Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-06-15
ANNALs0E THE WAR.


Phases Of Social Life in Richmond
Woman's Work and Amusement
Rents in the Social Fabric.
Mrs. NJ. P. Hardy of Philadelphia,
who was in Richmond during the war,
writes an interesting sketch of social life
in that city for the Philadelphia Times,
from which the following is extracted:
Naturally the war was the centre OF
everything, the pivot on which al! plans
and interests turned. Richmond was
the heart of the confederacy, and there
the pulsations of the conflict were
strongest. Uniforms filed the streets,
martial music sounded from morning un-
til night; troops came and went in per-
petual procession, and the city, waking
to the reveille at dawn, saw the sun set
to the tattoo and drum. Social life in
those days was as military as that in any
western outpost of to-day, land news
from the 'front.' was the topic ofmost in
terest in all circles. Indeed, the women
of Richmond took no oinconsiderable part
in the struggle for secession, and did
everything except bear arms. The vari-
GUS departments, treasury. commissary,
naval, ETC., were filled with
women clerks in order that the
men who would else occupy them might
do duty in the field Many of these
clerks belonged to the best families Of
the state, such appointments being
eagerly sought by refugees as a means
nf ri n tn nS ON,
were also employed in the confederate
workshops, and many of them lost their
lives in the explosion of large car
fridge factory III 1868.
The southern soldiers Aid Society
organized in the first days ofthe confed
eracy and did noble work to the last in
caring for the sick and wounded all
over the country. Its head quarters
were at Richmond, with vice presi-
dent in every state and sub-ottices in
belong to it were the exception, and
every cry of destitution from army or
hospital was answered by aid to the best
of its ability. In Richmond its work
was constant and unremitting. There
its members were organized into relays,
which visited the hospitals on alternate
days, and its sewing societies met reg
ularly to work on army clothing or hos
pital supplies. The Medical Director
looked to them in all emergencies and
never looked in vain.
On Sunday during the seven days
fight around Richmond, there came a
requisition from the front for sano bags;
they were imperatively needed for the
Notifications. Not one was left in the
city and a hasty message was sent from
the ordnance department to the churches
where the congregation were assembled
for public worship, with the result that
in more than one of them the notice was
read from the pulpit, and the women Of
the aid society adjourned to the lecture
room, sent home for their sewing ma
chimes. .'and before night the thousands
of sand bags for which Lee had asked
We're delivered and the fortifcations
saved
Wealth had little to do with social po-
sition. Nearly every ne was straight
ened alike, and privations were accepted
as a sort Of honorable martyrdom, of
which the people We're proud rather
than ashamed. The refugees who
thronged the city belonged many of
them, to the best blood in the state, and
represented families whose historic
homes are on the James and York riv-
ers and in the Northern Neck. But lit
bonds paid no dividends and the stay
law prevented the foreible collection of
debts; therefore they were tain to earn
scanty living by hard work. The men
were in the army on begyarly
pay, while the women toiled in
the governmental offices for q
mere pittance. Thus many of the most
refined and cultivated people in the city
were in actual want of all but them crest
necessaries of life, and sometimes even
of them.
During the earlier part of the war SOL
dler worship was carried to the greatest
lengths and the women of the south
made heroes Of all who wore the gray.
A uniform covered any number of sins,
and as disgusted small girl, brought up
in the most exclusive circle, expressed
it, it really seemed as if any man with Il
stripe on his trousers thought he had a
right to speak to any lady whom he met.
Virginia society of the best sort is pro-
verbally arlstocratic priding itself on it's
cavalier blood and looking scornfully
down on all Of less ancient lineage The
war fever changed all that fol the time
being, and the parlor doors of many an
CASiliolNC liouSS O!)ellGu W tIOSo WHO
but for the uniform they wore would
have been entertained in the library or
Office by the gentlemen Of the family
without even glimpse Of the ladies'.
Some enthusiastic girls carried their de,
votlon to the cause so tar as to cores
pond with all and any soldiers who cared
to write to them, piece of Quixotism
promptly suppressed by prudent par
ents and guardians.
The fact that a uniform, especially an
officers uniform, was accepted as suf-
ficient passport to society could hardly
fail, sometimes, to bring about disagree
able results. So surely as the cat is left
in close proximity to the cream Jug the
cream will be absorbed" and so surely
as young people of both sexes are al.
lowed to mingle freely in social inter
course there will be more or less falling
in love between them. Every wenrer
Of a uniform WAS not exactly the sort of
man to whom a careful father would
willingly give his daughter in marriage.
and not few unhappy unions We're the
consequence of this romantic disregard
ofsocial lines. Worse, also, some wretch
es, trusting to the security afforded by
distance and the difficulty of making in
quiries in districts occupied by the
union forces, acted upon the sailors
rule of ga wife in every port" and
married in Virginia. after having left
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