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.

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