Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-30
BREAD RIOT OF 1863.
"reminiscences Of a Memorable Period
of Our War History.
A MOB OF WOMEN.
Military Called Cut 20 pisperse Them
How IL was Done An Unsolved
Question.

Two weeks ago there was published IN this
paper sn account Of memorable mohs In
Richmond. the most remarkable OF which
was that known a. "the bread rlot.o This
occurred on April 2, 1863, snd IN the be-
ginning as composed chiefly OF women who
clamored for bfe ID, ard who In their ex-
tremity thought Il right snd proper to break
into stores and warehouses and help them
selves cot ouly to food but 10 shoes, clothing.
and other vSlusbles.
IL was the fashion of that period 20 style
these women "term9gants," "yirsgoes,'
&C., and no doubt many tough characters
were among them; but those were days
when wives, mothers, and daughters had TO
euppA,t the families Of soldier, ard prOyi-
gi0na we're terribly scarce and high, snd Y
REQUIRES no imagination 20 understand
that desperaiiOn must have seized
many who, under isyoring clrcumstanees,
would rot have d'.honored their sex.
However that NAV he, the women started
put % piiiagc the stores. a1d gangs
OF meu followed them and helped them
and the town wss in great excitement aud
The sh0p-keepers with big stocks In much
alarm. The result was that the Public Guard
had % be called oft. u WAS only bv threat
cning 10 fire into tie crowd that The rioto1s
aph rognisb men aGi women we're dispersed.
Rcstrsised by fear Of giving Information OF
our sirsItenCd circumstances 10 the public
enemy the newspapers 81 that day had pre-
cioue little 10 s1v sbout the stair. some on
them did not mention 70 ~ Oh. Others re-
terfed 10 II briefly. The ENamlncr made fun
reports OF the examination bY the Mayor OF
those who we're charged with theft. Ia one
case Governor Letcher testified that when he
commanded TIE mob 10 disperse the prison
or palmer remarked to him that 'ther' -
owe behind TIE throne miehtier than the
throne" The rest % the crowd dispcrsed,
but the prisoner remained and stu refused
10 depart, and was thereupon ordered into
CUSTODY. Wien Palmer was asked what the
power was be said the people.
Mr.. Andrew Jenkins testified that The Co
vernon "wept down TO the corner Ot Fill
fernth street" and ordered the crowd 70 dis
prrse. The crowd dispersed except the pri-
foucr.
Reputable witnesses now living declare
ihrt % was not Governor Letcher but frcsi'
dent D4yi- who dispersed the mob. some
ot,srs attribute his action 10 Mayor Mayo.
Here is direct contradiction.
Now toe question IS, Who gave the mob
five nirults o. dispcrse or be- fred intOf Was
it Precedent Daiis, Governor Letchcr, or
H.yor sievof when that point Is settled
Ilc next question %, WbeIcab0w IN the city
ffI thls Occurf To the solution OF these
rroH,me the following eyewitness, all in
te,i,ouf gentlemen, speak 10 the request OF
Che Dispatch:
rIeElH OF PRESIDENT DAVIS.
NJ d. s.. Dosgott: The day before l lett
foy 100 valley FOO Join " cavalry command
hid occasion 70 pas. through Capitol square
on ny way uptown. 1od "a ! approached
ihr Warrington Monument ! saw 4 nuoher
of women r,~rerf-dci ABOUT 80. A'sing
s0mc one wht' D. meant aad cettisg 60 salts
ft.flit nuswcr I pt'seI on. Alter awhile
81 turning ~ tn spfr0 route and mis-in2
i.a CROWD ] Inquired what hsd become
cf TO- and was todd tlai what J had seen
ul. 3D. beginning ~ tlc rios iben in pro-
grD.. about rhe old market. Upon learn
fng fhis 4 ran dow Main street and mp sew
cni.cnfh G., IBubllu. Whefcl encountered
Co.,. boob.
ON l,s.bing the corner ] saw NJ. John b..
VftNlu siandilg 100 the door oi a shop
driving hs,k tt' tnfuriated women rs they
q, t-muiei to plumber lt. lie was a large
llfu. aui his tfflWaIt figure never appeared
Oh better udYirtskc Than ON that o'cA-lF,
N.lrn. wiIn l. sleeves rolled mp and stern
o. 'crmin1iipn upon hn' msnly features, he
stood between tie nruzicd mob ana the
friehfen.d ,eajcr Of bOots and shoes and
cnafu co'tinc.
NtIie tnis s.rre was being enacted some
o.c Nl0urci tn4l the soldiers were coming,
and sure cuoueh the Pubic Guard. with
taufniu CAV q thflr bead. were seen march
IDr r4uiGl- up Seventeenth street.
81 thi. unexpected turn Of allirs tle mob
took go their heels lnd dashed UP Franklin
street wub fhe soldiers after them. When
thew rescued thr Intersection Of Governor
aud Trguk lu streets, neither out Of breathe
Of g. assured, t1cy stopped % n determined
g. resist 10, further advance on them by The
military. Al thfs i%uncture bis Honor Joseph
1isyo. Nator OF The citv. ordered the mob O
di-ucr,c. giving thcm Eve minutes in wAirh
H. &C. PIN. and telling thcm Il they DIDN'T tie
soldier, would be commanded 10 hIc on
t.em.
Then ola Captain Cay sterrcd iovNa~l
pnI with Tears streaming down 'ts vhceA,
tc.oueh tl- rioters 10 20 prpcein'ff fh-'r
Nomc.. alJ spare him the aIil nl tuiuIH,
li. guus upon The b0soms % iisoWn pcOp g.
Rui this dread Alternative never hccame
zee. .ssfy. for inst as the 'autsin uulshed
speaking President D1ys clstnbcrcd into 4
cart which wa standing a. tinfofd d FOR
t,r', corner NOW ROuntree & Brothers, and
for u few seconds ca mly-One might say
NtliIi NtAfNN NtNNtN lftW Jaw ~ w va"
iurhuhnt throng. when he spoke Ole voice
was quiet and his tones We, gentle. A
bush fell upon the cToWc. lie dl1nt up
baid hcm, ne tidn't q eaten rlsm nuf ~
tbriliins words >" tO.u taem tlAt WIS rot
fhe way 10 icires. theic clieven.cf, aid
begged them uOl 90 last ~ a rrursAcd upon
the fair name Of Gtchniuad. lis remaikS
were few, but whea they were ended the
rioters had stolen away IS If ashamed Of
their conduct
o DAVIS But LgTCuER.
Mr.. George l. Herring: You say in your
issue Of the DIST tnat there is great conflict OF
authority as to when the bread riot ended
aud where It was that President Davis halted
the mob with q speech, &c. II wHS mol
president Davis. but Governor letcher whc
made the speech. Captain Gay. with a
detachment Of the Public Guard, had Just
arrived, aad the Governor told the mol II
they did not disperse nj once q think he gave
then hre miuutes) be would order Captain
Gay 10 FIRE ints tue crowd. TINS occurred
on Main street between Fourteents and Fit
ieentb, very near o. lust IN trout OF Thomas
T.. Prices store. | was doing business at
iho timc q little lower down on the oppatte
slide from Prices and on the same square,
and heard the speech aud saw the mob dis
perez.
SAW 4 CANNON.
Mr.. james H.. Binford. now OF Rocky
Mount Va. was IN Richmond on FUR
Tough during the bread riot. | was on
Main street, near Richardson 4 CO.'S carpet
store, between Fourteenth aud Fifteenth
streets, when the cannon was brought out
and stationed near the -. CharicS Hotel.
polniing up Main street orders were given
ior the msb 10 dlsPerse. IS soon az the
order was given | slipped into Richardson's
store, and IN tive minutes the erOwd bad
Gisperse1 in every direction. This think
ended the riot, at least | never heard OF say
demonstration Afterwards.
president DAVIS SPEAKS AT ANOTHER PLACE.
Mr.. W. ". Davies, who was the messenger
ga the Office 81 President Davis: Did
President Davis address this mob more
than onCey ! think not, and II no. the To-
cality was At the northwest corner OF The GUS
tom-h0use. IN which at that time the otlcss
u the Executive Department Estate and
Treasury depArtnerts) were, ! then tSing
messenger m attendance upon President
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