"In that great gettin' up mornin'!" - April 6, 1865 and Beyond

On April 6, 1865, Lucy Hillsman and Catherine Brown huddled in the farmhouse basement, bracing their children as thousands of Union and Confederate soldiers clashed all around them. Nothing could have prepared them for what followed. When they finally emerged, their fears only deepened as they confronted a landscape littered with death, bodies decomposing where they had fallen.

Yet amid this devastation, hope arrived swiftly. Just seventy-two hours later, word spread that the Confederacy had surrendered some fifty miles to the west. For the enslaved community, “that great gettin’ up mornin’” had come at last, and freedom—long deferred—was finally within reach.

In 1865, Lucy and her children left the house, and Catherine and her children moved into the big house. On Christmas Day 1866, Catherine’s daughter Emily married Booker Moton inside the home. The following August, in 1867, Emily gave birth to their son, Robert Russa Moton.

Robert would go on to blaze a path toward reunification, one still cited as an example today. He became a pioneer in navigating the difficult terrain of race relations between White and Black communities, consistently preaching peace and acceptance through good deeds. An ardent accommodationist, Moton advocated vocational education and economic self-reliance as pathways for Black Americans to gain respect and improve their standing in a deeply divided society.

The early years of Reconstruction proved difficult for everyone. Families relocated, land changed hands, fields were worked anew, and many became tenant farmers or labored to pay off mounting debts. Life was being rebuilt piece by piece, amid uncertainty and hard-earned possibility.

The program will begin with a fireside gathering in the yard beside the historic Hillsman House. From there, participants will be guided into the kitchen portion the home where the civilians sheltered during the battle. Guests are encouraged to bring a chair for the fireside discussion.

Please note that the Hillsman House requires navigating five to six steps. This program is free and open to the public. In the event of inclement weather, portions of the program may be modified or relocated as necessary. For questions or additional information, please contact Joshua Lindamood at Joshua.Lindamood@dcr.virginia.gov.

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