The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-04-11
AN EXTRAORDINARY SCENE.
Richmond in the Last Days of the War
The Uprising of the Female Commune
Jeff. Davis shows His Nerve.

Richmond in the Last Days of the War
The Uprising of the Female Commune
jeff. Davis shows His Nerve.
A writer in the New York Sun gives
the following as coming from the lips OF
Major John M. Daniel, "a well known resi-
dent of Virginia The narrative was
drawn from the Major by discussion
concerning the growth of Communism
and its power as displayed in the rail-
road riots last winter.
The Major said that when Harper's
Ferry was captured at the beginning of
the war, all the available machinery for.
the manufacture of arms was taken to
Richmond. Hundreds of workmen and
their wives and daughters had been en-
ployed in the arsenals and machine
shops, and they followed the machinery
to the capital in search of employment.
They got it. For time they were reg
ularly paid in good money, and every
thing moved smoothly. But as the cur
rency deprecated they began to suffer.
The money received by the workmen
would not support their families. As
the war progressed Confederate notes
became almost valueless. Grant had
his hand on the throat of the COnfeder-
acy at Petersburg. The wages of the
workmen would not purchase food for
their families. They protested, but in
vain. They were too patriotic to or
ganize revolution. Their women,
however, formed secret society based
on Communistic principles. They seem
to have held that their husbands were
working for the Confederacy, and that
the Confederacy was the only safety of
the grocers and shOpkeepers. Without
clothing and provisions their husbands
and sons must stop work This would
cut off necessary munitions and supplies,
the Government would fall, and all be
involved in one common ruin. To avoid
this general division of food and cloth
ing must be made. The wives and
daughters of laborers and mechanics
throughout the capital generally joined
in the movement.
While standing in Main Street one
morning the Major witnessed an extra
ordinary scene. Hundreds of women
suddenly appeared. The broad avenue
was filled with them. They came filing
in from the cross streets by platOOns,
and began to sack the stores. Hollow
eyed and gaunt with hunger, nobody
dared resist them. A crowd of men
hung upon the outskirts, offering no in
reference, and expressing no sympathy
for the shopkeepers. The women took
the stores in line, one after the other.
They proceeded Systematically. The
goods were piled upon wagons drawn
by horses driven by female sympathizerS.
Not word was spoken. The work was
done with terrible earnestness. When
the mob entered grocery certain per-
centage of them piled the goods upon
the outstretched arms of the others, and
they were borne to the streets and
dumped into the wagons. The women
had it all their own way. Neither SOL
diers nor police were in sight. Mean
while the crowd increased. Other wOm-
en- heard what was going on, and flock
ed to Main Street for a share OF the
plumber. Not a man joined them, and
for long time no one made an effort to
stop them. At last Congre ssman Bald
win, of Virginia, jumped upon dry
goods box, and made an imprisoned
appeal for law and order. He might as
well have talked to the wind. No one
paid the least attention to him. The
women went on with their sacking, and
the bvstanders drowned Baldwin s voice
with their wnoops and cheers.
awhile / was gazing at the scene,"
said the Major, 81 saw Captain of an
Alabama cavalry regiment with whom
l had slight acquaintance. We were
both in uniform. We agreed that some
thing ought to be done to restore order
and stop the robbery. At his sugges-
ton we stationed ourselves at the door
of store already overrun. In few
seconds virago tried to pass us. L
eau see her now. Her cheeks and lips