Woman's enterprise., 1922-01-13


with few words routed part of
Grants army.
From that time till the close Of the
war we had Yankees and more Yam
KEGS. Pemberton surrendered Vicks-
burg 4th of July, 1863. Raymond
was between the two armies. Many
of the paroled prisoners passed
through our town and were tenderly
cared for by the ladies'. The ladies
were self-appointed nurses for the
wounded in the hospital there. l re-
member the closing lines of a letter
received by a Texan, Mr.. Johnston,
who was wounded at the battle Of
Raymond and nursed back to health
and strength by the ladies. "God
bless the ladies of Raymond If any
Of them should ever come to Texas
and need a home or friend she will
find both in the homes and families
of those they have nursed sa faith
fullq.'
Any one desiring to 90 into Vicks-
burg had to get a permit from the
Provost Marshal who was stationed
at Big Black. Some very amusing
things came up along this line. I re-
member hearing Of a very old gentle
man who went to the Provost Marshal
for permit to go into the city. The
Marshal began jeering him about the
surrender Of Vicksburg. 1--WE had a
good reason" said the old man.
SWELL" said the Marshal, "if you will
give me a reason for the surrender,
| will grant you a pass" "Very
good" said the old man, "On the
night of the 3rd of July, Pemberton
received dispatch from old Satan
asking him to have pity upon him and
surrender the city that he had his
house and kitchen full of Yankees, and
now they were out in the back yard
stealing his chickens" The Provost
Marshal granted the request.
Those who went in were subjected
to a rigid search, lest they had con-
cealed about their person contraband
articles such as quinine, boots, spurs,
cloth for mems clothing. If any
such things were found the parties
were returned to the city and put in
confinement.
While many of the "reminiscences
of the war are of painful nature,
there are some pleasant ones, too.
The clouds were not dark all the time.
Times were hard, provisions scarce
and many economies had to be prac-
ticed. In fancy, can hear the
squalling of the old geese that were
plucked to make plumes for our hats
of palmetto and shucks. The inside
corn shuck made dainty bonnets. Our
poker and tongs were made Of old
bayonets and ramrods. Our shoes
were made of canvas tents and untan-
ned leather. We had ink of elder
berries, poke berries and oak balls.
Oh! those tallow candles, how they
;pluttered. Coarse cotton thread
twisted and laid in saucers of grease
made fine tapers as did sycamore balls
saturated in grease but nothing could
take the place of the pine knot, all
honor to it.
Many substitutes were used for
coffee such as parched corn meal,
sweet potatoes, okra and burnt mo-
lasses candy. Sugar was a serious
problem and molasses was almost as
precious as sugar. Sorghum was our
| sweetening. Salt was costly, every
bit was shaken off to dry pork and
used. Brine was boiled down. The
! dirt floors of the smokehouses were
veritable salt mines, the dirt was
put into hoppers, run down, the brine
boiled and dried. Mustard and pep
per were made of home grown pro-
ducts. All cloth was manufactured
at home and dyed different colors,
the dye stuff being roots, barks, wal
nuts, indigo.
Flour per barrel, 100000; shoes
per pair, $4,000; calico dress, $400
Let me give YOU bill of fare,
Oriental Restaurant, Richmond, JAN
uary 18th, 1864:
Soup, per plate, $3.50; Turkey, per
plate, $3.50; Chicken, per plate, $3.50;
Steak, per plate, $3.50; Oysters, raw
$3.50; Potatoes, $1.00; Tea, per cup,
$500; Bread and Butter, $3.50; Ma
deria, per bottle, $4,000; Apple
Brandy, per drink, $500; Ham and
Eggs, $3.50; Boiled Eggs, $500;
Roast Beef, $500; Oysters, fried, 1-2
doz., $500; Cabbage, $1.00; Pure
Coffee, per cup, $500; Milk, per
glass. $500: Champagne. per bottle