The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1864-02-13
A DAY AT THE CoMMISsARY IN
CHATTANOOGA.

a correspondent writing from Chatta
nooga' Tenn, gives the following sccoun
of what he saw at the Commissary
visited the port of Bridgeport a day O,
two SINCE. and remained several hours will
Colonel McDougal, of 193d New York
who IS in command. Witnessing Grove
of females around the commissarv. 7 in.
quIred the cause ''They are an6licant.
for relief" replied Colonel MeDougal.
1 approached the wretthed creatures. and
though familiar with the misery and desti.
tuition of cities, must confess never he.
fore witnessed parallel to the scene which
presented itself counted forty-seyen fe.
males, of whom three possessed money to
make purchases; the remainder were al
pensioners upon the bounty of the Cover n
mental seekers for aims at the hands oil
the detested Yankees, who had been repre-
sented as the embodiment of all that was
parsimonious. Of course the whole throne
must first apply to the Provost Marshal, and
when the proper hour had arrived thew we're
ushered into his tent, one by one, to relate
their sufferings and the causes which had
reduced them to their present condition.
They were all new applicants, the old ones
getting supplied at regular intervals with
out the Intervention of the Provost Mar
shall.
The first whose fortune it was to be call
ed was Mrs. Ricard.
Provost Marshal-Are you a widow
Mrs. Ricard-No, sir.
P. M.-Where is your husband {?
Mrs. R.-With Bragg, in the Sd Tennes-
see cavalry.
P. M.-Your husband is in the rebel ar
my. When did he join it?
Mrs. R.-TWo years since.
P. M.-Did be volunteer ?
Mrs. R.-Yes, to keep from being con-
scripted
P. M-But the rebel CONSUMPTION law was
not then in force.
Mrs. R.-But they told him that it would
soon be, and he had better volunteer.
P. M.-Was he not strong seeessionist
from the start?
Mrs. R.-Yes; he thought you wanted
to deprive us of our rights, and take all our
slaves.
P. M.-Now many slaves do you own
Mrs, R-None.
P. M.-Had he a plantation +?
Mrs. R.-No, sir.
p. M.-What property had he?
Mrs. R.-Nothing; he lived by days
work.
P. M.-Why, then, was he so fearful
about the slaves?
Mrs. R.-Because he was afraid the North
would put the niggers on an equality with
US.
P. M.-Your husband is in the rebel ar
my, and you ask US to supply you with
bread. What do you think of this j.?
Mrs. Ricard threw aside the fly of the
tent, and just outside stood five small chill
dren, who had but single article of cloth
ing-a light homespun cotton wrapper-on
each, though the wind was blowing chilly
from the north. They have not had a
mouthful since yesterday morning." said
Mrs. R., "and not half enough for six
months"
The appeal was irresistible the Provost
Marshal then told her he would administer
the oath, and get her relief. On being ask
ed 10 subscribe her name, she replied that
she could not write, and accordingly a re-
sort was had to the mark
continued with the officer till the whole
number was disposed Of, and noted the fol-
lowing statistics relative to the forty -four
who were applicants for aims:
Number who could not write, IS MUM
Der who wrote very badly, 6 /; number who
wrote well, 8 i; widows before the war, 8
widows by the war, IA women with hus-
bands in the rebel army, 90 women With
husbands in our army. /.
The conversation related as occurring be-
tween the Provost Marshal and Mrs. Picard
may be taken as fair sample of that with
nearly all, and it is unnecessary to repeat
further but it will be interesting to add a
single exception to the generel rule. It was
OF lady evidently we'll educated, as her
would have done credit to any
one, and her language was entirely free from
the peculiarly Of dialect which marked the
other applicants, but which will not at
tempt to follow, as it is familiar to all your
readers. By request have suppressed the
applicants name.
P. M.-You are an applicant for relief
Lady-Yes. sir.
P. M.-Where is your husband
LIE is dead, sir
P. M.-Wheu did he die
LIN 1853.
P. M.-Have you plantation !?
Yes, sir; four hundred acres.
P. M.-Where are your slaves
I've had but four one of them is a
decrepit old woman, and is now with me.
The remainder were carried off by Bragg's
army to keep them from falling into the
hands ST the Union troops.
P. M.-Were they carried away by your
consent?
L.-They were not.
P. M.-Have you any objection to taking
the oath of allegiance
LII have not; 1 have always consistent
" opposed secession. l did so in the pres
euce of Bragg's army, and even more loud
ly than I oppose it now.