ ഀഀ just as it was when the news came to her. It came an awful cloud. Rained and ਍  眀愀猀栀攀搀 栀攀爀 琀甀戀猀 愀渀搀 挀氀漀琀栀攀猀 洀漀猀琀 愀氀氀 愀眀愀礀㰀⼀戀㸀㰀⼀瀀㸀ഀഀ

. Leonard came home several weeks before Chap. Crow, Radford and Ben come ਍  栀漀洀攀 眀栀攀渀 瀀攀愀挀攀 眀愀猀 洀愀搀攀⸀ 圀攀 猀甀爀攀 栀愀搀 愀 栀愀爀搀 琀椀洀攀 搀甀爀椀渀最 琀栀攀 眀愀爀⸀ 䘀漀漀搀 眀愀猀 猀挀愀爀挀攀 ഀഀ and high priced. Some men made the women pay thirty dollars a bushel for corn. ਍  䌀漀昀昀攀攀Ⰰ 猀甀最愀爀 愀渀搀 猀愀氀琀 眀愀猀 猀漀 猀挀愀爀挀攀 眀攀 樀甀猀琀 挀漀甀氀搀渀✀琀 最攀琀 椀琀⸀ 䤀 挀愀渀 爀攀洀攀洀戀攀爀 ഀഀ Father digging up the dirt in the smoke house, putting it into a hopper and ਍  搀爀椀瀀瀀椀渀最 椀琀 琀漀 最攀琀 琀栀攀 猀愀氀琀 漀甀琀⸀ 吀栀攀爀攀 眀愀猀 渀漀 挀爀攀搀椀琀 愀渀搀 礀漀甀 挀漀甀氀搀渀✀琀 戀漀爀爀漀眀 ഀഀ money as we can today. The soldiers had to furnish all their clothing except ਍  琀栀攀椀爀 甀渀椀昀漀爀洀猀⸀ 圀栀攀渀 猀漀洀攀 漀昀 琀栀攀 戀漀礀猀 漀甀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 挀漀洀瀀愀渀礀 洀礀 戀爀漀琀栀攀爀猀 眀愀猀 椀渀 ഀഀ would come home on furlough, we would always send them clothes such as socks ਍  愀渀搀 猀栀椀爀琀猀⸀ 䤀昀 眀攀 搀椀搀渀✀琀 栀愀瘀攀 攀愀挀栀 漀渀攀 最愀爀洀攀渀琀 愀瀀椀攀挀攀Ⰰ 眀攀 眀漀甀氀搀 眀漀爀欀 渀椀最栀琀 愀渀搀 ഀഀ day. I have sewed and knit on Sunday to have clothes ready to send back to the ਍  戀漀礀猀⸀㰀⼀戀㸀㰀⼀瀀㸀ഀഀ

The war closed in 1865. I was a grown girl when the war broke out. My father ਍  眀愀猀 愀氀眀愀礀猀 挀爀甀攀氀⸀ 䠀攀 眀漀甀氀搀渀✀琀 氀攀琀 洀攀 搀爀攀猀猀 氀椀欀攀 琀栀攀 漀琀栀攀爀 最椀爀氀猀 搀椀搀⸀ 䤀 愀氀眀愀礀猀 ഀഀ wanted some ear rings. They were the style. But Father wouldn't buy them for ਍  洀攀⸀ 䤀 眀愀猀栀攀搀 昀漀爀 漀渀攀 漀昀 洀礀 猀椀猀琀攀爀ⴀ椀渀ⴀ氀愀眀猀 眀栀攀渀 猀栀攀 眀愀猀 猀椀挀欀 愀渀搀 猀栀攀 戀漀甀最栀琀 洀攀 ഀഀ a pair. They wasn't the ear rings girls ware [sic] now. You had to have holes ਍  洀愀搀攀 椀渀 礀漀甀爀 攀愀爀猀⸀ 䤀 欀渀漀眀 䘀愀琀栀攀爀 眀漀甀氀搀渀✀琀 氀攀琀 洀攀 眀愀爀攀 琀栀攀洀 椀昀 栀攀 栀愀搀 欀渀漀眀渀 椀琀⸀ ഀഀ So one night, after Father went to bed, I put holes through my ears with a needle ਍  愀渀搀 猀椀氀欀 琀栀爀攀愀搀⸀ 䤀 最漀琀 琀栀攀洀 琀漀漀 栀椀最栀⸀ 䤀 栀愀搀 琀漀 瀀甀琀 琀栀攀洀 椀渀 愀最愀椀渀⸀ 夀漀甀 栀愀搀 琀漀 ഀഀ let the thread stay in 'til they headed up and had to move the thread each day. ਍  䴀礀 攀愀爀猀 最漀琀 愀眀昀甀氀 猀漀爀攀 愀氀洀漀猀琀 猀漀✀猀 䤀 栀愀搀 琀漀 眀攀愀爀 愀 戀漀渀渀攀琀 愀氀氀 琀栀攀 琀椀洀攀 琀漀 欀攀攀瀀 ഀഀ Father from seeing them.