April 29, 1863, Savannah Republican (Georgia)
A gentleman who crossed the Mississippi within the last few days brings a Yankee Circular from which we extract the following rules and regulations governing work on plantations in Louisiana in the hands of the Federals.–What with the fines, lost time and bad marks the poor negro will have a small showing of cash at the close of the year.–Col. Times.
Rules and Regulations.
1st–We agree to work on this __________ Plantation for one year, and to do such a day’s work as was done in former years.
2d–We will obey the manager in all things, and assist him to enforce these Rules against all offenders.
3d–Lost time will be deducted. Lazy work will cause a deduction of wages. Tasks will be given when possible.
4th–We will go to work at day-light, and will work until dark, taking the usual number of hours for meals. For being too late at getting out, ten minutes after the last tap of the bell, a fine of ten cents. Habitual laziness, stealing, quarrelling, for breaking any other Rules, expulsion from the place, with loss of all back wages to the hospital fund. All fines go to this fund.
5th–All hands will be in their cabins at the last tap of the bell, and to remain there till the first tap of the bell in the morning, under a fine of ten cents for each offence.
6th–The wages are one dollar per month for women and boys; two dollars for field hands, and three dollars for mechanics–or one-twentieth of the crop; with clothing and rations usually furnished.
7th–Each hand will be responsible for loss of damages to stock, tools, or other property.
8th–Each family will be allowed half an acre for a garden.
9th–No liquor will be sold or brought on the place by any one, under a fine of one dollar for the first offence. Liquor will be kept in the Hospital, and sold for the general fund.
10th–No one will leave the place without a written pass.
11th–We will appear in clean clothes, on every Sunday morning–fine, ten cents.
12th–All disputes among ourselves will be brought before the manager, whose decision we will abide by.
13th–During grinding, we will make our usual watch, being entitled to ten cents each night, and fifty cents for each Sunday’s work.
14th–If over five hogsheads of sugar are raised to each hand, the proprietor will divide five dollars for each hogshead over that number. The hand who has the greater number of credit marks and the fewest number of bad marks, will be entitled to the highest prize ($25.00) with five prizes of $15.00 each, twenty of $10.00, and the balance will be divided equally among the hands.