The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-06-30
AWFUL SCENES IN THE SOUTH.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN DYING or
STARVATION.
FAMINE IN GEORGIA AND ALABAMA.
Observation and Experiences of an Eye
~ Witness. t-

=
four to twelve years, and clothed only in what
is an excuse for an under garment, were sit
ting around while two females were, with
emaciated countenances, picking some wild
vegetables in the vicinity, from which to
make meal for themselves and suffering
children 1 could not mistake their condi-
ton of destitution, even at q glance. But 1
determined to hear their story from their
own lips, and accordingly halted my horse,
and asked one of the females: .... 81
Madam could you accommodate me with
dinner to-day ?'' 5aGa-s
She'paused moment, and 1 repeated the
question.
God knows said she, and the tears be-
gan to trickle down her cheeks, g that
would not turn a stranger and a traveller
away, but there has not been an ounce of
meal in the house for five days; we and our
children have lived entirely during that pc
Rod upon boiled greens with neither salt nor
pepper" -,
asked.
''Thlee, and this lady two more-all small,
as you see. We have no way to live; we can
not even get seed to plant our gardens How
we are to live, God only knows"
Are your husbands dead 2"
Eyes, both were killed in the army"
'sDo you never go down in the valley plan
tations for aid p I inquired.
she repeated, "what is the use? They will
do nothing for us they tell us to go. to work
and help ourselves, but what can such as we
do? With families to look after, how can
we earn livelihood 2"
" But" suggested, the people of Ten
nessee, Kentucky and the Yankee States have
contributed literally to aid YOU"
Yes she responeG, but we live so far
away. The nearest point at which can get
anything is Guntersville, which is twenty
miles. I will have to carry it on my back,
and I am scarcely able to walk alone; 1 tried
to borrow horse down in the valley, but
the man told me he had other business
than taking care of all the paupers in the
country, and Twas compelled to abandon all
hope"
had taken the advice of the gentleman
who told me to provide myself for the jour
ney, and had in a sack peck of meal for my
horse and in my saddlebags corn-bread and
bacon for two days. l at once gave ali Ihad
to the family, knowing that I could reach
Guntersville the following day, or even that
night, by fast riding, and my horse could
subsist on grass, of which, all along the way,
there is an abundant growth. had intend
ed to travel but a few miles eacn day, but
now 1 determined to go direct to Gunters-
Vile, and make daily trips in the country,
returning at night.
have seen expressions of gratitude under
almost every circumstance. A hundred times
have seen the dying soldier on the battle
field breathe his gratitude for drop of water
to cool his parched lips; but never did see
so much fervency as on this occasion; never
heard more eloquent prayer than at that
moment fell from the lips of that illiterate
woman.
At this point left the scene. could en-
dure it no longer. had heard of the suffer-
ing of the famine stricken people, but never
did for moment picture to myself little of
the horrors spread out before me.
WOMAN OF SEVENTY
was the next person addressed. had pass
ed all the hut for three miles, not desiring to
give my nerves a second shock that day; but
in the road Imet an old decrepid female,
clothed in a wrapper, of coarse domestic,
carrying on her back sack, in which was
half bushel of meal
MADAM" said l. ''you are wearied, are YOU
not you are too old to carry such load
81 have toted it eighteen miles clear from
GuntersviIie," she said.
.'How far do you live from here?" 1 ask
ed
ssHalf mile.
"And have YOU carried this all the way
from Guntersville; had you no one to send 2"
mo sir,'' she said.
81 had two sons who lived with me, and
two more who had families living near.
They were all killed during the war, and the
wife of one of them is dead, and 1 bad to
take care of his four children, the oldest one
of whom is eight years of age-1 had to car
nv this clear from Gainesville, or starve."
I FASTENED by as rapidly as possible to
GuntersviIle, and reached the town about
midnight I had expected to travel the
country over to witness the actual condition
of the people; but had no need of that.
had scarcely reached the steeet In the morn
ing, before saw representatives from every
section within a circuit of over thirty miles,
from which could obtain as true a picture
of the prevailing restitution as was possible
from an extended tour through the noun
tains.
DIED BY THE WAY.
While was standing in front of the door
OF the hotel, was approached by middle
aged female, who inquired of me where was
the place at which rations were dealt out to
the poor. pointed to the house. but before
she departed asked: .-fI 5.ee
" How far do you live from here ?n e s..-
" Thirteen miles she said" b. a5s
i" Is there much suffering there2 2" I in
quired &s.- - -
Yes sir; you have no idea of its extent"
Do you get enough here to relieve you ~
Yes, sir enough to keep us from dying;
that IS most of US; we get little meal,
nothing else; meat we do not expect we are
oioN ~ SOt iHtdl " Keep US lIOM dy
ing"
Where does this relief come from ~ 1
asked.
Some from Tennessee, some from Ken
lucky, but mostly from the Yankee states"
How 40 you get it out home 27
We carry it on our backs; we have no
horses" vi
do you ever come here, and find nothing
to give out %
Yes, sometimes; I know a woman who
came sixteen miles, after having lived three
days without anything, as she gave the small
mite she had to her children, and then got
nothing, and had to walk all the way home.
She has since died" 49,
Are there many cases of starvation among
you % Inext inquired.
Why, yes the other day woman walk
ed seventeen miles here for some food for
herself and four children, and she got peck
of meal; but she was so exhaustedathat she
died before she got home. She was found
hrf a.