Among the Pines; or, South in Secession Time

A traveling narrator records impressionistic sketches of southern social life around the time of secession, moving from port towns and village inns to plantations and churchyards. The account portrays plantation management, daily routines of the enslaved, local songs and religious services, political debates and social customs, and episodes of escape, pursuit, sickness, and funeral rites, often mixing reportage with anecdote. Scenes show economic practices such as turpentine and rosin production, tensions over slavery and secession, and personal encounters that reveal divided loyalties and moral contradictions. The narrative balances descriptive detail with reflections on human suffering and regional character.