View single post by Johan Steele
 Posted: Sat Sep 1st, 2007 02:16 am
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Johan Steele
Life NRA,SUVCW # 48,Legion 352


Joined: Sat Dec 2nd, 2006
Location: South Of The North 40, Minnesota USA
Posts: 1050
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Mana: 
 Slaves had no freedom of even their own bodies.  It was illegeal to learn to read.  A female slave could not say no to her master.  A child or wife could be sold away from their family upon a whim... if they were even allowed to marry in the first place.

 

25,000 slaves followed Shermans men to the dream of freedom during the march to the Sea, 180,000 black men served the USCT... they knew which side of the flag they needed to be on for any hope of freedom and liberty.  Something in the neighborhood of 20% of the slaves of the South relocated away from their masters... they were NOT content w/ slavery.

Were there good slave owners?  Absolutely, but there were some real scum in that group as well.

Was it as brutal as South American slavery?  No, would i be willing to put my wife or daughter into that kind of situation?  Not only no but hell no.

As to Shermans March... much of the brutality attributed to Sherman's men has been exaggerated all out of reality by the Lost Cause and its proponents.  But that is a whole different thread.

Read Celia, a Slave or Harriet Jacobs Life of a Slave Girl