Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-11-30
GENERAL HARD TIMES.

AIeader Whose Spectral Army Was More
Cruel Than Grants or shermans.
Every article OF food increased in
price in similar ratio; and the market
reports of produce and supplies in con-
temporaneous Confederate journals pre-
tent a strange contrast from month to
month and year to year. Perhaps the
most striking instance OF the advance
IN prices OF food supplies occurs in the
,ase of -four, which in March, 1868,
,Old for $25 per barrel; in January,
1864, for $95 per barrel, and in January,
1865, for 81, 900 per barrel. The spectral
army in the Confederate rear, led by
ieneral Hard Times, was closing up its
ranks. touching elbows, and moving ut
double-quick in those days OF Janu-
ary, 1865. There was death Mt the
lannon's mouth in front Of the hungry,
ioot-sore, shivering rebel, and starva-
ton in the rear.
Even 50 early as February, 1863, tho
money value OF days rations for 100
soldiers, which had in the first year OF
the war been about 81, was at market
prices 1928. In the corresponding
month OF the following year days RAJ
lions had no estimated market value.
From the soldier who possessed them,
money could not buy them. and he who
was without them was unable to pro-
cure them at any price.
Side by side with the reports OF bat
ties and the records Of peace commits
sions. congresses and legislatures, the
blurred columns Of the Confederate
press were wont TO TEEN with domestic
recipes for cheap dishes. directions for
raising and utilizing various vegetable
products, instructions for making much
OF little in matters pertaining To every
phase of household life, Hard by II
list OF dead and wounded would stand
recipe for tanning dog-skins for
gloves; while the paragraphs just sue
ceeding the closing column OF the de-
scription OF naval engagement OH
Hampton Roads were directions for the
use OF bonaset as u substitute for quin-
inc.
The journals OF that day were printed
usually upon the poorest paper, made
OF straw and cotton rags, and so brittle
that the slightest touch INITIATED it.
The ink, like the paper, WAS OF the
cheapest and commonest, and left It's
impression, not only on the face OF the
sheet, but on the hands no less than on
the mind Of the reader. Few fonts OF
new type found their way into the Con-
federacy during the war, and at the
end OF four years the facilities for print
ing had come TO low ebb. II was ne
uncommon thing for publishers to issue
half sheets in lieu of II complete paper
with scarcely IN apology to Subscribers
for the curtailment OF their literary
and news ratons. II was generally
understood that this happened only
through stern necessity. and not from
any disposition on the part of the news
paper men TO give less than an equiva
lent for the subscription price. Some
times the journal which on yesterda
appeared in all the glory of II six
column page was to-day cut down to
four-column half Sheet or publication
was suspended with the announcement
that the stock ol materials had bee
exhausted, and that as soon Ms the OF
fee could be repleulshed publicatio
would be resumed. Eagerly as tn
rough sheets were looked for AM
closely AS they were rcad, n diminutio
OF matter in them, or "A failure to ap
pear, caused only passing comment o
dissatisfaction. Mems minds were 5
filed with the thousand things tina
each day brought forth about then
there were so many rumors In the nh
and news flew SO rapidly even withou
newspaper aid, MS To cause them nc
too greatly to miss that which to-da
has come to be one of the veriest ueces
stiles OF American llfe-~a daily iourna
full Of all thu doings of all the world, -
Century,