The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-03-08
fror ,taoo,s.spordeaea - tiS Baitinore Amcrltth
Terrible Destitution Of the People
Of Mobile.
,r eHARLEs IIorEL. !

From Mrs. captain -, Union lady,t
and the wife Of United States Navy
officer. a native Of Mobile, both of whom,
with their two lovely and educated
daughters, were driven from their homes
by the "chivabous' Rebels, ] learn the
following particulars in regard to the
prices of the necessities Of life in that
city. Mrs. Captain and her three
children enc child Of two years and
half, reached this city about the drst Of
January, in search Of her husband land
father She states that when she left
the restitution of the people was terrible
Soap OF poor quality was selling at
S1,75 per H., or 81 per bar Matches,
fifty in box, about one-half of which
could be gnited, 25 cents per box. Flour,
poor quality, sour, and with plenty of
worms in il, $50 per Dbl Tea S15 per
To-, and poor at that. Corn Meal So per
bushel. Butter, Of the poorest quality,
S1,75 per 10. Black Pepper is not to be
had at any price. Sugar, brown, 60 cts,
per ID. Coffee $3.50 per ID. Salt, 60
cents per h.. or 500 sack. Coats
spool cotton thread, 81, 20 per spool.
Home-spun ladies' dress goods, $3.50 /
| per yard. Mems boots, $50 TO 500. La /
| dies sleeves $50 per pair. No lamp /
wicking was to be had in Mobile, and !
the poorest kind Of tallow candles cost
30 cents piece. Flannels, poor quality, |
such as formerly retailed for go cents a |
/ yard, now sell for $40. White domes-
tics Sl,75, former price and cents.
saw very common cotton shawl, such as
any dry goods store keeper in Boston !
would be glad to sell for 5 80 for which
its owner paid SIS.
! School books commanded, like every
thing else, the most exorbitsnt prices
second hand smal-szed geography
sells for 50 80 Lard is 81 per pound,
and bacon, Of poor quality, - cents. To
show how desperate strait the iuhabi-
tants are driven, it is only necessary TO
state that two Qunrtermasters who had,
like some of our patriotic, se,f-incrcas-
ing, alias sacrificing officers in that de-
partment, "made a good thing sent
| 5000 pounds of damaged bacon from Fort
Morgan and Fort Gaines TO some soap
boilers to be made into soap. The s0ap-
| boilers cut off all the fat and sold the
tainted meat for 80 cts. pound, and the
people were glad to get it at that price.
A pair of infants shoes So. Kerosene
oil, poor quality, $40 per gallon. Even
the families who in peace times were
considered rich, have been compelled to
make their own shoes / saw several
pairs of shoes made by lady for her
own use cut out of old beaver aud felt
hats and old pieces Of heavy canvas.
Miserable old second hand straw mat
tresses, patched with every imaginable
color of cloth, and in the most unimagi-
nable forms, sold for 81 90 apiece, by the
dozen, for soldiers use in the hospital.
The newspapers were advertising for
old envelopes and paper, offering the
highest preminm for them. There is
scarcely any paper in the State of Ala
bama, and in Mobile nothing is wrapped
in paper by the storekeepers, purchasers
being compelled to carry baskets and
towels to envelope their purchases.
The husband of my informant was
driven from Mobile for his Union senli-
timents, and at one time the rebels placed
rope around his neck, and were in the
act of hanging when an officer inlerpOsed
aud prevented them from accomplishing
their helish designs. After Capt - had
ESCAPED from Mobile, his family got out
funds, and one of bis daughters, young
lady of Is years, applied to "The La
dies. Aid Ssciety of Mobile" for some
sewing She got two ovorcoats of home
spun cloth CLOTH and when returning
them the following day she was insulted
in the street by seceshf females, who
shouted, "There goes the traitors family,
the miserable Yankee Linconites"
The next night the body of traitors
known by the name Of the COMMITTEE
of Public Safety" were notified that
; employment had been furnished a Cyan
; kee" or Union family, and they were
called together to take immediate action
on the matter The committee in com
pliance with the wishes of the chartia-
! BILE citizens of Mobile, voted TO give no
assistance - Union families. General
Forney, was Provost Marshal. and in
command of the rebel forces around
,, Mobile, and loud complaints were
. made by the "poor write trash"
as they are pleased TO call all
who earn their bread by the honest
sweat of their brow, against the manner
in which their relatives were treated
They were refused permission to visit the
forts where their husbands, lovers, sous
and brothers were on duty. This Brig
adler General Forney promised Mrs. Cap
: tain -- that he would give her and
g her family a pass from Mobile beyond
the lines of Alabama She accordingly
, sold all her housekeeping goods and at
| the promised hour called far the pass,
!, when this impudent fellow refused to
give her any pass, or to give her any sat-
isfacdon for his sudden denial.
{ Mrs.--then asked him why he prom.
ised her, and now, that she had sold all
= her furniture, refused 10 furnish her
with the pass. His gentlemanly and
D chivalric reply was, Orderly, put that
2 woman OUT l wantto hear nothing from
= her, or have any thing TO do with such
7 people" That night guard was placed
; over her house to prevent any one from
leaving. Finally, after securing letters
( Of recommendation from one or two Of
her friends, and by representing that
r she was on the brink Of starvation aud
had money deposited in New Orleans,
: which she wished TO secure, and after
= that she would return 10 Mobile she
: was permitted, with Der family, TO leave ;
. but when the Secesh learned they were
, going they began to threaten and de-
! nounce them in every sort Of manner,
! and told them they hoped TO be able
= some day TO see their father hung Their
a departure was telegrsphed to all the sta
tions on the railroads, with long and
> minute description OF the family, and
q upon their arrival they were treated
) with the greatest disrespect; were re-