Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1914-05-06
1868 and 1864" anne.

most stubbornly contested hattl' 8
of the war bad been fought. Chal,-
cellorsvilIe, Gettysburg and Chlcka-
mauga, and it left the South bleed
ing. Affairs were mismanaged,
the army had scarcely sufficient
meat and bread to live on. The
campaign Of 1864, opened up IN
May ard Grant crosses the Rappl-
dan with seemingly a countless
host. Longs,reet was in East Ten
nessee. Genl. Lee called for his
war-horSe for help. 1t was the be-
ginning of the death strugg.', when
Grant confronts Lee on the Rapl'
dan: the two tigers meet in the
tanyle at the Wilderness the 5th
and 9TH of May, and for two days
the air quivered, the ground shook,
and the trees trembled. 1t was war
to the knife from there to Peters
burg, fighting almost daily for
eleven months. Did we not? An
swer Harbor, Wilderness, Spotsyl-
vania, MIME Run, Bloody Angle,
but worst of all, the croakers, (who
kept out Of the wary clad in white
bosom shirts and black coats, be-
gan to mute: under their breath,
1T is useless TO struggle longer"
and they began at once to hunger
for the flesh pots of Egypt. Mama
was tasteless now. The task-masters
were better than the Wilderness
and the scant fare. On, to sit by
the fesh-pots and grow fat, as in
the days when they did eat thereof.
Why waste valuable lives? Why
think Of still fighting when flour
was hundred dollars barrel, cof-
fee twenty dollars pound, ;los
fifty dollars yard, and good whls-
key and brandy not to be had at
any price. Everything so very high
had not much chance to speculate.
They. were now ready to discourage
the soldiery and lose faith in our
cause. They would say, could
patriotism live amid trials like
that" Could men cling to cause
which made them the victims of
yankee cavalry? Why have faith in
government that was bankrupt,
whose promises to pay, originated
the scotfing provcrb, AS worth
less as a confederate note" Meat
a I'd drink was the religion of Il Q
croakers in those days, money was
their divinity. Without meat and
drink, and with worthless money,
the confederacy, in their eyes, was
not the side TO adhere to. 1t was
unfortunate, down with it! Lett he
anathema maranathema. The croak-
ers said that, and the brave hearts
whom they insulted could not 81
lence them. There were stout souls
lii black coats but croakers who
bought up supplies, and horded
them i'll garments, and retalled
them in driblets, thereby causing
the enormous prices which, accord
ing to them, ioretold the coming
downfall. They evaded the con-
script officers, aud grew fat on their
extortions. Meanwhile three classes
of persons remained faithful to tie
death-the old men at home, the
army, and the women. The gray
boards were taking down their old
guns and swords, and forming
home battalions to fgh, the enemy
to the death when his cavalry cInle
TO lay waste his country. The
women were weaving homespun,
knitting socks, nursing the wound
ed, and praying. Tney had never
ceased to pray, nor had they. lost
the heart of hope. The croakers
believed in success, and their patron
saint was mammon. The women
believed in the justice of our cause,
and in God.
In 1861 they had cheered the So
diers and waved their handker-
chiefs, bouquets in 1862, they had
sent brave words of encourage
ment, and bade their sons, brothers
and husbands to fight to the end;
in 1868 they repeated that-sent
the laggard's back to the ranks
and when they were not sewing, or
nursing the sick, they were praying.
Oh, women of Virginia, and the
great South, there is nothing in all
history that surpasses your grand
record. You hoped, in the dark
days as in the bright. When bearded
men shrank, you fronted the storm