Adelbert Ames: From Gettysburg to Mississippi (Lecture)

Summary

The video script discusses the life and political career of Adelbert Ames, a Union Army officer who became the provisional governor of Mississippi during the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. Born in 1835 in Rockland, Maine, Ames was well-educated and attended West Point, where he excelled. He served with distinction in several major Civil War campaigns and was wounded in action, eventually receiving the Medal of Honor. After the war, Ames was involved in the military reconstruction of the South, where he faced significant challenges, including economic upheaval, social changes, and political tensions. His tenure as governor was marked by controversies, racial conflicts, and the imposition of high taxes that led to widespread land confiscation. Ames' administration was also marred by corruption allegations, though he himself was not implicated. The script explores the complexities of the era, touching on the roles of various political factions, including Carpetbaggers and Scalawags, and the difficult decisions faced by leaders in a racially divided society. Ames' own words defend his conscientious approach to governance in a challenging period of American history.

Takeaways

• 🧑‍🦳 Adelbert Ames was a refined and educated military officer from Rockland, Maine, who rose to prominence during the Civil War and played a significant role in the Reconstruction era, particularly in Mississippi.
• ✍️ The pronunciation of his name is 'Ad-DEL-bert', not 'ADD-el-bert', which was a common mispronunciation even by Ames himself.
• 🎓 Ames attended West Point Military Academy and graduated fifth out of forty-five in his class, which included future notable figures like Robert E. Lee.
• 🏆 He was wounded in the First Battle of Bull Run and later received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions during the battle.
• 📈 Ames held various military positions during the war, ultimately rising from first lieutenant to brigadier general in the regular army by the end of the Civil War.
• 🏛 Post-war, Ames served as the provisional governor of Mississippi during a tumultuous period of political and social change, known as the Reconstruction.
• 📉 The economic situation in Mississippi post-Civil War was dire, with a significant drop in property values and cotton production, leading to widespread upheaval.
• 🤝 Ames faced controversy in his role as governor, including disputes with the then-current governor, Benjamin G. Humphreys, and later with Lieutenant Governor Alexander K. Davis.
• 🗳️ Ames' tenure saw the implementation of policies aimed at integrating freed slaves into society, such as lowering the poll tax and allowing them to serve as jurors, which were significant steps towards equality.
• 🔍 Despite allegations of corruption and graft during his administration, Ames himself was never accused of embezzlement or personal financial misconduct.
• ⚖️ The political struggle in Mississippi during Ames' time was deeply rooted in racial tensions and the economic challenges faced by both white and black citizens, leading to a complex and divisive period in American history.

Q & A

What is the correct pronunciation of Adelbert Ames' name?

The correct pronunciation of Adelbert Ames' name is 'Ad-DEL-bert,' not 'ADD-el-bert.'

What significant event took place in Mississippi during the Reconstruction era?

During the Reconstruction era, Mississippi underwent a significant political and social transformation, including drafting a new state constitution that allowed former slaves to vote and disallowed most individuals associated with the Confederacy from holding office.

Why was Adelbert Ames sent to Mississippi during the Reconstruction period?

Adelbert Ames was sent to Mississippi to serve as the provisional governor and military commander of the fourth Military District. His main duties were to maintain peace and order and oversee the re-establishment of a new state government that would comply with the Reconstruction Acts.

What was the Black and Tan Convention?

The Black and Tan Convention was a derogatory term for the Mississippi Constitutional Convention, which was known for its extravagant spending and for drafting a constitution that guaranteed universal male suffrage but disbarred most individuals connected with the former Confederacy from holding office.

How did Adelbert Ames become a U.S. Senator?

Adelbert Ames was elected to the U.S. Senate by the Mississippi legislature in 1870, fulfilling an unfinished term from before the Civil War. However, his election certification was initially challenged because he, as the provisional military governor, had certified his own election.

What was the role of the Carpetbaggers in Mississippi during the Reconstruction?

Carpetbaggers, predominantly former Union army officers who moved south, played a significant role in the state and local government of Mississippi during the Reconstruction. They often held positions of power and were involved in various levels of graft and corruption.

What was the significance of Hiram Revels' election to the U.S. Senate?

Hiram Revels' election to the U.S. Senate was significant because he became the first black man to serve in the United States Senate, taking the place of the unexpired term of Jefferson Davis.

What was the 'Mississippi Plan' and how did it impact the state's government?

The 'Mississippi Plan' was a strategy implemented by white Democrats to regain control of the state government. It involved the use of armed vigilante groups like the Red Shirts to intimidate and prevent both white and black Republicans from voting, leading to a shift in the political power in the state.

Why did Adelbert Ames face impeachment charges during his tenure as governor?

Adelbert Ames faced impeachment charges due to his alleged responsibility for the Vicksburg riots and for making illegal judicial appointments when the Senate was out of session. However, the charges were dropped, and Ames agreed to resign in exchange.

What was the impact of the high taxes and taxation policies on Mississippi during Adelbert Ames' administration?

The high taxes and taxation policies, including increased millage rates and poll taxes, led to a significant amount of land confiscation as property owners could not afford to pay. This resulted in a white taxpayer revolt and contributed to the political unrest during Ames' administration.

How did Adelbert Ames defend his legacy regarding his time in Mississippi?

Ames defended his legacy by stating that he acted conscientiously to the best of his ability. He claimed not to have saddled the state with debt from railroads and other enterprises as seen in other states, and he believed he appointed the best men available for office at the time.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introduction to Adelbert Ames and Reconstruction Era

The video script introduces Adelbert Ames, focusing on the period from 1865 to 1875, particularly his role in the Reconstruction Era. It clarifies the pronunciation of his name and outlines his refined upbringing, education at West Point, and his performance in the Civil War, including his leadership and bravery at the Battle of Bull Run, which earned him the Medal of Honor.

05:00

🏺 Military Career and Post-War Service

This paragraph delves into Ames' military career, highlighting his service during significant Civil War battles, his leadership of the 20th Maine, and his promotion to brigadier general. It also discusses his post-war assignments, including operations in the Atlantic seaboard, Florida, and Virginia, and his key role in the capture of Fort Fisher. Ames' rise from first lieutenant to brigadier general in four years is emphasized, showcasing his distinguished war record.

10:00

🌎 Post-War Travels and Entry into Reconstruction

After the war, Ames traveled extensively through Europe before resuming his military career in the United States. He was assigned to the fourth Military District of Mississippi and Arkansas, where he entered the complex world of Reconstruction. The economic, social, and political upheaval in Mississippi is outlined, including the state's significant drop in property value, changes in social order due to freed slaves, and the contentious politics of the era.

15:03

🤝 The Politics of Reconstruction

The paragraph discusses the political dynamics of the Reconstruction period, including the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the veto and override by Congress, and the contentious relationship between President Johnson and Congress. It also covers the Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, and 15th) and the establishment of military districts in the South, leading to Ames' involvement in the reformation of Mississippi's government.

20:09

📜 Mississippi's New Constitution and Political Composition

Ames' involvement in Mississippi's political restructuring is detailed, including the drafting of a new state constitution that allowed for readmittance to the Union. The convention, known as the Black and Tan Convention, is highlighted, along with the political makeup of the convention and the state's new constitution, which guaranteed universal male suffrage but disbarred many former Confederates from holding office.

25:11

🛡️ Military Force in Politics

This section narrates the extraordinary event where Ames, as a military officer, assumed the governorship of Mississippi, displacing the civilian governor, B.G. Humphreys. It describes the tension between military and civilian governance and Ames' subsequent role in maintaining peace, overseeing new state government compliance with Reconstruction Acts, and dealing with voter rejection of the new state constitution.

30:13

🤔 The Challenge of Rebuilding a Government

The paragraph addresses the challenges Ames faced in restructuring Mississippi's government, including the removal and appointment of numerous officials. It discusses the difficulty of finding competent and ethical individuals to fill government positions, the reliance on recommendations, and the rise of carpetbaggers' influence, which led to corruption and fraudulent elections.

35:18

🗳️ Election of Hiram Revels and Political Milestones

Ames' efforts to include freed slaves in the political process are highlighted, including lowering the poll tax and allowing them to serve as jurors. The election of Hiram Revels to the U.S. Senate is noted, marking a significant social revolution. Revels' background and the political challenges Ames faced in his own Senate election are also discussed.

40:22

🏛️ Political Conflict and Taxation Issues

The paragraph covers the political conflict between Ames and Senator James L. Alcorn, leading to both running for governor. It details the economic challenges faced by Mississippi, including high taxation and the confiscation of land due to inability to pay taxes. Ames' efforts to lower the millage rate and his administration's struggles with corruption and graft are also mentioned.

45:22

🛂 The Vicksburg Riots and Aftermath

The narrative describes the Vicksburg riots, triggered by racial and taxation issues, and Ames' difficult position as governor. It outlines the violent conflict between white and black militias and the eventual federal intervention. Ames is criticized for his handling of the situation, and the rise of the Mississippi Plan by white Democrats to regain control of the state government is discussed.

50:26

⚖️ Impeachment and Legacy

The final paragraph covers Ames' impeachment charges, his agreement to resign, and his eventual long life that allowed him to defend his legacy. Ames' own words are shared, reflecting on his administration in Mississippi, the challenges of appointing the best available men, and the broader questions of right and wrong in the complex political and social landscape of the time.

Keywords

💡Adelbert Ames

Adelbert Ames was a Union Army officer and politician who played a significant role during the American Civil War and Reconstruction era. He is a central figure in the video, illustrating the challenges faced by military figures in political roles post-war. Ames' name is pronounced 'Ad-DEL-bert,' which is a point of clarification in the script, highlighting the meticulous nature of historical accounts.

💡Reconstruction

Reconstruction refers to the period after the Civil War during which the Southern states, devastated by the war, were to be reintegrated into the Union. It is a key theme in the video, focusing on the years from 1865 to 1875, and the political, social, and economic upheaval during this time. Ames' involvement in Mississippi during Reconstruction exemplifies the complexities and controversies of this era.

💡Carpetbaggers

Carpetbaggers were Northerners who moved to the South after the Civil War, often to take advantage of the political and economic opportunities presented by Reconstruction. In the video, they are portrayed as one of the factions that contributed to the political strife in Mississippi, with Ames having to rely on their support and recommendations for government appointments.

💡Scalawags

Scalawags were white Southerners who supported the Republican party during the Reconstruction era, often opposing the conservative white Southerners. The term is used in the video to describe a group of Southerners who joined the Republican party, contrasting with the Carpetbaggers and highlighting the factionalism within the post-war South.

💡Black Codes

Black Codes were laws passed by Southern states after the Civil War to regulate the behavior and labor of freed slaves. The video discusses the controversy surrounding these laws, which were seen by Northern politicians as an attempt to continue oppressive practices against freedmen under a different name.

💡Impeachment

Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body brings charges against a high official of government for crimes or misdemeanors. In the context of the video, Ames faced impeachment charges from the Mississippi legislature, which led to an agreement for him to resign, showcasing the political turmoil of the period.

💡Red Shirts

The Red Shirts were an armed group of vigilantes in Mississippi during the late 19th century, associated with the Democratic party. They used economic and political pressure to suppress black and white Republican voters, contributing to the unrest and violence that characterized the period, as described in the video.

💡Vicksburg Riots

The Vicksburg Riots refer to a violent conflict that occurred in Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1874. The riots were sparked by racial tensions and disputes over taxation, leading to the death of 29 black freedmen and two whites. The event is highlighted in the video as a significant moment that contributed to the political instability and unrest during Ames' tenure.

💡Freedmen

Freedmen were former slaves who were emancipated during or after the Civil War. The video discusses the challenges faced by freedmen in the post-war South, including their newfound political rights and the social and economic obstacles they encountered, such as the inability to find competent and ethical leaders to represent them in the reconstructed governments.

💡Iron-Clad Oath

The Iron-Clad Oath was a pledge required by the Reconstruction Acts, which Southern politicians had to take to regain their seats in Congress. It was a declaration of loyalty to the Union and a denial of past insurrection against the United States. The oath is mentioned in the video as a stipulation that further divided the post-war political landscape.

💡Hiram Revels

Hiram Revels was a former enslaved person who became the first African American to serve in the United States Senate, representing Mississippi. His election, as discussed in the video, was a significant milestone during the Reconstruction era, symbolizing the political empowerment of the freedmen and the broader social changes of the time.

Highlights

Adelbert Ames, born in Rockland, Maine in 1835, had a refined upbringing and was well-educated, attending the West Point Military Academy.

Ames rose to prominence during the Civil War, showing bravery and leadership in battles such as the First Battle of Bull Run and receiving the Medal of Honor.

Post-war, Ames held various military and political roles, including commanding the 20th Maine and serving on George Meade's staff during the Battle of Chancellorsville.

Ames' leadership was marked by his promotion to brigadier general at the age of 27, having distinguished himself in several major campaigns and battles.

The era of Reconstruction saw Ames become the provisional governor of Mississippi, where he faced significant challenges in establishing a new state government.

Mississippi faced an economic collapse post-war, with property values and cotton production drastically reduced, leading to social and political upheaval.

Ames' tenure was fraught with racial and political tension, as he navigated the complex landscape of the Reconstruction Amendments and the struggle for civil rights.

Ames' administration was marked by efforts to include freedmen in the political process, although met with resistance and controversy.

The so-called 'Black and Tan' Constitutional Convention in Mississippi resulted in a state constitution that guaranteed universal male suffrage but barred many former Confederates from office.

Ames' governorship was unique, being a military officer serving as governor over a civilian government, a situation almost unprecedented in American history.

Ames wielded significant patronage power, appointing numerous officials in an attempt to restructure the government with 'loyal men', which led to corruption and persecution.

The election of Hiram Revels to the U.S. Senate, following Ames' own election, marked a significant moment in American history as a symbol of progress for former slaves.

Ames faced considerable opposition in the Senate due to the manner in which his election was certified, leading to a delayed seating and ongoing questions about his legitimacy.

Ames' time in Mississippi was further complicated by the rise of the 'Mississippi Plan', which used intimidation and violence to suppress black voting.

The Vicksburg riots of 1874 were a pivotal moment that highlighted the racial and economic tensions of the Reconstruction period, with Ames caught in the middle.

Ames' impeachment and subsequent resignation from the governorship of Mississippi came after a period of intense political and social strife.

Ames' legacy is one of controversy and complexity, with his long life allowing him to defend his actions and decisions in Mississippi well into the 20th century.

Transcripts

We're going to talk about

Adelbert Ames today

and this is my title slide so. I was trying to put words on it and either I

could tattoo it on his forehead

or I could blend it in his collar. so you don't get any words but that's the title

slide and that is Adelbert Ames. to cut off this question which I've had a

couple of times already. It's Ad-DEL-bert and I don't know if you're like me

but I always said ADD-el-bert. If I don't watch myself I'll say it again because ADD-el-bert, I I

don't know it just looks like ADD-el-bert to southerners but it's ad-DEL-bert.

we're gonna be talking about Ames and it's not really I don't think I'm

surprising anybody but it's not really a military study. I'll gloss over everything

thats going out there.

I feel like - you remember those old truck stop motels we could put a quarter

in the bed? [Crowd laughter]

So it's not a military study. basically the years from 1865 to 1875 is what we will be

focusing on.1876. and to show you what they did in the post-war years and of

course to link it to my home state of Mississippi which obviously has a key

connection with me. I'm

interested in the subject and I needed something on Reconstruction. now to begin with

Adelbert is born in Rockland Maine in October of 1835. well you do the math on

that - how old he's going to be when the Civil War breaks out.

his youth was spent surrounded by stories of the founding fathers and

debates on politics and his father, if you could get a better father or a better

living for a father was a merchant captain and his father circumvented the globe

numerous times. before his father's death

Adelbert accompanied is his dad on several occasions visiting various

foreign ports and furthering his studies in the meantime. the one thing

that I get about Adlebert Ames as I go through his bio right here is he's

refined.He's classy. he's a you know he's a he's a gentleman in the first sense of the

word. really educated. in 1855 Ames is going to enter West Point Military

Academy and the superintendent at that time was an officer by the name of Robert

E Lee. Ames did well at West Point he would. he's well-prepared for it.

He went through five years of training at the Point.

one of my coworkers was asking me why he did five years at the Point. now I don't

really have an answer for that.

By the second yearof his five years he stood forth in his class. by his fifth year he stood fifth

out of a class of forty five in general merit - overall category. Ames

stood at roughly six feet in height, his hair was dark brown, his eyes hazel brown - much

which like some people's spouses. now with war impending Ames was assigned to the

5th US Artillery known as the West Point Light Artillery. it was commanded

by Ames' friend Charles Griffin. now action came soon enough in the First Battle of

Bull Run July of 1861. Ames found his battery getting all the adventure

they wanted on top of Henry Hill which is the main portion of the battlefield.

in the midst of the fighting Ames is gonna receive a wound in the thigh and

he will refuse to relinquish the field his soldiers will take him and

prop him up on a limber or a caisson and he will continue to direct the fire of the

battery from that limber right there. can you imagine? Ames stayed so long that the

loss of blood eventually made him faint. I'm sure that was hard to tie off - a thigh wound. he would

posthumously, after the war, won the Medal of Honor for this action. so later

on in this slide program when you think you see an MOH on him that is one.

Now Ames returned from his wound in time to serve during the Seven Days battle, that's

around Richmond, and he was breveted to lieutenant colonel of volunteers for

gallantry at Malvern Hill. Ames wanted higher rank though and after

politicking in Maine for a slot, he received command the 20th Maine in

August of 1862. as commander of the 20th Maine he was at Antietam

but luckily his group his regiment did not see much action during the battle.

although Chamberlain

gets all the attention it was actually Ames who led the 20th Maine during one

of the charges at Fredericksburg. was that Gods and Generals where they cover Fredericksburg?

After Fredericksburg Ames went on a temporary detail to the staff

of George Meade. it was in this capacity that Ames served at the Battle of

Chancellorsville and probably because of this connection with Meade, Ames

received promotion of brigadier general of volunteers. It's all who you know. he's 27 years

old he gets his first star. his new Brigade though was not with Meade in the

fifth corps. it was in the eleventh Corps under general O.O. Howard. Oliver Otis Howard,

Francis Barlow's division, of course Ames brigade. and everybody knows the story

for one reason or another -

which is not really the focus of this talk - ole Francis decided to take his

division out in front of the rest of the Union line and well you can judge by the

map what happened next

right there. those georgians hot right on them and scatter Barlow's division. Ames

is gonna be part of that. in the midst of the retreat Barlow was wounded and Ames

assumed command of the division they retreated back to Cemetery Hill after

suffering much loss. and the next day

suffer further on July 2 when Ames' division holding Cemetery Hill were

attacked by the Louisianans and the North Carolinians in nighttime fighting. the

line broke again. you can only imagine what Ames was going through his mind at

that time now being the division commander. But his line broke again the Union

Army had to scratch and claw to retake the position. I now have in my notes

"reflection on Ames at Gettysburg."

yep.That's what I think about that. now in August Ames was transferred to the Atlantic

seaboard and there he commanded another brigade with Quincy Gilmore's forces in

the attempt to take Charleston. from there he went to Florida briefly before

returning to Virginia - This will test your Civil War knowledge - as part of Ben Butler's

Army of the James - there's a picture most of you've never seen - and the newly formed

Corps. Ames is right there. Ames served in William F. Smith forces

outside Richmond in what is commonly known as the Bermuda Hundred campaign

and part of the siege against Forts Harrison and Gillmore. I believe those

forts are now part of Richmond Battlefield. in January of sixty-five

Ames was ordered to Wilmington, North Carolina and the impending assault on

Fort Fisher. arguably this is Ames' most important leading role in the

war on January 15th his division attacks the fort after heavy

casualties and much hand-to-hand fighting captures the place. as a result of his

actions he received a brevet promotion - this is at the end of the war - he received a

brevet promotion to major general of volunteers and a full promotion to

brigadier general in the regular army. volunteer ranks not too good to have

if there's not a war going on. they can get rid of you very easily. so to come

out of the war with one star in the regular army is not bad. Ames ended the

war having risen from first lieutenant in the regular army to a brigadier

general in four years. he was 29 years old in 1865. his war record included

seven major campaigns

16 battles in that and skirmishes and a record that's really not that bad.

obviously a brave man. in the postwar years Ames initially went to South

Carolina but in 1866 took a leave of absence to travel abroad he visited

Germany Austria Switzerland France and England if that wasn't enough he went on

to Italy and back to Scotland and Ireland. in other words, I envy him. He just took a

leave of absence and traveled around. I get the sense - well I don't know how much -

I get the sense though his family - he came from money. in 1867 Ames returned to

the USA and resumed his Army career as a lieutenant colonel in the 24th US

regiment. just because you have a star doesn't mean they have a slot for you so

he had to take a lieutenant colonelcy and orders soon came for him report to

the fourth Military District of Mississippi and Arkansas under General

E.O.C. Ord. Ames entered a completely different world at this point. this world

was the era in American history called Reconstruction now let's back up a

little before Ames gets there. look at the situation that he enters in Mississippi.

I want you to think about these numbers right here and if this happened in your area.

like every other southern state Mississippi faced an economic,

social, and political system in upheaval. in the war's aftermath economically the

state was devastated in 1860 the personal value of property including

slaves was 352 million dollars. in 1870 ten years later

property was valued at 59 million .the value of real estate drop from a hundred

and fifty seven million to a hundred and eighteen million and cotton production went

from 1.2 million bales in 1860 to 1870 when it was about half of that at five hundred

and sixty-five thousand. There's your economy. socially several million

slaves across the South are now freedmen and the social order had been turned

upside down I think that's obvious.now Republicans, the Republican, party wanted

these freedmen to vote Republican and all the southern whites wanted them to

vote Democrat you see what's coming

you get two sides that are coming up and it's going to boil down

to race a lot of this is going to boil down to a black-and-white question but

it all derives out of politics and the machinations that are going to be coming

forth as you'll see. now politically the state government had been

reconstituted under the proclamation of President Andrew Johnson. This is in 1865, 1866.

Johnson appoints William Sharkey as provisional governor and the state

constitutional convention repeal the ordinance of secession and ratified the

Thirteenth Amendment. however they also, the legislature, also passed Black Codes

quote-unquote which basically replaced the word slave in the old laws with

freedmen in the new one. now these laws are never enacted and never put into

effect at least that's what I'm reading in Mississippi. it

could have been in other places in the South but that's not really the point.

the point is it went over very badly in the North to have these Black Codes even

being voted upon in the South because the Northern politicians especially the

Radical Republicans the ones that really want to tighten the screws down on the

South are not liking the way that these blacks are being treated and they want

to help them as best they can of course they also want them to vote Republican

so that's what you get. you make them indebted to you. these type of actions across

the South led the U S Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1866 President

Johnson

a political cartoon President Johnson vetoed the bill and congress being

majority Republican overrode it. Congress even went a step further and refused to

see any of the newly elected legislative members from the southern states so in

other words they had a vote across the South they elected these people a lot of

ex-Confederates, some of them ex-Confederates, and they sent them back to Congress and then

they weren't recognized they weren't given a seat which is you know got

under a lot of people skins. All this was the start, all this stuff was the

start of a contentious relationship between the executive and the

legislative branch with Johnson favoring a more modern reconstruction plan and

Congress favoring a more radical one. Republicans in congress able to override

Johnson's vetoes this historical period became known as "radical reconstruction."

from 1865 to 1870 there are three amendments passed that everybody in here

is familiar with the 13th 14th and 15th amendment. They have been called the

Reconstruction Amendments. The amendments were directed at ending slavery and

providing full citizenship to Freedmen. northern

Congressmen believe that providing black man with the right to vote would be the

most rapid means of political education and training. now partly because -

I don't know if we could get an amendment passed

again today. I can't think of a subject you get one passed. That's how high the bar is now

to get an amendment to modify the Constitution. now partly because the

southern states refused to ratify the 14th Amendment Congress is

going to pass the Reconstruction Acts which divided the South into five

military districts. states were required to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment and

draft a new constitution. They had to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment, most of them had ratified the

Thirteenth Amendment but not all of them, they had to ratify it, and they had to

draft a new constitution which guaranteed the former slaves their

rights. How do you think this is going to go over? so since they wouldn't do it, military

rule is going to take over civilian governance and this is how Ames is going

to get involved here. under the protection of Federal soldiers delegates

convened in Jackson to write a new state constitution that would allow

Mississippi to be readmitted to the Union. now I don't know - I'll take an aside ,I'll

come back to that in just a minute and I'm probably should

have done this earlier - this whole time period that we're going into as I said

alluded to a little bit earlier is a black and white period. I mean it's

divided by race. it's black and white. and of course that makes me nervous to be

honest to be talking about it because there's nothing good that can ever come

out of me talking about it right? because I can't please everybody. I have gone out

of my way - I'm not going to talk about everything because I can't talk about

everything but I've gone out of my way to make both sides look equally bad

and that is as fair as I can be so I hope to hit down the middle right there because

neither side is looking too good at times right here. now Mississippi is drafting

this constitution and one hundred delegates were authorized for the

convention. now Mississippi contains 61 counties at this time with 32 of those

counties being of a black majority in population these 32 counties were given

seventy of the hundred delegates while the 29 majority white counties were

given 30 delegates however it is the first time on the other end of it -

spectrum - it is the first time that black people have participated as a political

body in the state of Mississippi so historic moment to say the least but

obviously they've skewered - its not democratic to say the least. Of the 85 delegates

there were eventually seated 17 will be black 19 will be conservative that will

be the old line of white Southerners, 29 will be Native Republicans - Native Republicans

meaning they will be southern people that will

join the Republican party otherwise known as scallywags. remember gone with the

wind?

scallywags! Scallywags - I use these terms it because they used them back then

but I'll use these terms and frequently - a scallywag is a southerner who turns -

a white settler - who turned his back on the white people. that's what they refer

to them as - a scallywag. that's a term from the era.

and there were some twenty-odd carpetbaggers there too. What is a

carpetbagger? A northerner who moves south. ok what is the only thing that a

texan fears? A yankee with a UHaul! I got this cold. it's really hard to do jokes with

ya'll today. I'll do my best. so we got these carpetbaggers coming down. Now most of

these carpetbaggers ironically were former Union army officers looking for a

new living. the Constitutional Convention became

derogatoryaly known as the Black and Tan Convention. despite much extravagant

spending on the convention. what do I mean by that? they ran up the

bill they ran up the tab when they didn't need to. the constitution that

they did produce guaranteed universal male suffrage. on the other hand it and

this is key to understanding whats going to come here -the

Constitution disbarred almost everybody connected with the former Confederacy

from holding office. why do you think they did that? Because who was't in the

Confederate Army? see how the two sides are being juxtaposed against each other?

You can't blame it on

everybody but you got so many people pulling different factions in

different directions all for their own self-centered purpose.

whites blacks Republicans Democrats northerners southerners. all of

that in this bowl being mixed up. we'll see how it comes out. it was in this

state of affairs that Adelbert Ames - that's pretty blue isn't it -

later Adelbert Ames is gonna come to Mississippi. he will take over in 1868 as

provisional governor of the state but even his first steps started with

controversy. Can you imagine! I mean look - Ames aside - take a look at the picture! 1868

three years after the Civil War and they put who in charge!

You ever put salt on the slug? nothing good can come out of that. Don't ever think it wasn't intentional.

upon his arrival he was ordered to assume the governorship

from the civilian governor the duly elected governor by the name of Benjamin

G. Humphreys.

Why do we know Benjamin G. Humphreys

he took over for Barksdale. right? here the battlefield. I wish you could be right

here standing on this podium with me like now you see all the light bulbs

going off.

How's the audio? Audio coming through there Caitlin? 21st Mississippi right? he

chases the 9th Massachusetts battery all the way back to the Trostle farm right

there. Mr.Eric Campbell. Every time I think about the ninth Massachusetts battery I

think of Eric Campbell. anyway, B.G. Humphries, ole Confederate general is now the governor.

this presented a problem because Humphries does not recognize Adelbert

Ames as the governor and Adelbert Ames has been sent by the government in

Washington to assume the governorship so this presented a problem for Humphries

and he wired President Johnson for his opinion. Humphries after he received the

response from the Present, Humphries then told Ames that he wasn't leaving. quote "I

must therefore" Humphries replied, "in view of my duty to the constitutional rights

of the people of Mississippi and the disapproval of the President refuse to

vacate the office of Governor or surrender the archives and public

property until a legally qualified successor under the constitution of

mississippi is appointed." Think he's a lawyer? after much correspondence which drug

on for several weeks,

Ames finally positioned two guards outside the governor's office in the old capital.

The ole capital still stands - one of the few buildings that survived several

visits by Sherman. there's a new capital. the governor's office is

still there.there's a lot that happens in the

governor's office but they don't even advertise it but every time I go into the

capital in Mississippi I think of this scene right here that occurred because I

don't know if it's ever happened like this before or since in American

political history.

Ames just decided to quit bickering with Humphries and he positioned two guards

outside

of the governor's office. well eventually Humphries had to come out of there. you

know it's not like he had his own kitchen in there, or a bed

or a bathroom and so he had to come out and when he exited the building -

excuse me - exited the office and went wherever he had to go and he came back

the soldiers crossed the bayonets across the door and would not allow him back in

the governor's office and that's how you remove a governor through military force.

some might argue it was a coup. Humphries would argue it is a coup. now it's

still not over though because Humphries is still in the mansion and he didn't appeared to be

wanting to leave their either. Ames had the awkward task of moving in with

Humphries.

I think he told Humphries he could take the upstairs, he'd the downstairs. when Ames

eventually asked Humphries to vacate Humphries infomred Ames that the

mansion was built by the taxpayers of the state and he was the duly elected

constitutional governor therefore he declined to vacate until a legally

qualified successor could take his place. on July 10th 1868 Ames' patience ended,

addressing a letter to general / governor Humphries. he stated quote "you

entirely ignore the Reconstruction Acts" - I love when they get petty in these

formal terms - "you entirely ignore the Reconstruction Acts and the

action taken by those empowered to act upon them. I recognize no other

authority. the feeling entertained not only by me but by others not to cause

you any personal inconvenience has through your own action ceased to exist."

Ames then had a guard remove Humphries' belongings from the mansion and the

governor and his family were marched out of the mansion between a file of guards

and thus Ames officially became the provisional governor of the state of

Mississippi at age 33. so you have this thing, if you're not picking up on it, you

have a military officer he still got his commission he still active military - I'll show you his

governors portrait in just a second - you've got a military officer serving as

governor appointed by Washington over a civil government. have you ever heard of

such a thing? now Ames' main job - there's his governors portrait. I think

that's kept in a broom closet. I

was joking there's other governors they've stuck in the broom closet.

Bilbo would be up there I bet.

Ames main duties were to maintain peace and order and second to

oversee the re-establishment of a new state government. In other words Ames

is supposed to keep the machine running and make sure that the government -

they are able to form a government - which will comply with the

Reconstruction Acts. the voters though had other ideas and instantly threw him

the first curve ball when they rejected the new state constitution drafted by

the quote-unquote "black and tan convention" which I talked about earlier.

voter fraud and intimidation was alleged but it's hard to separate fact from

fiction as to what exactly happened.

For his own slef, Ames thought that mississippians had rejected the

Constitution because blacks were given the right to vote and most former

Confederates were disenfranchised. that was his opinion. nevertheless Mississippi

had not complied with the requirements for readmission and Mississippi became,

along with Texas and Virginia, the "last unreconstructed States." upon Ulysses

S. Grant's election as President, Ames was now appointed, in addition to being

governor, as the new military commander the fourth Military District.

Congress now stipulated that all officeholders in Mississippi had to take

the "iron-clad oath of allegiance" or be removed from office.

Ames was given free rein to appoint who he chose to every position and

"loyal men" at that. I want you to think about these statistics I'm

about to give you and one person having this much power at 33. Ames

removed and appointed 60 sheriffs, 72 circuit and probate clerks, 60 county

assessors,

50 mayors, 220 alderman, 385

justices of the peace,

165 constables, 370 members of the

board of Police, 40 coroners, 20 surveyors 25 city marshals ,and more than

300 election registrars and even such minor officials as school Commissioner,

city collector, superintendents of the poor, etc.

can you imagine having that much patronage power in a little state like

that? the problem though with reconstituting the government is where

do you find competent people to step in there that are going to be ethical and

competent? where do you find those? because all of the white southerners are what?

they're not gonna take it. they won't take the oath. and all the blacks they've

received no education - for generations have received no education so who does

that leave you? that leaves you a lot of white northerners who come in and blacks.

they put blacks in there also. now he had to rely on the recommendation of

others for so many appointments and in many instances I think he was deceived

in this ladies and gentleman though for better or worse is how the carpetbaggers

gain power over the state and local government which eventually led to graft

and corruption which in turn resulted in persecution, fraudulent elections and

finally elections. now before I go to carpetbaggers I might point out right

here

a lot of you have heard me refer to it right there ladies and gentlemen is Houston,

Mississippi. ok now when my mother went into labor they had to drive - to show you I have

always been connected to the National Park Service -

my mother and father had to drive the Natchez Trace at eighty miles an hour,

some say a hundred,

that's because - I was the first child - my mother sat up all night reading

a book trying to figure out if she was in labor or not. so when the Sun came up her

mother-in-law my father's mother told her for goodness sake go to the hospital

so to be connected with the Park Service they got on the Natchez Trace Parkway

and did a hundred miles an hour all the way up to Tupelo where I was born on April 27 1971.

this is also the place where we used to - Houston is still a small town all the

people used to go up to Tupelo for your Friday and Saturday nights - that's where you used to

to take your dates and so forth. And on the Natchez Trace I actually had a date get so

mad at me that she got out of the car on the Natchez Trace and I said to her as I stood

beside the door she was walking down the parkway I said I don't think you have

anywhere to go. she eventually got back in the car and we

had a lovely evening.

For Okolona and the rest of Chickasaw County, I refer you to the Nathan Bedford Forrest

lecture. I think it has more stories on there. ok so what's this right here? Carpetbag.

What's this right here? Carpetbagger.

oh yes look at him! now does anybody know who , and I don't know why this is, but does anybody know who that is?

Audience member: Carl Shurz. Was he here? Audience member: oh yes. He became - I'm looking through all

these political cartoons and I am not really looking for political cartoons but I put

in like subject in the into Google and I search for images and Carl Schurz

comes up as a symbol time and again of carpetbaggers and I guess I think he was

in charge of the Freedmen throughout the South, not Mississippi. and he became I guess

that symbol right there

I'm sure he didn't like the likeness. now Ames also had the issue back

in Mississippi of the freed slaves to deal with. now Ames lowered

the poll tax to include more people. he also declared Freedmen competent to

stand as jurors in the state which was a huge deal, this was a big step,

a big dea, andl it was due to Ames' convictions that it was done.

Thomas Nast political cartoon there. due to Ames overseeing a statewide election

in 1869 the Mississippi legislature convened for the first time since the

rule of Radical Reconstruction began in 1869 and nothing to find the social

revolution that was happening more than the Legislature's composition that

year. some of the former richest counties in Mississippi were now represented by

former slaves and the Speaker of the House was from New York. they quickly

ratified the 14th and 15th Amendment.

Events quickly followed. in 1870 as was the custom at the time - I didn't know

this until researching this - the state legislature back then elected the

Senators. Did you know that? [mumbling from audience]

pay close attention to this if you can read the writing up there - I know it's

not the clearest shot - but read real quickly of what that actual document is

right there because it's going to go in. this is the document certifying

Adelbert Ames down here the governor of Mississippi that Hiram Revels has

been elected to the Senate. he's certifying the election. keep that in mind because I

couldn't find the copy that I really needed but the document that I will refer to in

just a second had to look exactly like this. now Hiram Revels at that time is elected

to the US Senate along with Adlebert Ames by the legislature in 1870.

they were fulfilling unfinished terms from prior

to the Civil War. their terms began on February 24, 1870. Hiram revels is an

interesting character. he first came to Mississippi as a chaplain of a black

regiment USCT in 1866 he moved in Natchez and helped set up free schools

across the state. he became the first black man to serve in the United States

Senate also taking the place of the unexpired term of Jefferson Davis.

now legend has it I've never been able to pin down but reportedly Senator

Davis told one of his colleagues when he left the Senate that if Mississippi ever

returned a representative to the United States Senate that it would be a black

man. and so that was prophetic there. Thomas Nast - it's a very good likeness of

Hiram Revels and I think that is Schurz. now ironically Ames

experienced, not Revels, Ames experienced more trouble getting seated in the

Senate then Hiram Revels. as provisional military governor of Mississippi

Ames certified his own election to the Senate and guess what?

in parliamentary things the Senate somebody quickly raised an objection that

Ames could not certify his own election. and so here we go. you can imagine I've

never understood all the inner workings of the Senate. they can pull out some

arcane rules. but it took several weeks for Ames to get seated in

the Senate. Nevertheless, throughout his Senate tenure, Ames was still played

despite being seeded by charges that he was

never duly elected to the Senate. it was a mistake by Adelbert to nominate

himself to be the Senator. he should have known better. I guess

his ego got the better of him. with the influence he exercised over the

legislature the fact he owned no real property in the state he paid no taxes

and held no allegiance to the people of Mississippi it made him a very poor

choice to be Senator. but eventually this was worked out and Ames was

admitted to the Senate. he became known, despite not

starting, this way he became known as a good speaker and a debater. to back up a

little bit though while he waited to be seated he occupied himself by wisely

courting the daughter of Benjamin Butler. Ya'll familiar with Benjamin Butler? I can't

believe that! She's pretty. you know the thing they actually - I couldn't find a

a copy - but in one of the books that I was researching here, one of the

newspaper correspondents you know how they used to sketch things as they were

happening, the newspaper correspondent was sitting in the galleries of the

the Andrew Johnson impeachment trial and he was sitting across the aisle and he

actually sketched Ames and Blanche Butler courting, talking to each other. you know

she was sitting in the pew in front,

and she was turned around talking to him. that was the first time

they had met and she made such a direct impact on Adelbert Ames -

impression is a better word - that he never forgot her and he would come back

to Washington as much as he could so that might have something to

do with him wanting to be in the Senate. might not have been about power

after all. they were married in 1871 and they would eventually have six

children together. with the expiration of Hiram Revels' term, James L. Alcorn is

going to take his seat. now Alcorn is an interesting figure he's going to take a

seat beside Ames. he's a native Mississippian. he served briefly in the Confederate

Army before returning home and he lost two boys to the war fighting for the

Confederacy including one that came home

partially a deaf and a drunk.

He probably needed counciling. On his grave, Alcorn, James L. Alcorn would

write the following epitaph, "that he died from the insane war of the

rebellion." probably his son died of PTSD. war drove him insane. he committed suicide

in 1879. Alcorn said he never was the same after the war.

despite being a Mississippian, Senator Alcorn became a scallywag, quickly joined

in the Republican ranks, and after serving as governor from 1869 to 1871

was elected to the Senate. Alcorn though becomes the leader of the moderate

faction of the Mississippi Republicans while Ames becomes the head of the more

radical faction. despite being on the same team, the two were gonna clash often

in the Senate so much so that both men decided to run for governor of

Mississippi in 1872. Ames was supported by African-Americans and the

Carpetbaggers while Alcorn was supported by conservative whites and the

scallywags. Ames won handedly by a vote of 69,872 to 50,490.

With Ames' election the Republican led legislature in

Mississippi promptly raised the millage rate - how many of you are getting ready

for your taxes right now? the legislature, not Ames, the legislature promptly raised

the millage rate to 14 mills. my home county of Chickasaw where Houston is had

a county millage rate of 20. this act basically meant confiscation to say the

least. I mean you can't pay it so if you've got somebody, if you want wealth

redistribution, how do you do that? you can't legally go and take somebody's

property. As long as they pay the taxes you can't do that. so what

do you do?

jack the taxes up so far that these planters who own 1,000, 2,000 acres, these

big planters, they can't hold it anymore because they can't afford it. how

many of you thought about that when you bought your house? do I want all this

land? do I want to pay taxes on this land right here? also interesting to note is

you look at the years right here - you got South Carolina, you got Mississippi, you got

the years running down through here, you can see how they go up directly until

Ames is elected governor, and then you will see that they start to drop back down

as soon as Ames can get them back down. but you can basically double all those

mill rates when you put in the local taxes. now in addition to that the poll

tax was increased from $2 to $6 and white employers were made responsible

for paying for their black laborers. cotton was taxed at $10 a bail and the

money had to go to the Freedmen's bank. the legislature even imposed a 1%

tax on travel. how they ever collected that I don't know. the property owner

simply couldn't pay these taxes and 6.4 million acres of land

ended up being confiscated. 6.4 million acres. Now what would you do?

take race out of it, put race in it. what would you do if you were in that position? It is

not an easy subject to deal with, to think about, but what would you do? you have

no representation if you are a white southerner.

Then again, what would you do if you were a

black southerner? don't you think you come out of the war as a freed slave, don't

you think you're owed something? you're the one that built it with your labor.

now the citizens petition the legislature to reduce the millage rate

but it fell upon deaf ears and this really set the course for the white

taxpayer revolt that followed. To Ames' credit, he did have the

millage rate lowered and in the subsequent years with all the graft and corruption

that was alleged in the state,

Ames was never accused of any embezzlement. Ames was never happy in

Mississippi though. his family remained in the north and he returned there

periodically for weeks at a time.when he was gone he was not

served well by the Lieutenant Governor, a guy by the name of Alexander K. Davis one

time when Ames went North, Davis discharged all the employees at the

capital and put his friends in. he dismissed the Governor's private secretary and then

proceeded to appoint several judges. in one month.

Lieutenant Governor Davis issued 34 pardons, 6 remissions of forfeiture, 6

commutations of sentence.Davis was later

accused of taking a bribe in at least one case, probably a lot of them. Ames was

beyond reproach in these matters but the action still smeared his administration.

In other words, he's getting blamed. on the local government level much graft

and corruption was taking place also. all the things I've described came to a head

in September of 1874 in a place called Vicksburg, Mississippi. this story boils

down the two things at work here:

race and taxes. almost all the elected officials were black and the taxation

rate was 14 mills for the state, 14 for the county, and for the municipal

authorities it was 21.5.

the county and city debt that stood at 13,000 in 1869 now

stood according to one congressional hearing witness at 1.4

million in five years.

it went from 13,000 to1.4 million. in those times the

sheriff wielded extraordinary power and he picked the composition of juries and

collected the state and local taxes. in Vicksburg there was a sheriff named

Peter Crosby and he was alleged to have embezzled

thousands of tax dollars and did not have a bond to cover his duties

as a tax collector anyway. now Peter Crosby is black and the local whites

organized a Taxpayers League for the 1874 election and won the county

seats. now they turned their attention on the sheriff who was still in office. he

hadn't run for re-election in that term. at a meeting reportedly 500 strong

they drafted a resolution calling on Crosby to resign the message was sent to

the courthouse and the reply was soon receive from Crosby saying he wasn't

leaving. the Taxpayers League then marched on the courthouse and made him

another offer. at this point he resigned. as provisional military governor Ames had

become used to being able to call on US troops for any disturbances. but in 1874

he didn't have any troops at his disposal. he had militia. and that

militia was composed of both black companies and white companies. upon

hearing the news of Crosby's removal Ames sent orders to the local black militia

company to suppress the riots. You see what is coming? he did not tell the white

companies of his plans

reasoning they wouldn't obey his orders anyway - probably right.

meanwhile on that Sunday December 6 the news spread in the black churches and they

determined to march upon Vicksburg in support of the sheriff.

Now white Vicksburgians armed themselves.

black freedmen armed themselves. and now a posse comitatus was in effect. near the

present-day surrender monument along the old battlefield of Vicksburg, the 2 sides

bumped into each other and shooting began and when it ended 2 whites and 29

blacks were dead.

subsequently federal troops were sent by the district military commander, at that

time Phil Sheridan, to restore order and return Crosby to office. but ill will

was still felt toward Ames who was accused of setting the fuse that started

the whole thing. you know I've thought about it putting this program together - I don't know

what he was supposed to do. I mean where do you even start tackling that

Vicksburg story. Do you support Crosby, do you support the Taxpayers

League? if you support Crosby who do you turn to support Crosby? I mean who did he

have? What were his options? I don't know. It looks like he was in a no-win situation

there, whatever he chose to do. in 1875 white Democrats began to implement

"the mississippi plan" to take back the state government. armed groups of

vigilantes known as the Red Shirts, the Democratic shooting club - I like that

Democratic shooting club - the White club, etc. used economic and political

pressure to keep white and black Republicans away from the polls. there

were race riots in Yazoo City and Rolling Fort with the largest occurring in

Clinton. Ames appealed to President Grant for troops but Grant fearing the result in

the upcoming election and their potential impact didn't send any troops

to help the Governor. Ames called out the militia or the only militia that he

thought would honor his orders and once again these black militia companies

marching around the countryside in Mississippi just sent the the anger

soaring among the white population and only a quick agreement

for fair elections between the Democrats and Ames prevented a bloody

outcome and a possible coup. Fair elections didn't happen. I think that's

gonna be pretty obvious. so a Republican majority of 30,000 votes in 1874

elections flipped to a 30,000 vote majority for the Democrats within

two years.

flush with a Democratic majority in the 1876 legislature the body promptly drew up

impeachment charges against Ames. they charged him responsibility for the

Vicksburg riots and the illegal part in judicial appointments when the Senate

was out of session, etc.. a trial commenced but before it got well under way

an agreement was reached whereby the legislature would draw all the charges

and then Ames would resign. he agreed. in other words Ames would not resign that

governorship while impeachment charges were being held against him. legislature had

to drop him and then he would leave. what choice did he have?

The charges were pretty flimsey to say the least, but the votes

were there. he was going to get impeached.

Ames is going to live until 1933 the last full-ranking general from the

American Civil War. Ya'll don't like that? that's the best part of the whole program!

I'll end with Ames' own words. It's kind of neat when you live so long you can help defend your

legacy. in 1900 professor James Garner wrote Ames regarding his time in

Mississippi and Ames responded in the following: "you ask

what I consider some of the merits of your administration in Mississippi" - Garner

asking Ames to tell him what he did good while he was there - "my

dear professor when you appear before St. Peter at the gates of Heaven

what can you say in reply to a query as 'as to the merits of your earthly

career? To say I acted conscienciously to the

best of my ability does not seem to be sufficient. to say that I did not saddle

the state with the debt of millions on account of railroads and other like

enterprises that might have done and as was done in other states

will be a claim of merit no honest man could make.

yet you know I am credited with that merit by my political opponents. as

men's lives are generally consistent and as I was honest and conscientious in

financial affairs how could I be otherwise in other affairs? no doubt it

is true I did not appoint to office the best men in the state but it is no less

true that the best men in the state would not take the office at my hand. I

hold I appointed the best men available. could I do more?" in closing I ask you to

look over the course of events during Ames' tenure in Mississippi. what would

you do in his shoes? what would you do if you were a black citizen? what would you

do if were a white citizen? do you find

the people of Mississippi to be right? wrong? neutral. They are hard questions to answer.

I don't have an answer because I'm only the storyteller. but when you go out of here

hopefully we will never have another situation in this country where we have

to go through an ordeal, a trial, tribulations if you will, where this

country has to come out on the other side and spill so much blood in order to

do so.

It's a heavy cost and it didn't stop with the Civil War to say the least.

thank you very much.