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“On April 11, 1863…”
Although informed by documentary evidence, the scene of how the enslaved people on the Alto plantation witnessed the arrest of Charles Mason—and learned of emancipation—is speculative, though something very much like it most certainly happened.
Letter from Maria Mason to Charles Mason Jr., May 22, 1865, held in the possession of Angus Lamond of Lynchburg, Virginia. Mr. Lamond is a descendant of the Mason family.
“…a company of foot soldiers…”
This letter is in particularly bad condition.
Letter from Maria Mason to Charles Mason Jr., May 22, 1865, held in the possession of Angus Lamond of Lynchburg, Virginia. Mr. Lamond is a descendant of the Mason family.
“…near the porch of the Mason home.”
“Recollections of the Civil War,” Nannie Brown Doherty, Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 11, 1961, pp. 3181-82.
“Black soldiers.”
Although there is no record of black soldiers present at the time of Charles Mason’s arrest, there is evidence that black soldiers were in and around this part of Virginia at the time.
There is no written record of Lorenzo and Anarcha speaking with anyone at this time, but this scene as I have imagined it is based on a few things that must have happened. Anarcha lived for seven years after emancipation—she learned of her freedom in some way, and knew that from then on her children would be born free people. It’s also likely that the enslaved people on the Alto plantation would have heard rumors of emancipation well before learning it unequivocally from a source they could trust. Last, it’s known that Lorenzo and Anarcha remained on the Alto land—very likely because Anarcha was incapable of a great deal of movement at this time, and for the remainder of her life.
“…son was fighting in the war.”
“Recollections of the Civil War,” Nannie Brown Doherty, Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 11, 1961, p. 3182.