Submitted by
Jim Yarbrough
State:
Texas
Miss Effie Cowan,
"Strike the tent, the sun
has risen, Not a vapor streaks the dawn, And the frosted prairies brightens, To
the westward far and near.
Prime afresh the trusty
rifle, Sharpen well the hunting spear, For the frozen sod is trembling, And the
noise of hoofs I hear." (Bayard Taylor)
Nelson Taylor Densen was
brought with his parents to
"I was born near
"We stayed with this owner
Mr. Densen until he became involved in debt and sold us ter Mr. Felix Grundy
whose body-guard I was during the Civil War. He kept us until freedom was
declared and part of us stayed with him and part worked fer the near-by
neighbors after freedom.
"I kin remember hearin' my
parents tell of their life as slaves in their home state, and many incidents of
their lives, they lived the average life of the plantation slaves, they were
taught to read and write, hence my being able to be a minister of the Gospel.
"My first clear memory is
playing as a child on the banks of the river near whar I lived in Arkansas, and
the work on the plantation, they raised little patches of cotton and grain, and
lots of strawberries, apples, dewberries and blackberries, as well as other
fruit and vegetables. Also cowpeas which they fed to the stock.
"The timber made it a good
place for cattle and hogs for at that time they run out in the woods free, and
we did not have to buy our wood. The old Master had an easy livin' but the folks
everywhar was a cumin ter Texas, the land was very clean an they was bringin' in
settlers and colonizing the new state, so our Master decided to throw in his
fortunes with it too.
"Dis was right after the war
with
"Sometimes dey had ter swim
de horses an make several trips ter git dey things across, an den dey had de
cattle ter git across too, an dey mos always swim de river's if dey not too big.
"W'en dey make de camp de
wagons was set in a circle an de camp fire in de center, dis was ter have a
place ter keep a breaswork, in a way as protection from Indians, and de wild
animals, de wolves was de worst ter smell de cookin an cum ter de camp. Sometime
de camp guards would see two big eyes er lookin' out at dem from de trees an
brush an' hit would be a wolf or bear, dey shoot de gun off an dat skeer dem
away.
"Sometimes hit not an animal
but an Indian an den dey goes an makes de peace sign and dey sit down an has a
pow-wow wid dem, pretty soon de Master get up an cum an git some beans er some
bright dress goods er beads er maybe little gunpowder, fer dey had learned ter
shoot by den, an trade wid dem fer moccasens er leather breeches somethin dat
dey make.
"De East, Texas Indians was
called de Timber Indians, but dey was known mostly as de Cherekee's an de
Alabama Tribes, de settlers crowed de Indians out an lots of dem had gone furder
west, dey had about dis time given dem a Reservation in Polk County, of about a
thousand acres of land. Some of dem are still dar to dis day.
"De Plains Indians, among
dem de Comanche, get so bold dat dey made raids in Texas, an de Texas Rangers
was 'bout all dey was ter keep dem back, untill finally de Government built
forts ter station de soljers an de Rangers ter live an be ready ter go after dem
if dey made a raid, or watch fer dem, dey was not friendly like de Cherekees an
de Alabama Tribes.
"W'en we cum ter Texas in
1854, dey had jes started de Reservation in
"I have learned too dat de
Government had 'nuther Reservation at Ft. Belknap in Young County, an one on de
Clear Fork ob de Brazos 'bout sixty miles from dis one, but hit did'nt work out
bery well so dey moved dem ter de Indian territory dat we call Oklahoma now.
"I has some dates of things
dat happened, I has kept all dose years an one is 'bout Cynthia Ann Parker, how
she was captured at Parkers Fort on May de nineteenth 1836, near de town of
"Dis was in May befo' Santa
Anna was placed on de Texas war schooner ter be sent ter Vera Cruz. A Company of
volunteers dat had jes arrived at Velasco forcibly took him an brought him on
shore. Dey gib him ter Gen Paaten of de army an dey takes him up de river ter a
Dr. Phelps house whar dey kept him until a company of Bucheye Rangers cum an
helped ter sneak him away ter de Mississippi river whar dey took de ship ter
Washington an den President
"Yer ask me ter tell yer
things dat happened in de early days dat we talked 'bout den, dis was w'en we
first cum ter Texas, an dey not talkin' den 'bout de slavery question so much as
de Mexican an de Indians, but dey did have some trouble wid de Mexicans befo' de
Civil War 'bout de slaves, de Mexicans would try ter git dem ter run away an
stay across de border wid dem an some ob dem did, however de nigger mos' afraid
ob de Mexicans an so dey 'fraid ter do dis much.
"Dar was one Mexican name
Jaun Cortena an his band dat robbed an stole from de Texas people until finally
Gen Robert E. Lee of de United States Army run him back across de border. I hear
dem talkin' bout dis in de war w'en Gen Lee was in command of de Confederate
army.
"Dar is one more date dat I
would like ter tell yer 'bout dat dey talk 'bout w'en we cum ter Texas, an dat
was 'bout de Rangers under Gen. George Erath havin' a fight wid de Indians in
Robertson County dat not far from whar we lived an how dey killed Frank
Childress and Davie Clarke, dis was de folks dat de town of Childress was named
fer an de Clarkes ar one ob de oldest famblies in Marlin.
"Den I could tell yer 'bout
how dey talk 'bout de house of Mr. Morgan six miles above de falls ob de Brazos
being attacked by dem, an five people killed. An' how Mr. Marlin, (fer whom de
town ob Marlin named) on January 10, 1839 de Indians attacked Mr. Marlin's
house, but dey drove de Indians back an den de white people followed under de
command of Benjamin Bryant. Den on de twenty first of April dey had another
battle between de whites an de Indians on Brushy Creek, in de Marlin country
between Waco an Marlin, an some white men by de name of Jacob Burlerson, James
Gilleland, Edward Blakie, an John Waters was killed.
"Dis is 'bout all dat I have
kept on de things dat happened near Marlin between de Indians an de white folks.
But after dey quit being so much trouble de folks lived peacably an dey was more
an' more settlers cumin in. Dey had an iron foundry at Rusk an Jefferson 'bout
dis time, an at de penitentiary at Huntsville 'bout dis time dey had a mill dat
dey make cotton an woolen goods fer de soljers, an de folks in Texas had ter
wear some of de goods which helped dem ter have something widout havin ter spin
de thread an weave de cloth like dey has ter do most places.
"In de spring de bluebonnets
an de Indian blanket flowers was in bloom w'en we cum ter Texas an we never saw
dem befo' dey looked like beds of red an blue blankets an dey was everywhar in
April an May. I kin remember how we liked ter fish an de sweet smell ob de pine
trees w'en dey build de campfire out ob de brush, an how we boys hunted fer de
wild haw, de red haw, de pecans an de walnuts dat grew in de woods ob East Texas
as we cum thro' hit. Hit was all wonderful an beautiful ter us, jes ignorant
little niggers, an if so ter us what must it have been ter de white settlers?
"We did not have de Buffalo
in dis part ob de county like dey had further west, an de Indians more plentiful
out dar. W'en de white men begun ter kill de buffalo, (dis was de Indians meat
dey eat), den dey commence ter fight sure e'nuff, dey do like mos' folks would
fight fer dey life, an widout de buffalo dey think dat dey can't live.
"Our ole Master stopped at
"In South Texas de shippin
was in an out ob de bayou's an de rivers ter de coast, an on de Brazos River
Richmon' was de head 'Ceptin' w'en de river was up and den dey ship ter de ole
town ob Washington on de Brazos, dey called hit. De steambots made regular trips
between
"Whar dey was'nt any rivers
fer de boats, den dey trabbel by de stage coach an dey was heavy an drawn by six
or eight horses, dey jes went eight or ten miles an hour an fresh teams was
ready fer dem ter change along de way. Dey had a line down thro Marlin from
North,
"Texas people was jes
begginnin' ter git over de Mexican war w'en we cum ter de state, dey talk 'bout
de Alamo an Gen. Sam Houston, Travis, who was killed at de Alamo an Bowie, an de
battle ob San-Jacinto, w'en dey celebrated dey freedom from Mexico. De Mexicans
had dey own Catholic schools an churches dat was established in de days ob de
rule by Mexico an de Missions dat de Spaniards had built W'en dey first
discovered Texas.
"De Baptist, Methodist an de
Presbyrterians all had dey churches an some had started dey schools, but dey had
not started de free schools until long time after dat. An' dey git ter know
folks from other places at dem fer dey cum an camp two or three weeks. I has
preached at dem an we felt dat de Lord was close ter us, w'en dey got religion
dey git it ter de better an ter live right in dem days seem like we nearer ter
God den we is now.
"Well, dis de way dat we
livin' in
"W'en Runnels was Governor
more an more immigrants cum ter Texas, but he was not popular an w'en he an
General Houston run again in 1859 fer Governor General Houston beat Runnels.
"De people of Texas thought
dat General Houston would keep Texas from getting into de war, an dat he could
make peace wid de Indians an' dat was why he was elected. I kin 'member how he
tells dem in his first message dat "if dey dont stan by the union dat de nation
be destroyed by war." An w'en Lincoln was made de President, Houston stilled
tried ter keep Texas from gittin in de war, an keep hit in de Union, but dey had
a Convention at Austin an voted fer Texas ter secede, dat was de twenty eighth
day of January, 1861.
"Den w'en he refused ter
take de oath ter de Confederacy dey removes him from de Governer's cheer an he
went back ter his home at Huntsville, an never does take hit, but his son Sam
went an fought fer de rebels.
"I was fourteen years old
w'en Texas seceded, an w'en dey went ter de war my Master Mr. Felix Grundy went
ter fight de Yankees, He was in General Hardemans Brigade an was in two or three
battles den he cums back ter Texas on a fourlough an w'en dat is out an he goes
back I goes with him as his body guard. De first firing he was in
"I was sixteen years old by
dat time an I kin remember de way hit all was at de battle ob
"Just befo' de battle,
Mother, I am thinking most of you, While upon de fiel' we're watchin' Wid de
enemy in view. Comrades brave are roun' me lying, Filled wid thoughts of home
an' God, For well dey know dat on de morrow, Some will sleep beneath de sod.
"We could see across de
river de Yankees, an could hear dem, de night so still. In de hush befo' de
battle every man was thinking of his mother, wife and fambly. W'en de bugle
sounded taps, every head was bowed in prayer, I kin best describe de attack wid
de last verse of song I has jes told yer dey sing.
"Hark, I hear de bugles
soundin', 'Tis de signal fer de fight, Now, may God protect you, Mother, As he
ever does de right, Hear de "Battle Cry of Freedom." How hit swells upon de air,
Oh, Yes w'ell rally roun' de standard, Or we'll perish nobly there.
De Yankees sung de Battle
Cry of Freedom, as dey charged on us an we could hear de band er playin' hit as
dey cum, but hit jes made our boys fight de hardest, den we sing dis song,
"Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, de
boys are marchin'. Cheer up comrades dey will cum, And beneath de starry flag,
We shall breathe de air again, In de freedom of our own beloved home.
"Dey cum on an' on, an dey
fights. Lord how dey fight's! I is a stayin' close ter my Master. I is jes as
wild as any fer our boys ter win, yer can hear de clash of de bayonet w'en dey
git gray uniforms as dey stood dey groun' an dey went down befo' dey would
retreat,
"In de battle front dey
stood, W'en de fiercest charges was made,
An' dey swept us off a
hundred men an more, But befo' we reached dey lines, Dey was beaten back
dismayed, An' we heard de cry of victory o'er an O'er.
"De rebels, our boys in de
grey, win's an captures 'bout er thousan' Yankees, after dis de Yankees was mos'
of dem taken ter help General Grand at Richmon' an General Sherman on his march
ter de sea.
"De Captain of de company we
was in at de battle of Pleasant Hill (near Mansfield), was John Dick Morris, dis
company was organized near Marlin, Texas, was called Company B. General J. G.
Walker was de District Division Commander, dey was made up in dis company from
de town of Marlin an de country, among dem Captain Carter of Cameron was wounded
in de battle we was in.
"At Yellow Bayou de
commanding officer of de brigade we was in was General Banks. Tom Green was
killed at Blairs Landin' on Red River an General Hardeman took Tom Green's
place.
"Bout de last of de war de
Yankees commenced ter use de nigger's dat had run away ter dey lines fer
soljers. I don't know much 'bout dat, but I does know dat de slaves dat was left
at home ter look after de wimmen an chillun dat mos of dem stayed an' kept de
work on de place in de crops up an helped ter take keer of de ole men an de
wimmen an chillun, dat dey was a whole lot more dat helped ter dis day dey was
dat run away ter de Yankees.
"De most of de slaves was
happy on de plantations, an dey looked on de war like dis, dat de white man was
er fightin' fer his principles, at least de ones dat understood did. I has seen
so much in my long life dat I feels dat God is more an more de Great Ruler, an
dat hit all works out fer de best.
"I knows dat de old order
has changed. Men now must be rich, it seems ter be powerful, once hit was not
so. Once men held themselves more dearly dan dey held dey possessions. In de
days of Ante-Bellum de attitude was fine an bright an glorious, folks believed
in de virtues of truth, chastity, an' chivalry. Dey seem new ter be old
fashioned words, whar is de chivalry dat dey lived in de days which yer is
writin' about? Does dey help ter protect de wimmen like dey did in de days of
old? No, dey worl' of finance will take away er womans home jes de same as er
man's. Whar is de demand fer virtue? In de ole days de ole time southern
gentlemen demands dat his wife be virtues er he would not marry her, does dey de
dis now? No, sad ter say hit looks as if de loose wimmen are de ones dat is
preferred.
"Whar would dey grandmothers
say ter dem smokin? Yes, de ole fashion way is out ob date, de curtain of smoke
swept away, hit seems, de beauty of de past, de sound of de spinning wheel was
lost in de machinery of a later day, jes as de stately minuet was lost in de
jass dances of dese day's.
"I hopes dat in de great
windup dat in de words of de ole song hit will be dat "His truth will go
Marchin' on."
"Mine eyes have seen de
glory of de cumin' of de Lord, He is tramplin' out de vintage whar de grapes of
wrath are stored, He Hath loosed de fateful lightnin' of His terrible swift
sword, His truth is marchin' on.
State:
Miss Effie Cowan,
State:
Densen, Nelson Taylor
