Isaac Granger Jefferson, Memoirs of a Monticello Slave (Virginia, 1847), 6.
Item
Title
Isaac Granger Jefferson, Memoirs of a Monticello Slave (Virginia, 1847), 6.
Includes music itself or text of song
no
Identity of singers; solo/group
enslaved
solo
Voice/instrument
instrument
drum
Space/room
plantation
Geographical location
Charlottesville, Virginia (Monticello)
Excerpt
The day before the British (under Arnold) came to Richmond Mr Jefferson sent off his family in the carriage. Bob Hemings & Jim drove[.] When the British was expected (Jan. 6, 1781) old master kept the spy-glass & git up by the sky-light window to the top of the palace looking towards Williamsburg. Some Other gentlemen went up with him, one of them old Mr Marsdell: he owned where the basin is now & the basin-spring. Isaac used to fetch water from there up to the palace. The British reached Manchester about 1 o’clock.* Isaac larnt to beat drum about this time. Bob Anderson a white man was a blacksmith. Mat Anderson was a black man & worked with Bob. Bob was a fifer Mat was a drummer. Mat bout that
time was sort a-makin love to Mary Hemings. The soldiers at Richmond, in the camp at Bacon Quarter Branch would come every two or three days to salute the Governor at the Palace, marching about there drumming & fifing. Bob Anderson would go into the house to drink; Mat went into the kitchen to see Mary Hemings. He would take his drum with him into the kitchen & set it down there. Isaac would beat on it & Mat larnt him how to beat the drum.
time was sort a-makin love to Mary Hemings. The soldiers at Richmond, in the camp at Bacon Quarter Branch would come every two or three days to salute the Governor at the Palace, marching about there drumming & fifing. Bob Anderson would go into the house to drink; Mat went into the kitchen to see Mary Hemings. He would take his drum with him into the kitchen & set it down there. Isaac would beat on it & Mat larnt him how to beat the drum.