Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-09-27
Richmond in 1S64-5.
HOW WOMEN LIVED AND DRESSED

During a part of the war l lived i'm
mediately on the Rapidan river, in that
rural and picturesque portion of Virginia
done more to beautify, and art less, than
there. The river, though small stream
at some points, in winter swells to a blood
red rapidly-rolling flood, to which all the
mountain torrents contribute. The Blue
Ridge overshadows the rolling landscape
[ determined to leave the farm in charge
of the overseer, and thus TO rid myself of
the perpetual care, terror and suspense in
cidental to that action. So | gave him
the KEYS, and with one of the very best of
good servants " refugeed " to Richmond
that grand central point to which all ter
rifed or home-berett women and children
turned a beehive swarming and teemng
and overrun with workers and drones till
the honey was all exhausted, and nothing
left but bitter comb, and that, after little,
put to the highest bidder.
1t was fashionable" for the sake of
economy, to room-keep that is, for an
individual or party to rent room or more,
and to find marketing for themselves, to
live as best they could-and that meant
on half ratioDs [ knew woman with
three children in one room, who had al
ways previously moved at the head of So
cietv. who assured me she had not tasted
meat for eight weeks Her fine house and
grounds in Fredericksburg were destroyed,
and she fled in the night, amid the shell
and cannon-balls. for her life
| was fortunate enough TO get two COM
Portable rooms, and with little iron fixture
before the CRATE. Judy cooked me many i
morsel of sweet food. was more fortunate
than most of my neighbors, inasmuch as
could get from home occasionally box OF
hams, fowls, hominy, meal and potatoes
and do not let me leave out the sorghum
molasses, made on the farm, and which |
still prefer To sugar-house syrup. Surely
God put it into the hearts of the people to
cultivate and make this useful article just
before the war, rs it became the staple
and / believe in hundreds of cases but for
it starvation would have ensued.
Our house in Richmond was large one
and the thirty occupants lived pretty much
by room-keeping, though there was board
in the centre part for transient or perma-
nent dodgers.
There had been such change III Rich
mond, made by influx of strangers, from
every section Of the confederacy, and the
exicencies of the times, that it was scarcely
recognizable Social equality was in a
measure inverted, and law and order went
to the wall Women, delicate, sensitive
and refined, had to assume mems duties,
and in every public department held
places Of high official Importance, with
salaries ranging from six to twelve hun
dred dollars and upwards a month, all
struggling not for wealth to hoard, but for
bread to keep the body alive.
When four years of wear and tear have
exhausted lady's wardrobe, with no goods
in the country except few, running at
long intervals the blockade, and at prices
too exorbitant, what can a woman do who
has the wish, the laudable wish, to look
well through everything, without the ma
terial for its fulflment? Well, take two
dresses of different material and color
one minus skirt, the other a body-insert
a quarter of yard Of one into the skirt
of the other, make puffings of the lighter
color at the top of the sleeve, and OF the
darker form the tight fitting part, and
notice the effect This We did, and though
mingled and notified, it was still pic
turesque.
Womens bonnets will wear out and as
hats were more easily got, hats became
the style Every woman learned to plat
straw, and to make her own hat, which
she decked with rich plume from some
old stock, or with guinea fowls bright
wing.
Shoes we learned TO manufacture, and
every rag-bag was brought into requisitior
to furnish thick poplin pieces or lasting
Stockings we knit, gloves we made-ir
which art l myself became so expert thai
could easily get thirty dollars for each
pair l could furnish .lle merchants.
Crinoline was harder to substitute; but
we got all right there, for the old stee
bands we could cover with strips OF cottor
cloth, and re-shape, and hang together witt
cord Nothing was lost.
The greatest tax upon US was I'M
clothing for our servants, which was some
times supplyed by cutting up counterpane'
and blankets. Shoes with wooden sole
were found to answer.
l. Invention was the order of the day, and
confederate puddings and pastries, witt
4 sorghum molasses personating white sugar
were pronounced delicious.