The national Republican., 1869-02-06
tCommunicatsd.l
Loyal women IN the Boutb


Loyal women In the south.
Mrs. Ames, In one Of her Pen and Ink
sketches Of the Senate, deems Ii proper 70
speak Of Southern women In these terms,
81 don't know Miss Murphy; but know %
well as want 70 that she was not loyal. That
marvel of the nineteenth century has never
yet been scen--e Southern woman truly loyal
at heart. Il know them as thoroughly as
do my A B C's. I know host OF them
all lovlng-loyal now that they are seeking
indemnity from the Government for their
burned-up houses and eaten-up cows and
chickens-women who, during all the war,
wep suoh deadly rebels that they would as
soon have poisoned o boy In blue as 70 have
looked at him."
Iknow nothing about Miss Sue Murphy, |
nor Is II my object to defend her or her claim.
have only to do with the general charge Of
disloyalty. Mrs. Ames says "That marvel
Of the nineteenth century has never yet been
seen--a Southern woman truly loyal at
hearth '... ... ..E... zoo r.
ought to know something OF the senti-
menis OF Southern people, for was pris-
oner at Richmond, Columbia, Charleston,
Salisbury, Castle Pinckncy, Bell Island and
Petersburg. We flrst found out that loyal
woman lived even In Richmond, and one
who had both the heart and tho courage 10
furnish the sick and famishing prisoners
with food and medicine. @
Amer thirty-threc Of US had been selected
as hostages for prlyateersmen-to be hung
II our Government hung the priyateers-wc
were sent to tho Charleston jail and there
confined In condemned cells. Our food was
seven hard crackers and a hav pound bacon
rstk. Tho dungeons were nlthy, nolsome
and damp. The drops Of stagnant dew
stood on the walls. The fever came among
| US. Five OF us were In ono small cell, feet
| BY IA. swe lay on the floor where gangroncd
4 death crept into our bodies through every
pore. There was no medicine, no care, no
food that could bo eaten. Four Of our num-
Der died. saw them carried out BY the
rebel soldiers TO be buried In nameless
grave. II we closed our eyes 10 sleep we
dreamed Of home and friends, Of sumptuous
feasts, OF cool, sparkling fountains, Of the
perfume Of flowers, and the cool, soft hand
Of mother, a wife, or sister upon the brow.
The voice OF sympathy and sweet songs OF
birds were heard. We nwoke to find instead
Of feasts and fountains and cooling waters,
hunger gnawing at the hearti Instead OF the
perfume Of flowers tho fntid breath OF
disease, and instead Of the voice Of friend
ship and the soothing words Of love, the
jaiior's harsh oaths as he opened and closed
our iron door with n clang.
At this time the hatred Of Yankees was so
great, and the special odium felt towards us
on account Of our being hold as hostages"
that but one mana DR.. Campbell, formerly
from vermont-dared to call on us, and he
was particular not to be suspected Of favor
ing us. But woman, a South Carolinlan
by birth and education, succeeded In getting
her servant into the prison, through some
strategy, and left quinine, brandy, tea, cof-
fee and sugar for the sick and suffering pria-
oners. Accompanying II was note OF sym
, pathy and hope-a note that revealed as pure
7 Northern woman ever showed,
regret that do not feel at liberty to give
I her name, but Generals Wilcox, Yogdes,
! Sprague, Woodruff, Cochran and Withing-
, ton, who were there at the time, know that
, she was u woman herolcally noble, patriotic
and loyal at heart.
, In Columbia jail we found but little bet
, ter, and even In Columbia we had money
and medicine sent US secretly by Unton men
and tconsn. One woman In particular pur-
chased compasses, quinine, brandy, &C., and
secretly forwarded to the prison to enable
! some OF US to escape.
In Salisbury there lived n Mrs. Sarah
johnson, Il mention her name because she
has been spoken of publicly several times. }
This woman was loyal to the hearts core, and
boasted Of It. She denounced rebellion from
the first. She was tolerated because she
was considered "sort Of crazy on the sub
ject," as the rebels said. Salisbury was lit
tie better than Andersonville. The prison
ers were dying of at the rate Of nearly l0C
q day. The well were starving, and the
/ sick dying in agony. This woman, upor
a her knees, begged the privilege Of carrying
food and medicine to the sick and dying
n II was granted by Col. Goodwin, the rebe
s commander Of the post, who said he ''woult
a permit her to make ID tool Of hersel
generally, which would include feeding Yam
u KEGS" Day after day this heroic woman
Il came among the starving Union prisoner
, and Union men, and gave food and medi
cine to the most feeble and suffering. sh,
y sold her watch, her jewelry, her best cloth
II ing, furniture and even her books, and I'm
l. poverished herself to feed these starving sol
diers. Her husband was q rebel, her half
grown son already thirsted to become 81
70 Confederate soldier" and yet this womnl
10 stood forth In the strength Of her loyalt
. and truth, and declared herself forever Of
l. the side Of the Union. Congress has nc
!, left itself in any doubtful position In such
y her at the rate Of $50 per month, and sh
Il now has It to show for her own good deed
Ia and the appreciation Of her country.
Mrs. Ames may consider this also doubt
u full case, and may say some OF her witty o
caustic things concerning It, but for all tina
r. IL will ever stand on the records Of the natlo
70 that she was a woman loyal at heart, thong
>, born and bred at the South. "She hath don
what she could"
10 Capt. J. W. Woodward, who laid down hi
8, life at Antietam, once told me that In Lou
NJ doun county he was wounded by guerrilla
"a but managed to crawl to the nearest house
- Instead OF poisoning this "Boy In Blue" q
Is Mrs. Ames says thoy were "dR" ready to dc
lie the women OF that house secreted him unit
ID the rebel guerrillas left, and then gave hir
"a the best horse on the farm to carry him bac
to his command,
70 In this same county, while our troops wcr
In burning barns, granaries, haystacks an
ys driving off the stock to prevent Its fallin
IN into the hands Of the rebels, q sneering secet
- sionist asked Miss Anna Mathews II she wa
IN ''Union STILL" and she replied; ayes, we al
IN Union still; and they may burn our house
m II will do the cause any good"
,v These women were ever ready to nurt
= the sick and wounded Union soldiers, an
70 | know of some instances where they burie
ls our dead at their own expense, getting mic
"a. cotflns and taking as solemn and tender col
as though the poor friendless soldier ha
been their own flesh and blood. The llttl
" church-yard In the village Of Waterford, Va
IN contains among It's sacred headstones th
70 marble slabs that mark the graves ofseyer'
IA Union soldiers, purchased and erected b
- the loyal women Of that town. These loyi
On Virginia women sent $500 In cash to II
&. Soldiers Relief Association In Baltimo'
D. during the darkest days OF tho rebellion
Mrs. Ames herself could hardly have bee
more loyal at heart, though she might
IN able to show more Of It, being surrounded I
=, ~ oil times by admiring friends, and never ha
ic ing to endure the trials and the hardship