The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-07
SUFFERING IN THE SOUTH.
A Woman Tells Of the Privations OF
Families During the War.

n woman Tells ot tue A'"s'"o' -
Families During the War.
"You northerncrs knew very little about
the sufferings that war entails" said south
ern woman .Some Of you may have lost
money: some surely did lose husbands, sons,
brothers or relatives Of some degree; but
none Of you suffered the pangs Of hunger, as
we did As the blockade grew tighter and
tighter, it was as though bandage was be
ING tied closer and closer around the neck OF
each one OF US poor jewellers in the south
That cut Off our luxuries, that had almost
become necessities 50 much had they become
the component parts OF our every day meals
Oh, how have sighed for cup OF real COT
fee, after drinking decoctions OF burnt rye or
potatoes. And used to dream how fragrant
a cup Of real simon pure tea would be, after
slipping for months vile decoctions OF sassa-
fras
'The army in the field also depleted the
land and drew away not only provisions, Dut
the men that might have replenished the
storehouses and larders by supervising the
work in the fields The slaves were wonder
fully loyal 10 their masters households while
the masters we're away fighting. They worked
faithfully, but they could not work as under
standingly as when they were directed by
their old employers. SO the field crops were
not as large as usual. And 1t had always
been the curse Of the south that 1t devoted SO
large a share of its energies to raising cotton.
II remember that when Sherman's army
came along many persons, once wealthy ana
who never knew want, watched till the cav
airy horses had left their feeding troughs
and then went and picked up tho grains OF
corn the horses had wastedr
what was the article whose loss troubled
you mosti'
salt 1t grew scarcer and scarcer. After
a while We boiled the bags in which bacon
had been shipped and the coverings OF the
hams. Then, after the supply was exhausted,
the ground under the smoke houses was dug
up and mixed with water in huge caldrons,
and roaring fires were set going. As the
water dubbed up under the fierce heat we
skinned the salt from the surface. Doubt
less much sickness was chargeabe to the lack
of salt, which could not be procared for love
or money"
"Did anybody absolutely staryeT
IL never saw any statement that anybody
actually died in the south for lack of food,
but many came very near IT, One case that
came under my own observation was par
ticularly sal. One lady, with her daughter
and two little boys, We're left alone upon n
farm of $50 acres, the father being absent
with the army. This family had eaten every
thing there was on the farm except one old
hen that had escaped the raid Of the forag-
ing soldiers by running under the barn y
little corn that had been hidden IN the board
ing of the barn had at last given out, and the
old hen was killed and cooked. There was
no salt or pepper with which to season it,
but it was set upon the table for what seemed
To be the last meal the family would ever
eat, when the door was burst open and Il
party OF camp followers swept the fowl from
the table and tore it limb from limb. Kind
hearted Federal officer came along shortly
after and gave the poor woman some rations.
Had it not been for his providential appear
ing she and her little ones must have
starved. New York Press.