The Iola register., 1889-06-07
THE OTHER SIDE.
How The Soldiers Amused Themsel.
yes DURING The War.-Description
Of a Riot in Richmond.-More
About Southern Prisons.

mona during the TeUelllOu, IOT uo say o
he has heard often enough of what was
done outside. 1 will attempt in this
communication to tell him and some
of his readers of the most important
things that took place In that town
during that t-unpleasantness, and while
the writer was camped near by and
was visitor in that city.
You, Mr.. Editor, and your many
readers must excuse me from telling
in this, all that 1 know concerning
this wonderful and historic town and
it's doings, during those long remsm-
bered years, for am satisfied that a
part of it would not prove interesting.
1t is enough to say that il as well as
all other large towns and cities was
full Of cussedness and vice of all sorts.
Gambling dens were kept open at all
points and as the city was full of SOL
diers and skulking humanity of all
sorts. the police were kept busy both
day and night clearing the streets.
Whisky flowed freely on every cor
ner and it was no unusal sight TO see
men shoot and cut each other to piec-
es M the sidewalks i'm broad daylight
Among other modes of gamblig was
that of cockfighting. This was very
popular amusement among the fast
young men in the South. The fights
took place i'm the cock pits every Fri
day evening, and thousands Of people
attended them and hundreds of dollars
was bet on a single cock fight. / at
tended two or three of these, but in
this as we'll as all other gambling,
fraud is practiced, and when these
Southern bloods saw that they were
beaten it was more than they could
stand and biOodshed was the next
thing resorted TO. 1t is surprising to
see the Judgment that these birds will
exercise in battle and how quick one
of them will cut the craw out of aDOth-
er. At the last one of these battles
that attended one of these cocks cut
the craw out of the other the first pass
he made at him, having been provid-
ed with pair of steel spurs or gaffs as
sharp as needles, and when this was
discovered by the owner of the slain
bird bloody fight between them took
place In which one killed the other by
stabbing him eleven times with long
dirk.
Another amusement among the fast
young men Of the city was that of dog
fighting, upon which they also bet big
money. And when they got two large
old English bull dogs yoked in battle
the excitement ran hit b. They made
but little noise, but each got his
death-grip and generally held fast till
life was extinct.
AS the war went on the necessities
of life became very scarce and hard to
get, and every means was resorted TO
especially by the poor working class to
gain a livelihood. In fact men and
women who never did mean things be-
fore did them now, and ii was unsafe
for even a soldier to be alone on the
streets after dark for If some maj. did
not choke or knock you down some |
butterfly woman would.
1t was about this time, the latter
part of '63 that the working women of
the city rose in one mighty army and |
rushed into the streets and took what |
ever they could get their hands upon |
and rolled or dragged it away to their |
homes and little ones. They number
ed thousands and many of them car
ried pistols in their hands and used |
them or the guards, several of whom |
were killed. There were also several
women killed but they were masters of
the situation. The writer happened to
be In the city on that very day and |
was an eyewitness to the charge. |
However we watched their movements |
from around the corner of warehouse
for when womsn n takes a notion to do
a thing and gets In dead earnest the
men will always do we'll to stand back
and let her do it. And it was funny.
1t also reminded me of SO many tum.
bugs to see them moving barrels of
-four and rice and dragging sacks of
coffee, dried fruits, beans, honey and
other articles along the sidewalks.
1t was here, and the very mkt day
after this riot that 1 first heard the
vice president of the Southern Confed-
eracy olate. He spoke from the bal
cony of the capital to at least ten thou
sand people, for three hours. He told
us the war would soon end, and drew
a fine, imaginary picture of the SOL
diers of the south returning home to
their friends, crowned with victory
and glory. He opened up all the sea-
ports by removing all of Uncle Sans
blockade and brought in ship loads of
all the necessities of life from every
kingdom of the earth. He carried the
whole audience with him through his
oratory until there did not appear 10 be
a dry eye in the entire assemblage.
Old hard-hearted soldiers were seen to
rise up, wiring their hands and shed
tears freely. Stevens was certainly a
man of wonderful brain.
And now Mr.. Editor, before we leave
allow me to speak a word
in regard to prison life here in Rich
mond. AS 1 am a representative of
the other side. 1 wish to do Justice to
them and all other parties, and let me
say in this article that 1 frequently
union and rebel troops and can truth
fully say that never saw particle of
difference made in the treatment of the n
two parties. There might have been
a difference. but if 80 can testify that '
it never came under my observation. 4
l have been treated very kindly by S
the people of this western country dur
ing my stay of nineteen years among
them, and can say that have been G
well treated by the q. A. r.
of lola and vicinity, for c,
which l feel very proud and thankful.
But there is one thing for which 1 am
not to blame at all, and which l had
nothing to do with whatever, and that
s the punishment and bad treatment
Of the Union prisoners in rebel prisons. g
This is the one and only thing that