Anecdotes, Poetry, and Incidents of the Civil War¹

"When You Is About, We Is."

During the passage of the national troops through Missouri, in pursuit of General Price, a crowd of negroes came out from a large house to see them, when the following colloquy took place "Boys, are you all for the Union?" "Oh! yes, massa, when you's about we is." "And when Price comes, you are secesh, are you?" “Lor, yes, massa, we's good secesh then. Can't allow de white folks to git head niggers in dat way."