Jocko's hut was not across the river as I supposed and wrote
yesterday, but on the same side we were on. At about ten o'clock last night we
went to his abiding place as directed and knocked. After a long time an old black
head was stuck out of the window with a nightcap on. The owner of the head
didn't know Jocko or anything about him; was short and crusty; said: “Go way
from Dar” Kept talking to him and he scolding at being disturbed. Said he had
rheumatics and couldn't get out to let us in. After a long time opened the door
and we set down on the door step. Told him we were yankees and wanted help. Was
the funniest darky we have met yet. Would give something for his picture as he
was framed in his window in the moonlight talking to us, with the picturesque
surroundings, and us yankees trying to win him over to aid us. Finally owned up
that he was Jocko, but said he couldn't row us across the river. He was lame
and could not walk, had no boat, and if he had the river was so swift he
couldn't get us across, and if it wasn't swift, the rebels would catch him at
it and hang him. Talked a long time and with much teasing. By degrees his
scruples gave way, one at a time. Didn't know but he might row us across if he
only had a boat, and finally didn't know but he could find a boat To get thus
far into his good graces took at least three hours. Went looking around and
found an old scow, fixed up some old cars, and we got in; before doing so
however, he had warmed up enough to give us some boiled sweet potatoes and cold
baked fish. Rowed us way down the river and landed us on the noted Miller
plantation and a mile in rear of the negro houses. Jocko, after we forced our
acquaintance on him with all kind of argument, proved to be a smart able bodied
old negro, but awful afraid of being caught helping runaways. Would give
something for his picture as he appeared to us looking out of his cabin window.
Just an old fashioned, genuine negro, and so black that charcoal would make a
white mark on him. Took us probably three miles from his hut, two miles of
water and one of land, and then started back home after shaking us a dozen
times by the hand, and “God blessing us.” Said “Ole Massa Miller's niggers all
Union niggers,” and to go up to the huts in broad day light and they would help
us. No whites at home on the plantation. We arrived where Jocko left us an hour
or so before daylight, and lay down to sleep until light. I woke up after a
while feeling wet, and found the tide had risen and we were surrounded with
water; woke up the boys and scrambled out of that in a hurry, going through two
feet of water in some places. The spot where we had laid down was a higher
piece of ground than that adjoining. Got on to dry land and proceeded to get dry.
At about ten o'clock Dave went up to the negro huts and made himself known,
which was hard work. The negroes are all afraid that we are rebels and trying
to get them into a scrape, but after we once get them thoroughly satisfied that
we are genuine Yanks they are all right, and will do anything for us. The
negroes have shown us the big house, there being no whites around, they having
left to escape the coming Yankee army. We went up into the cupola and looked
way off on the ocean, and saw our own noble gunboats. What would we give to be
aboard of them? Their close proximity makes us discuss the feasibility of going
down the river and out to them, but the negroes say there are chain boats
across the river farther down, and picketed. Still it makes us anxious, our
being so near, and we have decided to go down the river to night in a boat and
see if we can't reach them It is now the middle of the afternoon and we lay off
from the huts eighty rods, and the negroes are about to bring us some dinner.
During the night we traveled over oyster beds by the acre, artificial ones, and
they cut our feet. Negroes say there are two other runaways hid a mile off and
they are going to bring them to our abiding place. Later, — Negroes have just
fed us with corn bread and a kind of fish about the size of sardines, boiled by
the kettle full, and they are nice. Fully as good as sardines. Think I know now
where nearly all the imported sardines come from. Negroes catch them by the
thousand, in nets, put them in kettles, and cook them a few minutes, when they
are ready to eat. Scoop them out of the creeks The two other runaways are here
with us. They are out of the 3d Ohio Cavalry. Have been out in the woods for
two weeks. Escaped from Blackshear and traveled this far. I used to know one of
them in Savannah. We do not take to them at all, as they are not of our kind.
Shall separate to night, they going their way and we going ours. Have secured a
dug-out boat to go down the Ogechee River with to-night. The negroes tell us of
a Mr. Kimball, a white man, living up the country fifteen miles, who is a Union
man and helps runaways, or any one of Union proclivities. He lays up the river,
and our gunboats lay down the river. Both have wonderful charms for us, and
shall decide before night which route to take. Are on rice plantation, and a
valuable one. Before the “wall” there were over fifteen hundred negroes on this
place. Cotton is also part of the production. Have decided to go down the river
and try to reach our gunboats It's two very hazardous undertaking, and I have
my doubts as to its successful termination.
SOURCE: John L. Ransom, Andersonville Diary, p.
141-3
