I was about six or seven when that great day finally came. There was little or no sleeping the night before. Word was sent to us that there would be a meeting at the "big house" the next morning. My mother, brother, sister and I, along with the other slaves, went to my master's house. He and his family were sitting on the porch.

As we stood there, the slaves seemed to have a feeling of deep interest and perhaps sadness on their faces, but not bitterness. The sadness was not so much for loss of property, but more for the parting of ways from people they had been close to.

The thing I remember most was when a stranger (probably a United States Officer) made a short speech and read from a long piece of paper. I think it was the Emancipation Proclamation. After which he told us that we were all free and could go when and where we pleased.

My mother leaned down and kissed her children while tears of joy were running down her cheeks. She explained to us that this was the day for which she had long prayed, but feared she would never live to see.