CONDITION OF PEOPLE LEFT AT HOME.
AFFAIRS AT HOME.--The women, children, old men and servants left at
home passed through an ordeal sad indeed to contemplate. The servants
or negroes deserved much credit for their loyalty to their then legal
owners. Instead of being a menace as was feared and expected, they were
a protection to the helpless white population, and did much for the
support of the people at home, and for the support of the soldiers in
the field. To the very old people the blow fell with a crushing force.
In addition to the accumulated burdens that naturally fall to the lot
of old people, the loss of their sons, grand sons, and neighbors so
prostrated them with grief that the gray hairs of many of them were
brought down in sorrow to the grave. The little children for four years
being deprived of the protection, support, counsel and assistance
of fathers suffered an irreparable loss, a loss that no subsequent
attention, education or opportunity could possibly restore.
CIVIL OFFICERS AT HOME.--After the war had somewhat advanced, the civil
officers, railroad and mail service and public places were to a great
extent managed by old men. Young men at home were lonesome and did not
stand as high in the estimation of the people as the young men who
went to the war. They too had to submit to the taunts of the soldiers,
on account of their maneuvering to keep out of danger. It was not
considered patriotic for young men to screen themselves, because there
seemed to be a necessity for all to enter the service, or at least as
some had to go it was argued that all should fare alike. Schools and
churches suffered in the general wreck and the morals and intelligence
of the rising generation was at a low ebb. Teachers and preachers’
salaries and physicians’ fees were paid in kind. Corn, wheat, beans,
peas, pork, bacon, lard, butter, homemade cloth, and anything that
answered for clothing or provision was gladly received as a substitute
for money.
MONEY IN CIRCULATION.--The only money in circulation was Confederate
money or State treasury notes which depreciated in value until worth
scarcely the paper upon which it was printed. The gold and silver coin
in the hands of the people was hidden or buried in the ground not to be
resurrected unless in case of extreme necessity. Very little building
or improvement of any kind was going on.
FARMING INTERESTS.--For the want of laborers farms were neglected and
many fertile fields growed up with sprouts and briers. Fences gave
out or fence rows growed up with weeds and briers. Gulleys washed in
the roads and some places were almost impassable. Everything in the
way of improvement was on the decline. But few new houses were built
and homefolks were sometimes driven to the necessity of sheltering
in houses not very comfortable. Farm implements gave out and it was
a difficult matter to replace them. Old plows and hoes that had been
thrown away were hunted up and repaired so as to answer the purpose,
and many rude substitutes used for farming tools that had been formerly
used. It was a turning back to usages of generations past. Rawhides
were tanned in the country and coblers made shoes out of the homemade
leather. In place of the New Orleans or Cuba molasses a syrup was
manufactured from sugar cane grown on the farm. Some enterprising
boys gathered persimmons and had them distilled into brandy which
supplemented the supply made from the surplus fruit. Corn and rye were
not distilled into whiskey on account of the scarcity of breadstuff. A
little of everything made on the farm was collected and placed in the
hands of a commissary and was used to help support the soldiers in the
army.
WOMEN OF THE WAR.--The noble women took upon themselves a burden
that was borne with fortitude or heroism that is without a parallel
in the annals of the history of any country or any people. They
achieved wonders in the homes by their ready inventive powers, which
enabled them to substitute many useful articles from which they were
cut off, on account of the blockade, rigidly enforced by the Federal
authorities. Spicewood tea, Sassafras tea, a beverage made of parched
corn, rye, chestnuts, dried slices of sweet potatoes and many other
things were used as a substitute for coffee. Dried persimmons were
used for puddings after the season for them had passed, and a very
good bread was made with a mixture of potatoes with meal or flour. On
many farms women and children cultivated the crops making a support
for homefolks. Women would hoe corn, sometimes plow, make hay, bind
and haul in wheat, sometimes help to thresh, gather, shuck and crib
corn and do almost any kind of farm work. The little girls would put
the bridles on old horses or mules and with grists of corn or wheat
ride several miles to mill. The old man at the mill would pleasantly
speak to the little girls, addressing them as his smart little boys.
The little girls proud of the distinction would saucily and laughingly
answer him saying, “Yes we are Tomboys.”
COTTON KING.--Cotton proved to be king indeed, and upon this staple
the south depended largely for clothing, bed clothing, tent cloths and
indeed everything for which cloth was used. The women took the lint
or raw material and by carding, spinning, weaving, cutting and sewing
converted it into clothing, bed clothing and many other articles. In
place of dyestuffs usually purchased at the stores and brought from
other countries, they used Walnut, Redoak, or Maple bark, Sumac and
other things that they discovered they could substitute and utilize.
From wheat straw they manufactured hats that answered the purpose and
were worn by men, women and children.
SOLDIERS ON FURLOUGH.--The girls were proud of the boys who were in the
army, always glad to see them come home and always gave them a cordial
welcome when they came home on furlough. Several girls would get
together and give the boys a reception which amounted to an ovation.
The girls and soldier boys mutually enjoyed these gatherings and would
together sing war songs or popular airs such as, Dixie, Southern Girl,
Stars and Bars, Homespun dress etc.
HOMESPUN DRESSES.--The girls wore homespun dresses and in the
estimation of the boys were just as pretty, neat and sweet as if they
had been arrayed in silk and purple.
Pretty girls vacated the parlor and sitting room
To operate the spinning wheel and old fashioned loom,
The lint of the cotton was carded to a shred,
Then carded into rolls and spun into thread.
Thread was placed on a reel which turned round again and again
Until the dial plate registered enough cuts for a skein.
The thread was then placed in homemade dye
And changed into any color that was desired.
On the warping bars the thread was handled again
And the piece laid off for so many yards of chain.
On the spindle of the little wheel was placed the reed quill,
And enough thread placed around it the reed to fill
The thread then around the beam was strung
And the quills in the shuttle nicely hung.
Two pretty girls were busy working all day
Placing the thread through a six hundred sley,
Then the battle with the baton begun
And erelong the bolt of cloth was done.
Then with the skill of an artists hand
The cutting of the garments by the girls began;
Very soon the little girls were dressed up neat
In homespun dresses looking pretty and sweet.