William Browder Jackson lived through the Civil War, shared many scary sad hardships of the people, of himself and others of the area.
He said the draft was not as it later was as we know it, rather they drew straws. The ones that didn't fight had to stay home to see that the ones at home had food to eat. He was drawn to stay home and work. Many times he had to run for his life and hide when the grilla soldiers came, to keep from being killed.
One time to effect his escape he used his suspenders, trying to fence rails together used as a raft with a barrel stave for an oar, paddled to the other side of the river. When he reached the other side and was climging out he was fired at, but was able to escape, hiding behind a big tree for safety from the bullets.
Much destruction was done to the farmers homes, farming tools and machinery. The grist mills were broken. he took the wagon apart, carried it acorss the river piece by piece on a small boat, then swam his oxen across. Working for six weeks returning at night by boat to get the family and friends corn carrying it back across the river to the grist mill to grind into meal, returning it the next night.
William Browder Jackson never allowed his children or grandchildren to say they were having a hard time. He always told them to shut up as we didn't know what hard times were. |
