Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1919-06-12

those days and thousands of bandages
were made by tearing old sheets into
strips and rolling into hard round rolls.
Lint was provided by scraping old
ninen with a dull knife until it be-
came a fluffy mass, and all Rawlings
were saved to be used as absorbents.
The garments were sorted and packed
a detailed list being placed in each
barrel
The aid societies through the state
met for work at the courthouse, school
houses or town halls. The mayor Of
one small town, being copperhead,
charged the ladies rent for the use of
the hall. At BrOdhead the young peO-
pie organized what was called the
Ebert club, the object being to raise
money for the aid societies. The vii
lage was divided into ten districts
with four collectors each. Twenty
cents was collected monthly from
each woman and as much from the
men as they could get. Entertain
ments were given, thereby keeping up
the social life as we'll as raising mon
ey.
The work done by the aid societies
varied according to the call. Clothing
Of all kinds was made. Blankets and
quilts, the blocks of which many times
contained the name of the maker or
some quaint verse that illustrated the
sturdy spirit Of the workers. The fol-
IL, will DC on mn 1ln
eff the rebels attack you, do run with
the quilt,
And safe to some fortress convey it,
For DER the gaunt body of some Sc
cesh'
We did not intend to display it.
Comfort bags containing pins, nee
dies, buttons, thread and yarn, were
made by the thousands, as proof
of the appreciation of the soldiers one
aid society received five hundred let
tiers of thanks.
Flannel shirts seemed to be in great
demand, and the women of WATERFOWL
alone made five hundred for the local
company. At first they used gray
flannel, but after learning that the
South had pre-empted that color our
boys were given light blue and by this
means the Army Blue" became pop
ular theme for song and story.
When the call for socks for the
soldiers came, perfect epidemic OF
knitting struck the country and spread
so rapidly that soon every woman
and most of the girls were knitting
socks, gloves and m items, especially a
peculiar mitten with fore-finger as
we'll as a thumb, so it could be used
in shooting.
The aid societies sent large guam
titles of food, such as jellies, cakes
and pasteries of all kinds, together
with meats and fruits.
In 1868, scurvy broke out among the
soldiers, especially among General
Grants men The disease spread rap
idly and was caused by eating too
much salt meat in proportion to other
food. The call was sent through the
northwest on March to rush forward
aptiscorbuticb. This message was
sent to all the cities in Wisconsin, and
although the weather was rainy and
roads almost impossible, the commit
lees worked hard. Towns were d.
vided into districts, supply depCts
were established and house-to-house
campaign inaugurated. Farmers drove
from house to house in the rain, deli
cate women, busy farmers wives and
clergymen went out on this mission of
relief, their slogan being, Our sol
diers do not stop for the weather;
neither must wet"
Vegetables of all kinds were gener-
cusly contributed. Many tons of cab
bage were made into sauerkraut.
Pickles were given in large quantities.
Raw potatoes were pared, sliced and
packed in kegs and barrels and COW
cred with hot spiced vinegar. A bar
rel was sent from Baraboo at one ship
ment. Horseradish was dug, grated
anG bottled. +. Consignments were
rushed to Chicago as fast as they
could be got ready, and from there
they were sent south Racine and
Milwaukee were especially energetic,
each sending a number of carloads.
Soon a line of vegetables connected
Chicago with Vicksburg. The i'm
portance of this movement on the part
OF the loyal women of Wisconsin can
not be over-estimated, for at that time
the government could not have met
the need.
The work continued throughout the
summer and during the late summer
the hillsides and pastures of Wiscon-
sin are covered with blackberries and
the children were kept busy picking
them. The juice was pressed out,
bottled and hurried south. One writer
states that rivers Of blackberry juice
flowed into the camps of our boys
Fruits of all kinds were dried, apples
being in special demand.
Not only Grants army, but the Army
of the Cumberland, was in serious
danger. April, 1864, another CALI came
for antiseC.rbutics, and the response
from t,f Wisconsin was SO generous
tnat sposial mention was made in Mrs.
fioy, IN INV