the exceptional first hand journals of the american bible society's army agent william h. gilbert, sent among the freedmen during the latter part of the war. "The Freedmen presented the most interesting and challenging issue resulting from the Civil War. Material in the American Bible Society's archive confirms the judgment of Northern missionaries, military observers and subsequent historians. 'The Freedmen,' in the words of American Bible Society's Army agent William H. Gilbert 'are rapidly learning to read, and the considerable part of the community everywhere expresses the conviction that there is an extensive demand for the Bible among them.' The former slaves' extraordinary educational appetites stimulated perhaps the greatest rise in literacy rates in American history." (Spreading the Word, page 218). Historian Eric Foner observed: "A craving to read the word of God provided the immediate spur to learning for many adult blacks." Gilbert was sent to estimate the need for Bibles and to "spread the word" among the freedmen as well as the soldiers, distributing tracts and flyers as well as Bibles.
The first page of his first journal reads "May 25th detained in Baltimore for a few hours. Fell in with a wounded soldier from Auburn, New York, shot through the upper part of his mouth, from side to side. Urged him to give himself to God. . . he appeared moved." Later, on June 28th "Prayed with the Negroes on General Lee's estate. Distributed some tracts to the soldiers in camp." He writes about a "convalescent camp" and a "Contraband camp." July 3rd, "A company of Contrabands have just arrived in connection with Wilson's Raid." In another reference to Contrabands "Contraband camp July 24, Expect to see Uncle Sam coming, all afraid to be sold again." On one of the last pages of the first journal, Gilbert speaks to the wounded in hospital. He writes that he will contact their loved ones. In the second volume Gilbert writes from the Negro Settlement at Hampton, and "was introduced to James Hacking, who says he is 105 years old." Frequent entries about tracts and Bibles for the Contrabands. In Richmond there was fear that Lincoln was "going to hang everybody involved in the Rebellion." He also writes about the deluxe Bible that was given to Lincoln by the free blacks of Baltimore (see also lot 79, "Loyal Colored People of Baltimore"). There is simply so much detail in these three small volumes, it is advised they be seen.