Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-11-19
THE WAR FROM A REBEL woMAN's
POINT OF VIEW.

|
in Europe" makes its appearance in
the Eastern papers. I. is dated Rich
wond, July 25. She says!
j We are very uneasy about Charles.
ton. Most people think now it j,
bound TO fall. We want guns Of long
range; ours cannot compare with those
\ of the enemy. ~
i Almos. every man we lose now tells
Being man of family his loss Is deep
lly felt; but the poor creatures they
bring against us are the segp Of the
Hearth, and in many cssSssht has gone
on now for days, without much injury,
but we are very unhappy about
Charleston, and it will be q dreadful
loss to the Southern Confedefacy =
l blush for the North,
and ask myself, can it be the same
race / once knew so quiet, peaceable
and civilized No, the demon Of wick
edness has been let loose, and they
must all be crazy. I do not suppose
you have the slightest idea of our suf-
ferings-of the thousands on thou
sands Of poor, houseless families, suf-
ferers, refugees from places in the
hands of our enemies.
Many OF our wealthiest ladies' are
forced to do their own work entirely,
washing, cooking, &C., and often for
Federal soldiers. The gentlemen-old
men, too old to go into the army. are
chopping wood, &c. Then their treat
ment of the poor negroes, after they
get them, is cruel in the extreme
leaving them to starve or die in their
dirt. My opinion Of slavery is, and
always has been, th at it is excellent for
slaves. but bad for white people. We
have never owned one, and never will.
They are q poor, miserable, half-witted
race, that require control and manage
ment, like bad children. They always
were bad servants, but now they have
become so demoralized by this war
that they are intolerable.
The fall of Vicksburg has been a
beart-rendlng blow to us. and then TO
think what the poor citizens suffered.
They dug holes in the ground, where
women and children slept, and, indeed,
lived or rather starved. =
are In Texas, and now by the fall of
Vicksburg, Jackson, &C., we are cut
off from them. This is hard to bear.
We have all been deeply distressed by
the result Of Lees advance into Penn
sylvania. Lee made a great mistake
in attacking Meade at Gettysburg
He had no idea of the immense fortii-
cations, breastworks and strength Of
Meade. 1t was an awful position to at
tack, and few more of such victories
gained, would kill all the men in the
Southern Confederacy. We bad to
attack them in face of their most awful
fire across aplain. up one mountain,
down another, across fields, and up
another height, and as fast as we
gained one bresstwork, TO our horfor
we would find another behind, and at
last when we had gained possession of
any ground, Of what avail? Alasl
none.
Meade has crossed into Virginia, and
we are now hourly expecting another
6ght. Lee has been re-enforced. We
have no doubt but he will win. But
oh, the loss Of lifeI One brigade
Pickeit's-went into the battle Of Get
tysburg 5000 strong, and came back
1900. One regiment went 10 800
and but seven returned. One went in
200 and came out but thirty-6ve. The
Major Of this regiment says when the
Colonel was told to charge be said:-
"Good BY" to his friends, at is cer-
tain DEATH" and in FIVE minutes be
was dead. The Major took command
and was killed Immediately. Then
+**+took command as Major, and in
two minutes was shot through the
body, but was luckily carried off the
field and is here to tell it.
Many and many time l have felt as
If my heart would break, and that |
could not live through this war--that
it was unendurable.. But when with
the soldiers we are always cheerful and
doing things to cheer them.
Richmond has, as you may be awarej
been threatened several times, and so
far has escaped. 1t is not pleasant to
pass through these frigbts. Many
think it is bound to fall, and that it is
only matter Of time. hope l may
be dead ere it does, for the experience
oftbe other cities under Federal rule is
horrible. You can form no idea Of the
tyranny exercised over the Inhabitants.
We hear great preparations are being
made for another attack upon Rich.
mond. Grant with bis hundred thou
sand men, is advancing from Yicks-
burg, Dix from Eorfolk-and what
have we? Johnston in Bragg's rear.
with not half SO many men as are left
there to detain him, and Lee with
Meade to detain him.
All the servants leave. We have to
do our own work, and then our money
is worth nothing.
This will be a war of extermins.
ton, and we will never be coh-
quered. .
Obi what would I give to be out of
this Southern Confederacy.
If could raise the money, I would
leave here tomorrow. / wish to edu-
cate my children elsewhere, for here.
as you may suppose, there is not much
education going on ft for them.