Among the Pines; or, South in Secession Time

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

22960

Title

Among the Pines; or, South in Secession Time

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in South Carolina during the secession crisis, this narrative exposes the moral decay of the slave system through the eyes of a Northern traveler. Blending social commentary with dramatic plantation life, it challenges pro-slavery myths by highlighting the humanity of enslaved people and the desperation of poor whites, offering a stark, anti-secession critique.

Summary up to 500 words

In 'Among the Pines; or, South in Secession Time,' James R. Gilmore presents a non-fictional account of life in South Carolina during the secession crisis. The narrative follows a Northern traveler who joins Colonel J--, a South Carolina planter, and his enslaved servant, Jim, on a journey from Charleston to a remote plantation. The text vividly documents the region's stark poverty and the militia's readiness for war, contrasting the state's immense wealth in cotton and rice with the enervated, shiftless nature of its white population. Gilmore argues that the South relies entirely on the strength of enslaved labor while its white citizens lack purpose and energy. The story delves into the brutal realities of slavery, featuring a violent confrontation where an overseer, Moye, is nearly lynched by enraged enslaved men. The situation is de-escalated by the Colonel's wife, an octoroon woman who advocates for mercy and intervenes to spare the overseer from death. Through letters from a loyal Unionist, Andy Jones, the narrative reveals personal tragedies, including the death of the Colonel and the threat of selling the Colonel's wife into slavery due to the lack of a will. Andy's correspondence highlights the deep loyalty of the wife and the moral courage required to defy the 'stockarchy' to save her. Gilmore asserts that these are factual records, not fiction, aiming to expose the 'naked ugliness' of the Southern system. He emphasizes the shared suffering of both enslaved people and poor whites, who are driven around and abused worse than brutes under a system that denies them education and freedom. The work serves as a stark indictment of the institution of slavery and the social decay it engenders, portraying a world where the true strength of the state lies in the backs of the enslaved, yet they are denied the rights of men.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• History
• Fiction
• War Stories