The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-08
LOST HIS CORNED BEEF.
An Incident of War Times In Richmond
That the Family Still Remembers.
(From the phila7etnbia TmpsI

That the Family Still Remembers.
(From the Philadelphia Tlmcs)
In Richmond during the last year of
the late war, for months, there had been
very little fresh meat in the market,
and what little there was brought en-
ormously high prices. Provisions Of all
kinds were bought UP by the Confed-
crate government to feed the prison.
ers in Libby prison, of which so much
has been written. Several weeks be-
fore this incident occurred-which
seems very amusing one, now that it
is all over-rny grandfather and friend
bought of a farmer up in the country
a considerable distance from Richmond,
a beef. 1t was left where it was for
several weeks to fatten. The young
young people of the south who have
heard all Of their lives of the struggle
people in the country as well as in the
city had to get food for themselves,
much less their cattle, know what it
meant to get that beef fattened. But
in due time it was considered fat
enough, so in the middle of one night,
during "de dark OBJ de moon," l reckon
a wagon might have been seen hastily
it's precious burden, half of which was
deposited very stealthily at my grand
fathers door. Early in the morning my
grandmother set two negro men to
work to cut it up for corning First
however, she made them cut off a tre-
mendous roast and had 1t put right in
the oven which fortunately was very
large one and held big piece of beef.
The rest Of the beef was kept in the
area on an impromptu bench which set
up under the back porch, the intention
being to preserve the best part in brine.
| can imagine the delight with which
my uncles and aunts wandered from
the kitchen to the yard and back again
to the kitchen, where the preparations
for such good dinner were being
made; for remember, this family, as
we'll as many others, had not tasted
fresh meat for many weeks. Suddenly
the door bell rang, and what was the
CONSERVATION of my grandfather when
+ announced that old Captain Warner
wanted to see him. As this old gem
tleman was the commissary Of Libby
prison and did not visit the house, they
very readily guessed his errand. How
ever, my grandfather shut all the doors
between the house and the kitchen and
back porch, telling the cook at the same
time not to open the kitchen or the
oven door under any circumstances I'M
til he returned. He went to see Captain
Warner. The captain was gruff. good
hearted man, and after chatting pleas
antly for few minutes he got up to
go When he stepped into the hall and
took his hat the spirits ofthe family
rose-only to have a tremendous fall.
Noticing the back hall door between
which the visitor and my grandfather
stood, he remarked:
Mr., you have back building out
there, I SUPPOSE
NO. replied the other. "only back
porch
Before he could say anything fur
ther the captain had passed him,
opened the door and passed onto the
porch, where by looking over the railing
he saw the doomed beef, now entiredly
cut up and two men rubbing salt into
it as fast as they could.
Mr., seize this beef in the name
of the Confederate government. This
is the Confederate government. This
is what | came for. / have the papers
authorizing me to do 1t in my pocket.
The government will pay you anything
you choose to ask for it: / have had
men shadowing it ever since it arrived
in the city"
Naturally my grandfather was fur
ious.
''You cannot take it," he said, sit has
been next to impossible to get it.
| have paid an exorbitant price for it,
| and my family are suffering for beef.
Il am very sorry, sir, but my orders
are to seize every piece of fresh meat
| found in the city. The prisoners are
| dying for lack of it,
I am afraid at that time my grand
| father did not care whether they were
| dying or not; in fact, he said words to
| that effect, but of course, under the
| circumstances, there was nothing to do
| but let him take it away, which he did
| without more delay.
| The savory smell of the roast in the
| oven, by some good fortune, escaped
| the notice ofthe captain. I have often
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