Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-04-11
The Commune In Richmond

lions OF COMMUNISTS 10 Richmond during the
war, and how they were suppressed :-Wben
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 employed in the arsenals
and machine shops, and they followed the ma
chinery to the Capital in search of employment.
They got it. For time they we're regularly
paid 10 good money, and everything moved
smoothly. But as the currency deprecated
they began to suffer. The money received by
| the workmen would not support their families.
| AS the war progressed Confederate notes be-
came almost valueless. Grant had his hand on
| the throat of the Confederacy at Petersburg.
| The wages of the workmen would not purchase
| food for their families. They protested, but 10
vain. They were too patriotic to organize a
revolution. Their women, however, formed a
secret society based on communistic principles.
They seem to have held that their husbands we're
working for the Confederacy, aud that the
Confederscy was the only safety of the grocers
and shopkeepers. Without clothing and pro.
visions their husbands and SOUS must stop work
This would cut off necessary munitions and sup.
| plies, the government would fall, and all be
involved 10 one common rulo. 10 avoid this,
a general division of food and clothing must be
made. The wives and daughters of laborers
and mechanics through bout the Capital general.
" joined in the movement.
While standing 10 Main street one morning
the Major witnessed an extraordinary scene.
Hundreds Of women suddenly appeared. The
broad avenue was filled with them. They came
fling in from the cross streets by platoons, and
began to sack the stores. IoW.eYed and
gaunt with hunger, nobody dared resist them
A crowd OF men huog upon the outskirts, offer
Jog no interference and expressing 20 sympathy
for The shopkeepers. The woman took the store
10 line, one after the other. They proceeded
| Systematically. The goods We're piled upon
wagons drawl by horses driven by female sym
patbizers. Not word was spoken. The work
! was done with terrible earnestness. When the
mob entered grocery certain percentage OF
them piled The goods upon the oustretched
arms of tho others, and they we're borne to the
streets and dumped into the wagons. The wo
men had it all their own way. Neither soldiers
nor police we're 10 sight. Meanwhile the crowd
Increased. Other women heard what was 60.
ing Oh, and fJcked to Main street for share
of the plumber. Not man joined them, and
for long time no one made an effect to stop
them. At last Congressman Baldwin, of Vir.
GINA, jumped upon dry goods box aud made
an impassioned appeal for law aud order. He
might as we'll have talked to the wod No one
paid the leas. attcotloa to him. The women
went on with their sackiog, and the bystsnders
drowned Baldwln's voice with their Whoops
and cheers.
"Whie | was gazing at the scene" said the
Major, Il saw Captain Of an Alabama cavalry
regiment. with whom had slight acquaint.
aDcc. We were both 10 uniform. We agreed
that something ought to be done to restore Or
der and stop the robbery. At bis suggestion
we stationed ourselves at the door Of store
already overrun. 10 a few seconds a vrago
tried to pass US. can see her now. Her
checks and lips were red but she had pinch
ed, starved look, and 40 eye like hawk. She
carried 10 her arms half dozen bars of yellow
soap, piece Of dress silk, long box of stock,
iDgs, and some raisios aud behring's. | said:
Madam, | beg your pardon; but you are
forgetting yourself. These goods are not yours
You have not paid fur them, and you will not
be permitted to leave this store with them.
"She looked at me, said the Major, ''in a
wild way, as though cndeavorng to compre'
bend what | had said, and then went to the
counter and threw down the goods. AS she
came back she deliberately took me by the arm
and sung me from her with such force that
went spinning around like top, aud struck the
front of the building 50 hard that it took the
breath out of me. She then quietly gathered
up her load from the counter and walked out.
The Alabama Captain looked at me and laugh
ed, but kept his hands 10 his pockets and said
nothing. I told him thought We were out of
place, and he nodded. We concluded after that
to remain simple spectators.
| Meanwhile the women were approaching the
Jews quarter. The Hebrews were credited
with great wealth. 1t was said that they bad
made barrels of money out Of the confederacy,
aud the female communists went at them with.
out qualm Of conscience Moses and Isaac,
however. had heard what was going on above,
aud tried to protect themselves. They put up
their shutters, barricadcd their doors, ran up
stairs, and watched the proceedings from the
second story windows. But the women were
not dismayed. While some of them ran for
axes, others found long piece of soantliug and
open amid the cheers Of the outsiders, followed
| by vail of sorrow from the Jews "Oh, mine
Kott mine kott ish ruined ish ruin
ed! !" was the cry. But they made no further
| defence. Indced it would have been danger
GUS for them to attempt it, for if one of the
| female robbers had been hurt the crowd of
husbands aud brothers would surely have
avenged it.
And 60" said the major, "the spoliation
continued. At last rumor ran through the
street, the Governor is coming l. proved
true. Down the hill came Governor Letcher
accompanied by his staff and few friends. He
assembled cart and made speech, which had
as much effect as such speeches usually do have
The mob of women kept steadily at work, aud
the Governor pumped himself dry without
producing the least effect. The crowd on the
outskirts opened respectfully for him to pass
out, and the Jews moaned more pi,iful than
ever. The women pitched in with renewed
vigor, and shawls. sugar, poplins, bottles of
pickles, ribboos, washing soda, musins and
bags If homiuy we're pitched 10 the wagons at
the door. Then second rumor spread over
the crowd. The President was coming. This
also proved true. President Davis rode down
from the Capitol followed by Capt. Gay, With
hundred OF the guards. He mounted wagon
and everybody was silent. had seen him several
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