36 M E T R O S P I R I T
Arts: Entertainment
Christmas in the Slave Quarters
By Rhonda Jones
D E C 1 8 2 0 0 3
A
nyone who has ever been out to Redcliffe Plantation in Beech Island must wonder why it’s such a wellkept secret. It could be because people may think it’s pretty hard to go “all the way out there,” and so the ones who know about it have been putting it off forever. But it isn’t a difficult trip; in fact it’s hardly a trip of any description. And here’s the way, short and simple. Head downtown by any street you normally head down and go to the end of it. Broad Street or Greene will do nicely. Once you run out of street, make a left and you will be on East Boundary. If you’ve never been and that makes you feel as though you’ve reached the edge of something, you have. Not quite civilization as you know it, but you are about to enter a part of Augusta that travels a bit faster and gets you into that travel headspace — long roads with destinations. Make an almost immediate right onto Sand Bar Ferry Road, which is a truck route. When the road splits a few miles later, stay on the left fork. That’s 278 and will take you to Hammond Road, where you will take a right. Soon after, you will take another right onto Redcliffe Road. Immersion has begun. The road nestled between two fields, is a red dirt road that leads you into a growth of trees. Follow the sign and turn right, where you will see the posted hours of the park: Grounds from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; mansion tours 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.; closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Passing through the gate, you will notice that the fields have become more pristine and inviting, the driveway lined with hefty magnolias. The place itself is pretty explanatory: Don’t pass the Do Not Enter signs. Park next to the ropes by the bulletin board with all the visitor information on it, and head for the house. You won’t be able to miss it. It’s huge and mansion-shaped. If a tour is what you’re after (or in my case, if you need someone who knows more than you to lead you around and explain things), then looking for Interpretive Ranger Joy Raintree will probably be your best option. I went out one Friday afternoon when the place was quiet. The house, she said, was built in Greek Revival style, with expansive halls on the first and second floors, each surrounded by four rooms. Adjoining rooms on the first floor, she said, have adjoining doorways. One of the favorite stops of the tour, she said, is the library, with 2,300 books representing the tastes of four generations of Hammonds from the years 1859 to 1975. It is quite an inviting place. “It’s hard giving a 45-minute tour with this being the second room,” Raintree said.
“Because everyone wants to stay here.” It is difficult to take in the vast amount of information at one time. No matter what piece draws your attention, chances are Raintree will have something to tell you about it. I asked if she has lots of repeat customers for that very reason, and she mentioned a woman who comes every time she has out-of-town visitors. “She’s brought hoardes of people,” she said. Then it was time to visit the slave quarters, the centerpiece of a Christmas program that got its start last year when a large chunk of plaster fell from one of the mansion’s ceilings. This year, they decided to continue the program. The kids, as well as the adults, like the hands-on nature of the experience, as they get to hold replicas of the pipes and tobacco that Hammond gave his slaves for Christmas. Here’s how it works. Visitors will go out to one of the two standing slave buildings — a bare wood shack separated into two halves by a central fireplace. Those were shared by two families, Raintree said.
Interpretive Ranger Joy Raintree (left) will take visitors into the slave quarters (above) to learn about how the slaves of Redcliffe Plantation spent their holiday. While visitors explore the world of the exactly free time in the way we get time away slaves, Raintree said, she will give a talk cenfrom work. Sometimes, though, slaves would tered around the different aspects of their life, be given passes to travel to one of Hammond’s particularly how those aspects were handled neighboring plantations to visit relatives. It during the holidays — food, “free” time, was a time of feasting, dancing and drinking. gifts, religion and visiting. But it was also a time of marriage and divorce The parts of the lecture are all based on the among the slaves. Such bonds were not recogdiary of James Henry Hammond, the master nized by law, Raintree said, but Hammond of the plantation during much of the 19th cen- recognized them on his plantation. He granted tury, who died in 1864. divorces as well. Here is his entry for Dec. 26, “Here at Redcliffe, he had 21 house slaves 1840: “Fine Day. Had a trial of Divorce & living here,” Raintree said. Adultery cases. Flogged Joe Goodwyn & According to Raintree’s lecture, December ordered him to go back to his wife. Ditto was the time of hog butchering, and some of Gabriel & Molly & ordered them to come the meat was shared with the slaves to supple- together again. Separated Moses and Anny ment their weekly allowance of cornmeal. His finally — And flogged Tom Kollock. He had Dec. 4, 1861 entry was a tally for the butcher- never been flogged before — Gave him 30 ing, with 129 hogs killed, yielding 16,654 lashes with my own hand [for] interfering with pounds of meat. His entry for Dec. 25, 1839 Maggy Campbell, Sullivan’s wife…” reads, “Christmas Day. Gave the people sugar, So Christmas was often quite an eventful coffee, tobacco & each of them a cape of pilot time all ‘round. cloth. Also a barbeque.” If you would like to experience “Christmas His entry marked 1840 to 1848 reads as fol- in the Slave Quarters” out at Redcliffe lows (pardon the language): “Every Negro Plantation, it will be held every Saturday this must come in person for the meal allowance season. The program starts at 2 p.m. with a and in clean clothes. Sweet potatoes may be guided tour through the Redcliffe Plantation given in the winter after Christmas, in part for slave quarters and stories about the Christmas meal, where preferred at the rates of one rituals practiced on the plantation in the bushel of potatoes for one peck of meal. 1800s. Then, on Dec. 20, a special treat will There must be a watch kept that they do not come in the form of Kitty Wilson-Evans, who sell the potatoes.” will tell stories, and share songs and games. The slaves’ holiday lasted around three or The cost is $4 general admission and $3 for four days, according to records, and was not kids. For info, call (803) 827-1473.