Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-01-16
A Day at the Com N issaFs In That
fanA0aA - - -

Day at the COmmlssaFs In That
A correspondent RFiting from ChastaSS,
nooga, Tenn, gives the following As
count of what he saw at TIC Commiss|
sary: t.a0 r1Y -
l visited the port of Bridgeport a
day or two since, and remained several
hours with Colonel McDougaGSSpf the
l23d New York, who is in. cainmand.
Witnessing a crowd Of femalesaround
the commissary, l inquired the cause,
'They are applicants for relfef," replied
Colonel McDoagal. sbst.r.r 3.
approached the wretched creatures,
and though familiar with the; misery and
destitution of cities, 4 must confess
never before witnessed parallel to the
scene which presented itself Icounted
forty females, Of whom three pos
sessed money to make purchases; the
remainder were all pensioners upon the
bounty of the Government--all seekers,
for aims at the hands of the detested
Yankees, who had been represented as
the embodiment of all that was parsimo-
nious. Ofcourse the whole throng must
first apply to the Provost Marshal, and
when the proper hour had arrived they
"were ushered into his tent, lone By one,
10 relate their suferings and the causes
which had reduced them to their present
condition. They were all new appli-
cants, the old ones getting supplied at
regular intervals without the interven-
ton of the Provost Marshal
The first whose fortune it was to be
called was n Mrs Ricard
Provost Marshal-Aresyou widow?
Mrs. Ricard-No, Cir. ro.
P. NJ Where is your husband?
Mrs. R.-With Bragg, in the Sd Ten
nessee cavalry. n, Seem, #
P. M.-Your husband is in. the rebel
army. When did he join it2 ~i, s-.,.
Mrs R-Two years since. ~, 80
P. M.-Did he volunteer? III.
Mrs. R.-Yes, to keep from being con-
scripted Xxx -lI.0S&
p. M.-But the rebel conscription law
was not then in force " ~ ~.
Mrs. R-But they told him it soon
would be, and he had better volunteer.
| p. M.-Was he not strong secession
list from the start? sinsd -cl
Mrs. R.-Yes; he thought you wanted
to deprive US of our rights, and take all
our slaves. ea diGsa
P M-How many slaves do you oRn2
Mrs R.-None 5i5 $3.50
P. M-Had he plantation2 Nayait
Mrs R.-No, sir. -75 5-al
| P. M--What property had he7 -i
Mrs. R.-Nothing; he lived by days.
work. a) s,2
M.-why, then, was he SO fearful
about the slaves.
Mrs. R-Because he was afraid the
North would put the niggers on an equal
ity with us. 1sl N
P. M-Your husband is in the rebel
army, and you ask us to supply you with
bread What do you think of this 2
| Mrs. Ricard threw aside the fly Of the
lont, and just outside stood five small
children, who had but single article of
clothing-a:light homespun cotton wrap,
per-on each, though the wind was blow
ing chilly cold from the north. "They
have not had mouthfnl since yesterday
morning" said Mrs. R., "and not half
enough for six months. ti
The appeal was irresistible; the pro-
vost marshal then told her he would ad-
minister the oath, and get her relief On
being asked to subscribe her name she
replied that she could not write, and ac-
cordingly resort was had to the mark
| continued with the officer till the
whole number was disposed OF, and no
tad the following statistics relative to the
forty-four who were applicants for aims:
Number who could not write.
Number who wrote very badly. .........6
Number who wrote Observation-Disclosures 8
Widows before the war
Widows by the war........... .............14
Women with husbands in the rebel
Rrmy............ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ....2U
+ Women with husbands in our army.
The conversation related as occurring
between the provost marshal and Mrs
Rieard may be taken as fair sample OF
that with nearly all, and it is unnecessa
ry to repeat further; but it will be inter.
esting to add single exception to the
general rule 1t was of a lady evidently
well educated, as her chirography would
have done credit to any one, and hel
, language was entirely free from that pc
culiarity of dialect which marked the
other applicants, but which / will not at
tempt to follow, as it is familiar to al
, your readers. By request | have sup
pressed the applicants name. f''s
M-You are an applicant for relief
Lady-Yss, sir.
P. M-WhGre is your husband?
9 LIE is dead, sir.
q P. M-When did he die?
i, LIN 1858.
p M.-Have you plantation7
L-Yes, sir; four hundred acres.
s p. M-Where are your slaves?
y L. We had but four one of them i
Q q decrepit old woman, and is now witt
K me. The remainder were carried off b.
IS Bragg's army to keep them from falling
n into the hands of the Union troops.
5. P. M-Were they carried away b
W your consent7
8, L.-They were not.
ct p. M-Have you any objection t
ii taking the oath of allegiancef lae.i
le LII have not; | have always consis
70 emily opposed secession. did SO in th
N presence of Bragg's army, and eve
It. more boldly than l oppose it now.
a MONEY WANT ED.