Some Union Soldiers

Cecelia looked out her bedroom window. She could see the rows of cotton in the distance. She saw two riders approaching. To her shock and disgust, she saw the blue uniforms of Union soldiers. They pulled up, and Judah, the biggest of the field slaves walked up to them. He chatted with the soldiers then turned and pointed up to her bedroom.

Cecelia ducked behind the curtains. "Oh my!" she gasped. "Whatever shall I do here all alone surrounded by free niggers and Union scum?" she whispered.

She desperately searched her room for something to defend herself with but found nothing. She locked her bedroom door and tried to push a large dresser in front of it, but it was too heavy. Then there was a pounding on the door.

"Miss Cecelia!" came the voice of Betsy, the housemaid, who Cecelia had treated like a dog, and knew she hated her. "Open up now, Miss Cecelia."

"Go away, ****"!

"These kindly Union men say we free now, Miss Cecelia. Open up or Judah and Cassius gonna knock the door down."

"They wouldn't dare enter a white woman's room!"

Suddenly the door was kicked in. Cecelia looked up and saw Betsy, Judah, and Cassius, another large field hand. Behind them was Annie, the cook. All of them had something in their hands.

Judah held a pair of shackles, Cassius had a metal collar on a chain, Betsy held a wicker rug beater, and Annie held a pair of shears.

"Stay away!" screamed a terrified Cecelia.

The former slaves advanced on her, and Cecelia fainted onto the floor. She woke up later, outside.