Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-08-10
Our Army COMMUNICATING do
the Rebel Families Live!
CAM OF 29rH IsDIAsA VoLuSrEERsl
TrIIAunMA TExx Inlr % la62

the Rebel Families Live!
CAMP OF 29rH IsDIASA VoLUSrEERsl
TULLAHoMA, Tenn, July %, 1868.
MEssRs EDIroRs: The question as TO how the
rebel families live, while all the able bodied men
and negroes are employed in the army, NAV be
explained partly BY the following incidents. which
came within nv observation a dav or two ago.
while out among the country peoDle on a for
aging expedition, 1t Ia customary here, as well
as other places. for squads of armed men to 20
outside of the pickets in search of food and other
necessaries for the army. Having some curiosity
to see the people and learn for myself how this
operation was performed. and how they endured
these involuntary contributions to our army.
embraced several opportunities of the kind and
passed outside ou~ lines. where | learned the state
of feeling among the few remaining inhabitants
Of this part of Tennessee upon the war.
was much surprised at the large amount of
corn growing, considering the small number of
men capable of producing il. The wheat and
oats. though in small quantities, were generally
harvested, some of it standing in shocks upon the
ground. and a small proportion stacked in the
fields. These evidences of care and labor natu-
rally led to the inquiry. who did it2 for at none
of the houses were found any persons but women
and children. or old, decrepid men, none of whom
to me appeared capable of out door labor, to the
extent of the many evidences around me.
On inquiry | found that the girls plowed the
ground and the more feeble part of the household
did the D anting and hoeing. 4 widow woman.
not much over thirty wears of age. Whose hus
banG had been in the rebel army and was killed
at the battle of Shiloh,l with the assistance of a
boy Of fourteen years Of age, had put in fifteen
acres of corn. While she was 1t work planting
or hOeing her corn. her little children PLAYED or
slept in the fence corners; but very much of the
time she carried her lest one npon her back
| until axhauefoi whan che uvou11 lAr a ,,,o, H.
grass or leaves in some convenient place. while
she completed her ar,luous task. She is intelli
gent, of slight and delicite form, having none of
the visible qualities Of muscular strenth or endu-
rance attributed to her by the luxuriaat results of
her patient toll about her.
Another family, consisting OF a young married
woman, with two small children. and a girl of
sixteen years. were surrounded with so many evil
dences of neatness and thrift, that | was fully
convinced that white men and negroes must have
performed the labor upon the premises; but i'm
agiDe my surprise when she informed me that the
girl and herself had put in ten acres of corn and
worked il all themselves And what will the
young ladies North say when they learn that this
deli ate young creature, during the romantic
period of "sweet sixteen" plowed oil the ground
herselfl In her modest acknowledgment to me,
OF having performed the labor. a gentle blush
suffused her cheeks, while she declared that stern
hCNtS~ltN CbApA'h &c " BCilOti q Wv W NltCt
she previously had but little idea Of being ca
pable.
Another case was q married lady of about forty
years of age. without children. Her husband was
still in the rebel army. She was a cripple, and re.
quired the constant aid ofa crutch. She was a fear
less. high minded lady with no assistance but three
negro girls, with whom she was working forty
acres OF corn. She had had some assistance
from the soldiers of Brsgg's army during the
| prfnr WIN rnf hnr IL, tho u-nt,pI o.
army had taken her cows. horses and hogs, and
all her old corn, and very recently the soldiers
I had carried off her chickens. with every particle
of garden truck, leaving her entirely to the pub
lie charities for the support of herself aud her
three negro girls. The last of her chick ems and
garden truck had been taken by two negroes, ser
wants of our officers. This last act, she main
tanned. was the most insupportable of any other.
as she could endure insult or injury from her
equals and persons of her own color, but to be
robbed Of her last hope of sustenance by impu-
dent negroes, was 10 her most intolerable. This
act compelled her. she remarked. to vow unend
ing hostility against the power that tolerated such
feDdish proceedings. She had written to her
husband and given him an account Of the treat
ment she had received. And won't he fight harder
when he learns all this? Yes, continued she, l
sincerely desired him to never faulter, but to
fight bravely to the last gasp, and the earnest
pa tfc " Il ~ anu ~ cllOuhO
be offered daily to the bitter en-.
Against this wholesale and indiscriminate
plumber very stringent orders are opposed, but i
Is impossible to prevent its occurrence in too
many instances In consequence of it. our army
is snow feeding several families between this place
and Winchester, whilst no doubt there are Others
who have not yet made known their distress to
the proper authorities.
The foregoing cases present an example of the
determined fortitude OF these people with whom
| have conversed They are not detected in pro-
portion with the heavy calamitie5 suffered. AL.
though oppressed grievously. they are buoyant
with hope. Cast down, they are not subdued.
IL asked why they don't surrender and place
themselves under the protection of our Govern
ment, they say that all but their few remaining
lives has already been sacrificed; that our army
has burnt their houses. fences and timber, de
stroyed their grain and crops. carried of every
article of personal property aud subsistence, that
nothing is left them but their aged parents. their
women and children. many of whom are house
less wanderers upon the public charities OF a
country filled with their enemies. To surrender
wonld be but to choose between a prison and
death They say they have no assurance Of pro-
lection from us. that those who sought it last
summer were painfully disappointed by the retreat
of our army. Thus are the people OF this part Of
Tennessee like the sea weeds upon the reefs.
bearing the shocks Of the rolling pillows as they
ebb and flow WINDES.