St. Paul daily globe., 1886-01-20
BEHIND THE SCENES.
A Glimpse at the Southern Confed-
acY During the War.

esting and well-attended meeting in the
lecture room of Unity church last evening
After quartet by the Glee club, the pas
tor, Rev. Clay MacCauley, made few in
troductory remarks and introduced Capt
George II. Moffett, who spoke on The Inner
Life of the Confederacy.
CAPT. MoEFETT's ADDRESS.
Capt. Moffett promised his remarks by say
ing that he had no set speech to make. His
apology for failing TO prepare an address was
tnat the duties of editorial work did not al
low him time TO do so. Consequently he
would occupy the time set apart for his ad-
dress with talk in conversational way
about the inner life of the Confederacy-to
tell how the people felt about the war-of
what they talked about by their ircsides
or around the camp fire. Something Of their
experience during the four years when they
were shut i'm from the outside world, their
ports blockaded Icy fleets and a mountain of
bayonets and frowning artillery encircling
their territory, effectually shutting of COM
munication from every direction. So much
had been written about the battles and
more important historical events of that
period that he imagined his audience would
prefer TO hear something of the unwritten
history of the COnfederacy.
When the war commenced he was n student
at Washington college, Lexington, Va. The
town Of Lexington is in the heart OF the great
valley of Virginia, one OF the most prosper
Gus and cultured sections Of the South. IL Is
the seat Of two of the leading collegiate insti-
tuIions of the South-was the home, and is
the burial place of Lee and Jackson. AT the
time Of the breaking ont OF the war LeXing-
ton was the home Of the then governor Of
the state. These facts are mentioned 10 how
that the opportunities for asceFiaining the
best sentiment of the Virginia people at the
opening of hOstilities was nowhere better
than at Lexington. That sentiment
was opposed 10 secession until the last mo-
ments. On the day that the ordinance of Sc
cession passed the convention in Richmond
the memorable 18th day or April, lS8l-a
mass union meeting was in progress in Lex
ington. A large flag had been raised on a
tall pole in the court house square. There
was an outpouring of people from the sur
rounding country, the like of which had
never been seen. While a venerable Judge
of the supreme court was on the stand ad-
dressing the multitude with an earnest plea
for the preservation of the old Union,
a telegram was handed him announc-
ing the passage of the ordinance OF
SECESSION AT RICHMOND.
The announcement was electrical and In @
change in sentiment phenomenal. The state
had spoken-and, educated in the doctrine of
state sovereignty, the people believed that
authority of the state was paramount. Turn
ing TO the flag which foated so proudly in the
spring breezes the venerable orator directed
III 10 De taken uONn, as IL WAS 10 longer the
symbol of an unbroken Union. Virginia had
placed herself under another flag and Vir-
ginas flag WAS his. But as the banner was
being hauled down the old man again spoke,
and as the tears streamed down his cheek,
with faltering voice said: Take the flag
down tenderly boys, for there are many
precious memories still clustering around il"
That was the last time the stars and stripes
were holsted at Lexington for four long bloody
years. The scene was instantly changed.
The sun which arose in the morning on
peaceable crowd congregated together for the
purpose of giving expression 10 union senti-
ments. went down at night upon town con-
verted into bristllng military camp. Men,
whose hands had run up the stars and stripes
i'm the forenoon, by nightfall had enrolled
their names as volunteers in the Confederate
service. Thus suddenly was the curtain
lifted and the horrors of the four years
drama ushered upon the people of Virginia.
The scene of the cadet corps leaving the
state military institute was next depicted.
The bo& from the military school were or
dered TO the various camps OF instruction to
drill the new recruits. A bright Sunday
morning, early in May, they were drawn up
in line on College hill The most modest and
unassuming professor in the school had been
detailed TO command them. AS these 200
young men, of the best blood of the old com
monwealth, stood there in their bright. new
uniforms, their bayonets glfstenfng in the
light of the midday sun. and their youthful
faces cleaning in anticipation of the glory TO
be achieved on the field OF battle, little did
they dream how few of them would be left TO
answer to the final roll-call at Appomattox
The plain professor who was 10 command
them rode out from under the portcullis OF
the barrack wall, mounted on an old sorrel
horse, and riding TO the front of the line, raised
his military cap, and in a tone of reverence
said LET us pray" A feeling petition for
the blessing of the God of Battles 20 rest upon
NVnE
Scarcely had the amen been pronounced when
the man of method and destiny wheeled his
horse. gave the command. Forward, march,"
and as the brow of the hill was reached
turned his head and silently waved his cap in
token OF atfectionate farewell. That was the
last time Stonewall Jackson ever looked upon
Lexington. His next return was when his
body was brought back, just two years after
wards, TO be buried according TO his dying re-
quest, in the heart of the valley of Virginia.
where his military fame had been achieved
THE PRIyATIoNs THE PEOPLE
of the South were subjected TO was next re-
verted 10. The ports were blockaded and no
opportunity to import anything. There were
comparatively few manufactures in the
South. The white male population from is
to 90 was cOuscripted into military service
The women and children, with the aid of the
negroes who remained at home. were relied
upon to raise sustenance for themselves and
the army in the field. The Confederate
money soon became valueless. In 1852 pair
of cavalry boots sold for Sl20, and a common
army pistol for $50. In the latter part of
the war a barrel of -four sold for 81 900 in
confederate money. People went TO market
with their baskets full of money and came
home with the market Supplies in their pocl-
cts. After the first year of the war the sup
ply of coffee gave out, and as the women
would have something as a substitute they
resorted to parched rye and chestnuts. Rye
coffee was quite palatable when nothing bet
ter could be had. The ladies had no Sunday
dresses. They were compelled to make their
own clothing. Commencing with the wool on
the sleeps back, or the cotton ball in the
field, the raw material was worked through
the successive stages of carding spin
ming, weaving and working up by
the fair hands of women who had
been reared in luxury and never had manual
training. a flannel or linsey dress was all
that was to be seen. 1t was a valuable lesson
of economy to the women of the South, as
they learned TO make very few dresses do
them each season.
Two prominent features of the Southern
side which have never beenwritten about were
the fidelity of the negro race and the cou-
rageous sacrifices made by the women of the
South. History had never before presented
the example of race in behalf of
whose emancipation a great war was
being waged, aud vet remaining faith
ful TO the interests of the people
who held them in slavery. The white male