The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-06-09
VII.

stop to it. But from Memphis after it was
captured by tho Federals, until Mobile fell,
all kinds of supplies, medicines included, were
wagoned from the former to tho latter place.
The wagons would stop some Is miles in the
country from Memphis, and women would then
be sent into the city upon the pretensc ofbuying
supplies for their families aud there being so
many of them thus employed, they would soon
accumulate sufficient quantities to load train
Of from five to 10 four-horse wagons, two yoke
of oxen being often substituted for mules or
horses and no sooner would the train leave
when the same thing would be done over again,
SO as to be ready with supplies for the looked
for Mobile train.
1t was the intention to start the loaded train
from Memphis and an empty train from Mobile
simultaneously. The women used their hoop
skirts for conveying out goods. Jackets were
made in the snaps of corsets, with pockets
in them, in which qunine. morphine, and
other valuable medicines were taken from the
bottles, put into small bags made for the pur-
pose. and conveyed out of the city in that way.
Cotton-cards were in great demand, (they being
contraband), and were taken from the backs,
concealed their persons and evadDg the
sentinels, they would convey them to the wagon
train.
Corintb, Miss, was utilized for the same pur
pose before its capture, and
QUANTITIES OF SUPPLIES
were carried into it from Paducah, Ky, while
the latter was in Federal possession. After the
capture Of Cornith, supplies wore run out from
there to Oklahoma Miss, the distance being
about 80 miles There the Mobile & Ohio
Railroad was met, andstransportation willingly
furnished to Mobile.
Speaking Of medicine, it appears funny at
this time to think Of the substitutes that were
in and were used for it, Crab-apple cider
was used as purgative; also hickory bark,
which, when well chewed, and the juice swal-
lowed had the desired effect; while stale cheese
proved splendid astrngent. Many substi-
tutes were discovered and used in families,
impossible otherwise to get along without.
The dirt in snokehouses was boiled down,
and salt in many instances obtained in that
way. The necessary glass tumbler and tin
candlestick being quito scarce, especially in the
interior, old claret and wine bottles were util-
lied. cord was wrapped around the center
of bottle, person holding each end of the
cord, and the bottle moved back and forward
rapidly, until the heat necessary from the
friction was obtained, when quick movement
of the hand would separate in twain the bottle,
the lower portion being convenient tumbler
and the upper portion candlestick.
The camps of those blockade wagon trains
were frequently the scenes Of great brolls, and
often murder. An old lady, whose son
driver, at one time accompanied the train on
pounds, got into dispute with man much
younger and inferior in strength. But the
smaller man was plucky aud defended himself
with rev ak, driving it nearly to the eye into
the flesh of the rump of his opponent, who fell
and bed like beef. Another driver, who had
been
THROUGH THE MEXICAN WAR,
undertook to and did sew up the gaping wound.
The wounded man lay on the ground. having
% nj, he ;ood
geon astride of him, cigar in his mouth, sewing
up the wound as though he was stitching to-
gether a couple of saddle-skirts. The poor old
mother was much exercised. and wanted to
know of the amateur surgeon if her baby
would die.
NO." he replied; "but you will have to pay
Mr.. calling the owner of the wagon by name)
for the ak, for it is utterly ruined"
Charleston, S. c., Wilmington, N. c., and Mo-
bile, Ala, were the greatest ports of entry for
the blockade runners, which were principally
built across the Atlantic for the purpose. But
later, and especially at Mobile, all kinds of or
binary good-class steamboats,, as well as sailing
schnonprs and fishing emackS were altered N