March 2, 1862

The Civil War continues on.  

Reports of the war are that it is violent and 
bloody.  People thought it would end soon, it 
didn’t.  The war dragged on.  So did my spirit.  

Master Jeffrey had given me several whippings.  
Today was the day I was to run away.  I just had 
to go.  I think Master Jeffrey could read my mind.  
Before I had the chance to do anything he sent me 
to live with Colonel Masters.  Master Jeffrey said 
I needed broke.  Colonel Masters had a very high 
reputation for breaking young slaves.  Colonel 
Masters didn’t need no excuse for whipping you.  
I was scarcely in my new home a week when colonel 
Masters gave me my first whipping.  He cut my back, 
caused the blood to run, and raised ridges on my 
back as big as my little finger.  This whipping was 
the first of a number of whippings. My awkwardness 
was almost always his excuse for whipping me.  

Colonel Masters gave us plenty to eat but barely 
enough time to eat - sometimes only five minutes.  
It wasn’t safe to stop work for a minute.  Colonel 
Masters would approach us secretly.  He wanted to 
take us by surprise.  Sometimes he would crawl on 
his hands and knees to avoid detection, then all at 
once rise and scream out, "Ha - Ha!"  

He was like a thief in the night.  He was under 
every tree, behind every stump, in every bush, at 
every window on the plantation.  He would pretend 
to leave the plantation and hide watching every 
move the slaves made.  Didn’t matter whether we 
behaved or not.  It was amazing the excuses a 
slaveholder could find for whipping a slave:

1. A mere look, a word, a motion, a mistake, an 
   accident, a want of power.
2. Does a slave look dissatisfied?  He has the 
   devil in him it must be whipped out.
3. Does he speak loudly when spoken to by his 
   master?  Then he is getting high-minded and 
   should be taken down.
4. Does he forget to take off his hat at the 
   approach of a white person?  Then he is 
   wanting respect and should be whipped for it.
5. Does he try to explain his conduct when 
   admonished for it?  Then he is guilty of 
   foolishness, one of the greatest crimes of a 
   slave, and should be whipped for it.
6. Does he suggest a different way of doing things 
   than his master suggests?  Then he is arrogant 
   and nothing less than a flogging will do.
7. Does he break a plow or a hoe while working?  
   He is careless, whip him for it.

Any such excuse could result in a lashing for 
the slave.