The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-08-31
RICHMOND IN WAR TIMES.
Chapters Of UnWritten History-Pic-
lures OF Social Life-Carnage of
1862 and Merry Making-Poverty-
War On rpency


1862 and Merry Making-Poverty-
War CURRENCY.
Matoaca Gay in the Philadelphia Times.
It is impossible to make any sketch of
life in Richmond during this period,
apart from or to the even partial exclu-
sion Of military events as they followed
each other in the field. These events
controlled all others them every
phase of life took its current and color
ing; in short, as life in the field and the
issues of actual battle developed the mil
itary history Of the war, SO all social and
domestic life was simply another side Of
those same events and constituted the
home history Of the war. Take the sum-
mer of 1862. What else could life have
been in Richmond but the handmaiden
to carnage itselr When from the first
guns of Seven Pines, May 81, through
out the entire summer the entire city
was a hospital every house had it's
stranger sufferers, or worse still, its own
dear ones wounded, and l dare assert
that in the whole community, from the
boy and girl Of ten years of age to the
man and woman of eighty, there was not
one who did not witness during those
horrible days repeated sights of agony
or minister in some way to the physical
needs Of some wounded man. Our hos
pitfalls, though much increased since the
battle of Manassas (the summer of 1861,
were still wholly insufficient. In this
| Il TO loft T.
less by the frightened occupants during
the spring panic were pressed into SER
vice; but so urgent was the need and 50
scanty the government facilities for fur
nishing them that in mang instances the
sick and wounded were brought III and
laid upon the floors of the vacant dwell
ings with the shelter of a roof alone,
while as yet they had neither bed nor
nor anything but the bare boards, to re-
ceive the aching limbs or revive the
weary sufferers No sooner were houses
thus occupied than in an incredibly
short space of time they we're provided
with first essentials Of hospital by pri-
waite contributions. tfDWever scarce and
high provisions might be refreshments
would be cooked and sent; beds, pillows
and blankets would then be loaned Tor
given when possible until supplies
could be obtained from the quarter-mas-
ter. Surgeons, whether military or not,
lent their aid and ladies were always at
hand as nurses with their well-trained
servants to lend a helping hand.
Thus sped the summer of 1862 in Rich
mond, and life was Il conflict of contend
ing emotions which it is impossible to de-
pict and which nothing but state Of un-
natural excitement could have made a
possibility. We would nurse our sick in
be, yet make merry with the well
ones at night, if required, and feel that
both are duties to the cause. | remem-
Der walking up Grace street in the after
noon of the opening day Of the seven
days battles around Richmond. Gener-
al Lees reserve was under arms and &C.
cupieH Grace street solily from St Paul's
church far beyond First street, a distance
Of over half mile. al day long there
had been heavy fighting on the Meclan
icsville road, the guns were still sound
ing and puffs of smoke from bursting
shell and cannon were plainly visible
Chen looking north; and yet, notwith
standing the neurness of the battle, every
house Oh Grace street was thrown open;
laughter and mlrth rang ont from every
ladies we're darling about handing coffee
and bread to the soldiers and in many
of the houses the waiting troops were
being entertained with music and dane
ing. The scene, which doubtless hum
dreds viii! recall, far more rcsembled
holiday parade than the advance Of
troops to battle and the actual presence
of fierce war, so sure were We all that
we were winning the day. With night
fall came fresh relays of wounded, and
mirth was husled in the presence of
death and carnage. Again on the morn
ing of the 9th was heard the dreadful
music of the guns; but in the supreme
hour of our peril the talismanic words
were heard: Jackson is in the rear.''
and every heart grew strong Through
val continued, and again, after Sunday
of comparative cessation, came the hor-
rOrs Of Fraegr's farm, and a fight which
rivaled in the horror of its blood-shed
any battle of the campaign. Our force
were growing weary with their long en-
durance. We fcltJ we conld not last
much longer. The utmost anxiety pre-
vailed when the news came: ''The en-
envy are retreating." The booming of
the cannon grew fainter on the air, but
the issue, we learned, was not yet set
tied and the suspense was still terrible
until July l, when, after terrific battle,
Mcclellan, under cover of his gunboats,
effected his masterly retreat. Once
more our capital was saved. But oh, at
what cost!
Richmond herself suffered more Sc
yerely in killed and wounded III that
campaign than at any other period of
the war; 50 much so that it would be inn
possible even to mention here the most
prominent among the many who fell in
those terrible battles. remember that
in my own immediate neighborhood,
within radius of four blocks, Grape
foated one morning from fourteen DIFF
,ferent door bells. There was scarcely
family that mourned, not some near
grief So we went all day from house to
house of mourning, with hearts too par
alyZed to measure their sorrows; duties
to the living too pressing to admit a
pause for reflection. and yet, in the
midst of all, giving thanks and mingling
in a single cup our gratitude and our
griefs.
But let me turn from this horrible
picture. The picture of July, 1862, when
simply to be in Richmond was to live in
a hospital and to breathe the atmosphere
of charnel house. In August, 1862, our
feet-footed congress returned. They
were numerically twitted, of course, es-
pecially by the ladies, for their expedi-
tious legislation in the matter of self
preservation. This they endured with
all the equanimity of recovered safety
and forthwith proceeded in that mem
orable course of legislation which w. s so
vitality ehectual in ( ,eloping our tinan-
cial woe. Resolu, q after resolution
was passed SO increasing the circulation
of the currency that the paper issued by
the confederate treasury underwent a
most worthless, and the result was a
widespread decentralization. AS late
even as the summer of 1862, confederate
currency was taken at par in the settle