Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-24
CHARLOTTE, ". C., AS MECCA os'
REFUGEES.
A PATHETIC INCIDENT.
DIFTJCULTIEs IN GETTING To-
GETHER A TRoUssEAU.
TIE NEWS OF THE SURRENDER.
1ir. Davis aud His Cabinet-A
rhythmic Prophecy Regarding
Jackson-Two Valuable Papers
Roll Of the SD Virginia.

Frances NJ. Butler contributes TO the
New York Evening Post an article on
life in the Confederacy." from which
the following extracts are taken:
In the spring Of 1862, on the last Sunday
before the evacuation Of Norfolk. Va, hy
the Confederate troops. q clergyman
preached in Christ church, in that city,
from the text taken from the words OF
Cornelius In the Acts OF the Apostles
Snow. therefore, we are ali here" Some
friends OF ours who were present on that
occasion left Norfolk during the following
week, and the next Sunday morning
found them at Greensboro y. c. When
the church bells rang for morning service.
they obeyed the summons. and were not
q little amused when the same reverend
gentleman appeared in the pulpit and an
nounced the text: NOW, therefore. We
are all here" But the climax was reach
ed when on the following Sunday. tho
wanderers having in the mean time estab-
ished themselves In Charlotte. N. c., the
Identical clergyman serenely gave out lis
text: "Now. therefore, we are all here"
One Of the ladies' said that she was sure
NE recognized them this time, and that he
laid significant emphasis on the last
word. believe he was on some sort OF
missionary tour through the South, and
that must have been his favorite dis
course.
Charlotte was at that time full OF
''refugees," as the exiles from home were
called. The Naval Ordnance-W Works, with
headquarters at the United States Mint.
brought good many men who had been
attached TO the Norfolk naVy-yard. The
Medical Puryeyor's Department. with a
laboratory In which indigenous roots.
barks, and herbs were converted .uto
medicines for the army, gave employment
to q large number OF both men and wo-
men, and besides these there were many
others who, being obliged to quit their
homes for various causes, found in the
quiet inland town a pleasant abiding
place. A considerable number of these
found homes as boarders in the families
Of the kindly townspeople, who considered
1t patriotic" TO open their houses TO the
wanderers; every hotel and boarding-
house was full, and others kept house or
rooms as best they might. There being
no market In the place. the country peo>
pie sold their produce from house 10
house. Somehow. after awhile, many OF
these hucksters arrived at the conclusion
that the calamities OF war were alto
gether due 10 the refugees, or. as they
called them, "huffagees," and In many
eases they refused to have dealings with
the despised strangers at all. Considera-
BILE strategy would have to be employed
to induce them TO part with their stores
20 any who were not TO 1.-The manner
born" and articles of barter were much
preferred 10 Confederate scrip. We had,
however, one faithful friend I'm an~old
woman, who seldom failed to make us
weekly visit with eggs, butter. chickens.
dried apples, etc., and who always. after
emptying her ''pokes," as she termed her
bags or sacks, asked the same question
IN a plaintive voice: you hain't heard
nothin' about peace. has your" Her two
sons and her "darter's man" were away
in Virginia with the army. and she had
very infrequent news OF them. ! never.
sew her after the dawn Of peace. but l