The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-10-30
TIE SITUATION OF AFFAIRS AT
THE SOUTH,
Observations Of a Former Citizen
Of st. Paul, who has been in
the Confederate Armv,
The Female Bread Riot at Mobile.


Rice and we are assured his statements may be
relied upon "a intelligent and truthful He left
St. Paul in 1859, and when the war broke ont
was in Texas. where he,was compelled to enter
the Confederate service. enl:sting in the Third
Texan Rangers (McCulloughs old regimento
He received q wound in fracas with Confed-
crate soldier at Saltillo, Mississippi, in the
summer Of 1862, and was discharged. In
August of that year he was sent to Mobile.
where he remained until September 1861. when
he got firemans pass to run an engine and
on the night of Sept. 4th, at Okolona, Missis-
sippi, he escaped. and made his way through
the swamps to Corinth. He was sent to Gen.
Hurlbut, at Memphis. and thence to Gen.
Grant ut Vicksburg. Gen Grant sent him to
Gen. Banks at New Orleans, to whom Mr.
Wagner communicated much important infor.
nation, and plans of the rebel works at Mobile
the value of which is certified By q note from
Gen. Banks, which is now in the possession of
Mr.. Wagner and which we have seen.
Mr. Wagner witnessed the great female
bread lot at Mobile, which occurred on the
day of his departure. The women of that
city. rendered desperate by their sufferings
met in large numbers with banners on which
were printed such devices as Bread or Blood ,
on one side, and 8 Bread and Peace" on the
other, and armed with knives and ha chefs
and marched down Dauph;ne street, breaking
open the stores in their progress, and taking
for their use such articles of food or clothing
~, ;,, oc T.
f.ct, most formidable riot by 4 long suffering
and desperate popu,tion. General Eaury
commanding at Mobile, ordered the Seven
tenth Alabama regiment to put down the dis
turbance by force of arms. The soldiers re.
fssed to ol'ey the order. spying that they wo"ld
if they took any ACTON. rather assist these
starving wives mothers. sisters and daughters
of men WHO had been forced to fight the bat
ties of the rebellion. Upon the refusal Of Tie
18th. the Mobile Cadets were called upon The
Cadets are known far and wide rs a. fancy nil
it,ry company. organized for the purpose C
holiday show and parade, which has never yet
seen service in any field. and probably never
will. Put being made of stcrner stuff than tb
18th which is probably largely made up OF
mudsiils, the Cadets undertook 10 force these
poor, desperate women to retire peaceahly to
their homes. Quite II little scrimnIatc ensued
resulting in the repulsc of the gallant fel
lows" who have figured in the Mobile papers
for so many years us capable of martial deeds
The Cadets we're defeatc and taught to fly in
their first action, and the mob ruled the hour
Mayor Slough and the Pr Nost Marshal now
appeared, and tried their powers of persuasion
They promised the women that if they would
dispcrse, they should have everything they re,
quired. This strategy was more successful
than open force. and the rioters went home
''prOmise crammed."
On the evening of Mr.. Wagoner's escape,
however, the riot broke out again, more
fercely than ever.
Mr.. Wagner represents the latent Union
feeling in Mobile as very strong, and thinks
more than half the people would rejoice to see
the stars and stripes flying over the Custom
House again; but this feeling cannot be ex-
pressed on account of the rigor of martial law.
Every street is guarded, and passes are required
in going from dwellings to places of business.
and on every train of cars that leaves the city.
The people are greatly discouraged, and are
only kept down by force. They have been de-
ceived SO often by reports of Confederate sue
cesses, while they are well aware that the Ma
tional armies are steadily advancing, that they
have ceased to place much reliance in the state
ments of their newspapers.
Mr.. Wagner represents the defences of Mo-
bile, particularly in the rear, as much weaker
than have generally been supposed. He says
that if Col. Grierson had extended his celebrat-
cd raid to the city, it would have fallen into his
possession without much resistance, as it was
then almost entirely defeuceless. Large forces
have passed through Mobile, but the regular
garrison has never exceeded two thousand
men. Mobile is we'll fortified In front, but can
not be made, by any amount of labor, as strong
as Vicksburg was. n
There has been great deal of blockade-run.
ped before Mr.. Wagner left, and most of their
vessels engaged in this business have been cap
tured, and the business ended. In August,
$3.50 in gold would buy 800 in Confederate
scrip; there was great demand for green
backs, but exchanges were rarely made, as the
punishment for such transactions was very
severe; -four was 800 per barrel; corn $5 per
bushel; calico 81 tos9 per yard; sugar 81 to
% so per pound; beef 81 per pound; and al
most everything else in proportion.
BY Confederate law, which is strictly ex-
ecuted, one-tenth of everything that is raised.
goes to support the army, and whatever may
be required of the balance is seized or "press-
ed" at fixed rates in scrip. There was scarcely
any business transacted, and no employment,
except for the government. A free market is
established, and many families of tradesmen
and mechanics, who were formerly in good
circumstances, are compelled to 60 there every
day for their food. Not many Of the soldiers,
and not one in six of the people of Mobile,
have shoes to their feet, while such d thing as
blanket is almost unknown in the army.
The paroled Vicksburg prisoners at Mobile
were suffering the greatest hariships for want
- -