Chapter 14

           ThefirstyearofEpps’residenceonthebayou,1845,thecaterpillarsalmosttotallydestroyedthecottoncropthroughoutthatregion. Therewaslittletobedone,sothattheslaveswerenecessarilyidlehalfthetime. However,therecamearumortoBayouBœufthatwageswerehigh,andlaborersingreatdemandonthesugarplantationsinSt.Mary’sparish. ThisparishissituatedonthecoastoftheGulfofMexico,aboutonehundredandfortymilesfromAvoyelles. TheRioTeche,aconsiderablestream,flowsthroughSt.Mary’stothegulf. 

           Itwasdeterminedbytheplanters,onthereceiptofthisintelligence,tomakeupadroveofslavestobesentdowntoTuckapawinSt. Mary’s,forthepurposeofhiringthemoutinthecanefields. Accordingly,inthemonthofSeptember,therewereonehundredandforty-sevencollectedatHolmesville,Abram,Bobandmyselfamongthenumber. Oftheseaboutone-halfwerewomen. Epps,AlonsonPierce,HenryToler,andAddisonRoberts,werethewhitemen,selectedtoaccompany,andtakechargeofthedrove. Theyhadatwo-horsecarriageandtwosaddlehorsesfortheiruse. Alargewagon,drawnbyfourhorses,anddrivenbyJohn,aboybelongingtoMr.Roberts,carriedtheblanketsandprovisions. 

           About2o’clockintheafternoon,havingbeenfed,preparationsweremadetodepart. Thedutyassignedmewas,totakechargeoftheblanketsandprovisions,andseethatnonewerelostbytheway.