True Tales of the South at War by Clarence Poe

Author:Clarence Poe [Poe, Clarence]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780848826598
Google: MrO5PQAACAAJ
Publisher: Amereon, Limited
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

January 10, 1863–There is the story of a Negro girl, in the exercise of her Yankee-given right, who went in search of a mistress in Illinois. Said the Yankee woman to her would-be maid, “Can you cook?” “Naw, Mam–Aunt Phyllis she always did the cookin.’” “Can you wash?” “Naw, Mam, Aunt Judy, she always washed.” “Can you sew?” “Naw, Mam, Aunt Myra, she always sewed.” “Can you set the table?” “Naw, Mam, Sam, he always set the table.” “Well, what did you do?” “Oh, I brushed the flies off ol’ Miss.”

March 5–Have been riding with Mr. E. on horseback every afternoon for a week past, and find much benefit from it. Yesterday we saw the first plum blossom fully expanded.

The abolition Congress has passed a conscription act similar to ours, but better. Anyone can be exempt by paying three hundred dollars to the Secretary of War. Lincoln is invested with dictatorial powers in all save the name. . . . The Yankees claim to have passed Vicksburg through their boasted canal, but as it is not confirmed by our accounts, we take the liberty of disbelieving it. Their Congress has passed a bill making the treasury notes a legal tender. So Lincoln is now absolute, as he has the power of the press and the sword, besides the power to suspend the Act of Habeas Corpus.

March 28–Prices are fearfully high, even for depreciated currency–which fact, however loth and slow I am to admit it, is indisputable. Lard $1.25, bacon $6.60, and upward, flour $30.00 a barrel, tea $7.00 a pound, sugar $1.25 a pound, boots $50.00 a pair, long cloth $2.25 a yard, cotton cards $430.00 for two pair. Salt considered cheap at $25.00 a bushel, butter at $2.00 a pound, and everything else in proportion.

April–The War exercises our ingenuity. I have just finished an excellent and useful pair of gloves for Mr. E. knit of rabbit fur and wool–equal proportions spun together. They are warmer than wool and not too coarse for horseback.

May 11–The mail came in after tea and heavy news it brought us. A chill went through my heart as Mr. Edmondston unfolded the paper and I saw that it was in mourning. I felt that Stonewall Jackson was dead–and so it proved! He died of pneumonia on Sunday the 10th–eight days after the amputation of his arm. Died in the fullness of his reputation, the brightness of his glory! A Christian patriot–unselfish, untiring, with no thought but for his country, no aim but for her advancement. His very enemies reverenced him.

May 26–They [Yankees] went to Mr. Tom Newby’s–my brother-in-law’s uncle–an old man and feeble–and shot down his son in cold blood at his father’s hearth, as he was rising from his chair with the inquiry, “Who’s there?” on hearing their footsteps! He fell dead on the hearth–and they would not suffer his father to remove the body from the fire whilst they remained! They dragged the old man about with them from place to place demanding where this article and where that was which they wanted and took everything they fancied.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.