Feb 1, 2018 Orange County Review
I have completed the first leg of the four-day journey from Orange County to Pointe Coupee Parish, La. If today is an example of what I can expect during the next three days, I have seriously miscalculated the time and my stamina.
Before I share the highlights of day number one, let me say unequivocally that I am not complaining and if you hear me utter anything that sounds remotely like a whine, you have my permission to take me into the backroom and slap me silly.
The distance covered today was an estimated 325 miles. Though I took older secondary roads that were winding and at times confusing and never afforded me the opportunity to get out of fourth gear and despite the time I took to stop to take photos and make notes, I made the trip in less than eight hours.
Had I not retraced my direction more than once to record a historic spot; stopped for lunch; stopped to interview a group of guys processing tobacco; had it not been raining; and had I stayed on the interstates, the time should have been about four to five hours.
To put the trip into perspective, in 1834 those who may have walked this very route or close to it would have required a minimum of 16 days. If it was seriously bad weather, unlike the drizzle I experienced from inside the comfort of my car,or had one of the travelers been ill or injured, all bets were off as to the speed of travel. Not to mention that they were most likely shackled together.
They would have had to cross more than one significant river. If the rivers had risen due to rains, a delay was likely or paying for a ferry, if one were available. On this route they would have crossed the Maury, the James and at least one branch of the Holston, plus several more creeks requiring wading, not hopping.
The terrain was never flat and often included mountains. Though there was no range as elevated as the Blue Ridge, it would have been a challenging effort. In a letter from James Madison to William Taylor, there is mention of a horse-drawn wagon that accompanied those being relocated to Louisiana. Presumably the wagon carried supplies, but it also had its liabilities. If the horse became lame or the wheels mired in a muddy road, the pace would be slowed or even brought to a stand-still.
No, I will not complain, I will only report. If the next three days leave me weary, I will be humbled and duly grateful for a warm and comfy bed out of the weather. And there is the hot meal and a cleansing shower before starting the next day!
The angst that befalls me in not knowing exactly where I am going or when I will arrive, cannot compare with the fear the uprooted individuals must have endured partnered only with a deep sadness at leaving family with no thought of ever seeing them again.
Me? I sent a text to my loved ones when I settled into my hotel room.
I do not pretend to replicate the horrific journey, but perhaps in some small way the exercise can raise awareness of the incredible suffering caused by this shameful trafficking in human beings. In so doing, we can honor these men and women for their resilience, courage and faith. Theirs is a legacy few of us have ever endured or overcome.
Check out the website at www.historyinvestigator.net for posts of photos and highlights. Don’t forget that you can sign up to receive all posts automatically. Be sure to verify your email.
Until next week, be well.
Zann Nelson is a researcher specializing in historical investigations. She’s on her way to Louisiana to research James Madison’s 1834 decision to sell 16 of his enslaved people to his cousin William Taylor who was purchasing individuals to labor in the sugar and cotton fields of Louisiana.
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