Horrible Harvest
The Untold Story of the Confederate, Augustus Tennyson
Category: Uncategorized
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Before any of us could ask, a man, well kept by the dark, come up on us. He was an old to older fella, robust enough, but thick with weather-beaten skin and shaggy hair. He wore layers of tanned hides and furs from various critters. He stepped into the circle of light that come off…
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We could only push the horses 20 miles ‘fore we needed to put up for the night. Tate and Douglas settled around a campfire and et. I stretched out on the ground and slept. It was the best damn sleep I’d ever had. Don’t know if it was the air, the starry sky, or the…
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After retrieving the horses, and saddling them up, we heard the fumbling footsteps of Douglas approaching. “So, I’m guessing we ain’t gonna rest up before we hit the trail.” Neither Tate nor I answered. “What’s wrong with you two? What’s our next step? Trail or bed. There’s a church down the way. Saw the belltower…
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We stepped off the platform in Sioux City. Bent up and soar from the long ass train ride. “First things first,” Douglas said. “I need the privy.” He hobbled away while Tate and I went to gather up the horses. “That boy,” I said. “The one you kilt. The one you told me about on…
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I saddled her horse and give her direction to King’s Highway. I had worries sending her back Charleston-way on her own, but she insisted I not interrupt my travels. “You got something left to do. You best get to it.” I nodded. “I reckon I’ll have to answer to your Scotsman if you don’t make…
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Arthur come out the church. Mr. Stockton called to him. “Tell the reverend here what freedom would mean to you, boy.” “Freedom, sir?” “What would become of you if you woke up tomorrow a free man?” Arthur slow-walked, thinking extra hard on each step down to the ground. “I reckon I’d wake up to a…
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A fella is hauled from the church by Peck. He is of good stock, strong, full of piss and vinegar, which put him at dead-stupid, too. “Who are you? What hell do you dare bring on the Lord’s house?” Mr. Stockton moved his mount forward. “I bring not hell, sir. I bring righteous scorn to…
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We rode through a narrow-ass path through the woods for a mile ‘fore we reached a clearing. Once past the tree line, we come up on a silhouette of a steeple stretching into the sky 300 feet away. A towering, crooked oak hid the front door from view. We all stopped in a row and…
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An hour after nightfall, the vigilance committee set up camp. Mr. Stockton huddled with the white fellas, including Douglas, and give them instruction in secret. They didn’t raise no objections to anything that was said. When he was done saying his piece, they approached the slaves and barked out this order and that. They was…
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Another year in, and I was another half-foot taller, Douglas was turnt obedient dog to Mr. Stockton, and Charles was more dead-mean than near anyone I’d ever met. He weren’t Horace Tennyson mean. He was a quiet mean that’d sooner chew on your heart than lay eyes on you more than a hiccup’s length of…
Horrible Harvest 