The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-01-13
AN EXPENSIVE CHRISTMAS.
A Grand Dinner Given the Last
Year of the War.


New York World: Christmas
day, 1864, was the Confederate
Christmas par excellence. Outside
supplies of all kinds had dlsap-
peared and whatever comforts were
provided were of home manufac-
tnre. The Confederate dollar was
Low worth just two cents in gold,
and -four was worth just $500 bar
rel; sugar was $50 a pound; salt.
81; butter; $40; and beef, $35 to $40
a pound. Wood sold at 800 a cord,
and coal was not to be had, save in
few of the cities, owing to search
ty of transportation. The day was
Sunday, which, iB itself, would have
tempered the usual merrimeut- At
country residence below Rich
mond, and not far from the lines OF
the contendIng armies, a party Of
seven--ladies and gentlemen, all in
the strictest Southern sense of the
term-were assem- hled at dinner.
The mansion had been proverbial
for its hospitality before the war /;
now the welcome was as cordial as
ever, but the board vas spread in
accordance with the necessities of
the times.
At the head of the table was
placed large ham, worth $500; at
the foot of the table was the last
turkey the farm could boast, worth
$175. The vegetables consisted of
cabbage, potatoes and hominy
worth, at a reasonable calculation,
800. Corn-bread was served, -four
having been unknown in this house
for months. The meal Of which 1t
was made was worth $50 q bushel,
and the salt that seasoned it 81 a
pound. Dessert there was none,
but in its place the hostess provided
a coarse black molasses, worth $50
a gallon. The same kind lady, as
rare treat for her guests, brought
out with a glow of pride, a steam
ing urn of real tea-(worth 500 a
pound }, at the same time warning
the company that they must expect
but one cup apiece, as this was the
last of her store. After this there
was "coffee" made from sweet pota
toe cut into little bits, toasted
brown and ground to powder. Such
was q Confederate Christmas dinner
in the last winter of the war.
From this superb repast the scale
descended to army rations--a bit Of
salt pork, corn bread and sweet pc
tato coffee without sugar. The
company consisted Of three ladies
and four gentlemen. The ladies
toilets the writer cannot venture to
describe, but they were largely made
up of "home-made" articles in the
fashion prevailing at the commence
ment OF the war, The tresses Of
one were fastened with "Confeder-
ate hairpins," made of long black
thorns, with the heads tipped with
sealing wax, and tho dress was of
simple home-spun. With the ex
ception of the master Of the house,
whose age compelled him to pursue
the ways of peace. the gentlemen
we're in uniform, two being officers
and two privates from the neigh
boring lines. The country road be
yond the farm was lined with slo WY
moving trains of amy wagons, and
occasionally small party Of caval-
y would pass at q smart trot.
From the windows OF the mansion
hin, light clouds OF smoke could be
'een rising from the camp-fires on
he lines, and now and then the dull |
bud OF heavy gun would break
he stiffness of the scene, and a !
leecy cloud would float over the
reetops and melt away iP the air.