Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

OUR WOMEN Searching the List ol ZNti??in?r.--l-^raetical During the War. ing Wheel.-Outi lo 18Sr> thc Charleston Xnr.s awl t.'uvvicr offered several prizes for thc best articles submitted by ladies on tk^ subject of "Our Women in thc War." The following article, which wai composed by the late Miss Anna T. Simpson, a sister of Col. li. \V. Simpson, of 1'eudletoD, was awarded the second prize and published that year. Having secured a copy of thc paper containing thc article, we have will interest all of our readers. Jimmu j "Fleet-toted is the approach of woe, Hut with a lingering step nod slow its lorin departs."' Perhaps there was no portion of the Southern States that suffered less, in some respects, than many of the quiet villages in thc upper part of South Carolina during our late civil war, while- numerous horned elsewhere wer? devastated by lire and sword. We were far removed from Sherman's fiery tr k. Wc felt nothing of the fearful jars that shook Virginia to her very centre by actual cont iet with con tending armies, sometimes retreating, lcaviug thc helpless women within the enemy's lints, then advancing and en folding them, as it were, in thc very heart of the Confederate anny, and even then with only a temporary sense of safety. The only personal expe rience wc had wi'?h cither army was an occasional night's entortainmentgiven to a few straggling horsemen, who claimed to belong to Gen. Morgans cav alries or other commands, and once or twice, after Cen. Lee had surrendered, by a visit from a small squad of Yan kee soldiers belonging te some of the numerous troops that roamed upon every highway and by-path through the laud in pursuit of our ill-fated President and his party. We kp".w comparatively little of thc terrible privations, exposures, sacri fices and losses of our sisters by the seashore. We can never fully under stand the experience of the Charles ton women during the bombardment of their fair "City by the Sea." And a brilliant gleam of light, like an au rora borealis, in the direction of our beautiful capital was all that wo know of Columbia's fearful visitation from Sherman's merciless raiders. But while far removed from all these hor rors, we had our experiences, which were'ead and gloomy enough. Our losses by death-the death of our best and best-loved-exceeded in propor tion the losses in many sections in the South. We mourned over as many OPEN GRAVES AN I? M1SH1NU HOYS, and took baok to our homos as many precious forms, bleeding and torn by bullet and shell, after "the cruel war was over"-in some cases only to die in our arms-as any other portions of "Dixie Land." Beside this wc bore our full share of burdens and priva tions in many other ways; and the .story of our experience, even if it does not compare in thrilling advonturo with some others, is nevertheless a part of thc history of those eventful years. That excitotnent of action, un dor the necessity of movement, which supported many women driven ruth lessly from their homes, and enabled them to meet bravely each fiery ordeal as it came, was not at any time a part of our experience. Still we knew not what day or hour might bring the dreaded evil: and all too soon wc learned the lesson that suspenso is as potent a factor in che sum of human misery as thc worst realizations. Then, reme te as we were from thc scenes of strife, when a battle had been fought and news of tho slaughter was Hashing over the electric wires, wc could only stand still and wait-one, two, three, aud sometimes ten days-enduring cruel torture: wild with anxiety, aud yet afraid to hear, lest that fearful list of "dead and wounded" might contain thc name of our dearest and best loved -perchance a father, a lover, or the dear brother with whom we had sport- j cd through all our happy days of childhood. Every battlo brought ?ts list of dead and dying to our vii tape, when atlast, its fatal results wero known, and ono by one, eaoh home within its borders, was desolated. Ill news came herald ed hy signals well understood. Loud, prolonged and piercing'Soreams (I might ?all them) from the "iron horse/' vrhioh broke the stillness of the night, BB it esme rushing in with ITS BLOODY FREIGHT of dead. Eaoh quivering heart stood still-waiting for the aged father, with slow dragging steps, to return from where tho news was read with Messages which gave relief to some and confirmed the bitterest and most dreaded fears of others. Sympathetic hearts could only gather round the HtricKcn household. But what words of solace could bo .pokcu to that poor mother a? she IN THE WAR. Killed, "Wounded and Side ol'ii Girl's Hiife Singing ixl the Spin *age and Plunder. mood amir! her weeping daughters with loud, wailing cries for her lost son, her " lienjamiu," her baby boy, ! whose place none other of lier nuiuer ! ous family could over lill? Tho raes ! sage next, perhaps, was earried to au I aged widow, as she sat with dreamy I brow beside lier lonely hearth, think j ?rig of her gallant soldier boy-in fan cy, sees him rear aloft the drooping banner, snatched from a fallen com rade's hand, and hears him as with I bated breath and flashing eyes he eries: '.Come on! Come on! They fly! they fly!" She follows, she sees him halt; ! with victory crowned t irn hack, just j n? thc kindly friends and pastor, with , tearful eye.- and solemn face, come in. ! She reads it all before they speak, i With pallid cheek and glaring eyes she stretches forth her withered hands 'and shrieks: "O, (?od! (), (?nd. they have nnt slain my boy !'' Alas! proud, doting mother. It is even so. Your only joy and pride the hope of your old age is gone. The intrepid, dash ling youth, his colonel said, ' was to ! have been promoted for his brave and gallant bearing on that self-same mountain side." Alas! "the paths of glory lead hut to the grave." A vor NC ? WU K s ni nni s I?IIIKI-'. While still the recollection of this widow's piteous moans arc saddening all our hearts, the "bugle blast to bat tle calls again;" again long days of torturing suspense pass slowly by. Then comos the messenger! This time for yonder young and beauteous wifo. Friends already crtuhed with blooding hoarts come in to comfort her. "No, no!" the loud, heart-searching scroam replies, "my loss is greater than all, forsce these little ones." She points to children mute, who tremble to behold their mother's grief, snore appalled and dazed by her loud, fran tic tones and gestures, us she clasps thc rudely-wakened newborn babe to her wild throbbing breast, than by a proper -^understanding af their great loss, and lier's so plainly told in the cold rigid limbs extended there with blood still oozing from the ghastly wounds. While tho realization of such 'cala mitous sorrow was daily experienced by many Southern women, others lan guished and pinod through long-drawn and torturous days of unending sus pense, after seeing on the dreaded "list" the ono word "missing" oppo site the name dearest of all to loving mothers and sisters. At first, still full of hope, they listened eagerly for a message or a word of cheer from tho comrades who stood noxt to him in tho ranks. Ono wrote: "1 am sure ho lives. I saw him shot, but I cannot think his wound was mortal. Don't give up, we will hear from him yet in the enemy's hospital-perhaps iu prison." Another comrade wroto: "I dare not raise falso hopes; I think ho must bo dead. I saw him reel ard fall and throw his hand up to his sido just as he fell, and after that was seen hy some one crawling off behind a tree. Had not our dead fo.llen in the ene my's hands wc might have found his body." Another wounded soldier soon after that came home and told just how he saw him lying near a fence, but could not tell if he were dead, becauso his hat was on his face. And so conflict ing tidings multiplied, while the sor rowing mother and sisters struggled on-one day hoping against hope, thc next in a very abandonment of despair, willing, anxious to hear anything, the very worst positively, rather than live on with this undying monster of sus pense forever coiled about their ach ing hearts. Then again there were ! others assured of their loss, denied I thc poor privilege of seeiug or burying their dead, knowing only that they filled honored graves heaped up by loving hands in thc far off BLOOD STAINED ItOSOM OF Y1KOIXIA. Others only knew their dead were left in the encsay's hands, and the tale of how and where they were laid was never to bo told. Not even was a wretched widowed mother, known to us all, who had given up hor only wealth, six sturdy husbandmen, to tho cause we loved so well, permitted thc saall comfort of bringing back to rest in the old churchyard a single one of ber fivo dead sons, who one by one had been slain on yonder dismal fields. These were sosto of the ordeals that tried onr souls. The unsoen gnawings of deep burning suspense through th eso long months of hopes and fears. T ie slaughter which brought "One WO? Upon another"a heels, So fast they followed." Ohl those harrowing days and scenes. Human hearts must undergo, such trials to appreciate them. Imagi nation cannot portray tho living truth. 'Tis like a portrait taken after death; thc breathing, palpitating anguish of j the moment is beyond tho power ol' j human poo. Let us pass tbem by. i Let us rather recall the lesser trials of j the time s and tell the girls of to day j how we girls of the war managed to meet our wants at home, and how our mothers taught us to provide fer tho comforts of our "b ?ya in grey," whom all alike, vhitc-haired sires, doling mothers and loving wives, and sisters, had hurried with tho wildest enthu siasm to the front runks. Vainly !ah, so vainly dreaming of their oarly re turn crowned with victory and free dom. HOW TH E <; I lt I,S K BIT WA WEA H A NOES. When our ports were first blockad ed, and we foundourselvescut off from all resources, it Heewed like pastime to exercise our ingenuity in devising suitable articles of wear for thc girls in the family. AB i look back now it seems strange that wardrobes should have bee:: so speedily exhausted. I think thc only solution of thc mys tery, however, will bc found in the fact that girls io their teens will grow, aud, almost before thc full import of blockaded ports was realized, girls' dresses were growing so unfashiona bly short as to create no small con cern about the wherewithal to renew them. At (irs. old trunks and bureau drawer-, top shelves in out-of-the-way closets were ransacked, and antiquated garments, long since cast aside as worthless, or laid away as relies of our mothers' and gramimothcrs' younger day-, wen." brought to light. Ves. even th o treasured articles were unearthed, which iu our child hood we had only been permitted to see and not handle as wc stood tiptoe with eager eyes and curiosity peering into thc depths of a drawer beside our mother's knee and watched her as she laid them back with a sigh and said, "These wore my poor mother's." Each feeling of regret was hushed and swallowed up in thc necessity -;? the hour as they were lifted from their various hiding places, and then with right good will and perseverance rip ped ~p, sponged and pressed, turned inside out, upside down, and twisted and stretched and pieced, and finally converted into most respectable arti cles of apparel. None of your "shab by genteel" affairs either, for we would have the girls ef the day under stand from the outset that, sorely pressed as we then wore, we felt quite as much appreciation of the neat and tidy girl as they who now have eveiy material te supply their needs and money wherewith to buy it. llAKINO CLOTHES FOE THE SOLDIERS. Money was almost as unavailable as j material with us for a time. "Undo San's" treasury was not accessible to I "Rebels." Our government was young, and Confed?relo bonds and money yet in their infancy. We could do nothing more than await develop ments, and try to meet emergencies as they trooped up before us. In the meantime, children grew apace. Our village stores were emptied and de serted. Our armies in the field be came grand realities. All resources were cut off. Our government could poorly provide food and clothing and ammunition for its armies. Then it was our mothers' wit was tested, and did in no sort disappoint our expecta tions. Spinning wheels, looms and dye pots were soon brought into re quisition. Wool of home production was speedily converted, by loving hands, into warm flannels and heavy garments, with soft scarfs and snugly fitted leggings, to shield our dear boys from Virginia's wintry blasts and fast falling smws. Later on, when the wants and privations of the army grew more pressing, societies were formed to provide supplies for the gen eral demand. Southern homes with held nothing that could a^d to thc soldiers' comfort. Every available fragment of material wasconvertod in I to some kind of garment. -After tho stores of blankets in each home had been cheerfully given, carpets were ! utilized in their stead, and portioned out to the suffering soldiers. Wool j mattresses wore ripped open, rccarded and woven into coverings aud clothing. Bits of new woolen fabrics, left from former garments, were ravelled, carded, mixed with cotton and spun and knit ted into socks. Old and worn garments were carried through the samo process. Even rabbits' fur was mixed with cot ton or silk, and appeared again in tho form and neat and comfortable gloves. Begging committees wont forth (and bo it truthfully said, tho writer nover know of a single one being turned away empty,) to gather up thc offer ings from mansion and hamlet, whioh were soon out out, made up, packed and forwarded with all possible speed to the soldiers. HlNOlNfl AS THEY SPUN. And who can tell what pleasure wo took in filling boxes with substantial! and such dainties cs we could seoori for the hospitals. Old men and little boys were oooupied in winding thread and holding brooches, and even knit ting on the socks whon the mystery ol "turning the heel" bsd been passed, Thc little spinning wheel turned by t trcadlo, became a fascination to thc girls, and with Us busy hum was miu gled oft-times merry strain of patrio t?o song. Listen and you'll catch th< words as with flashing eyes and cheeki aglow sho sings: "Our wagon's plenty big enough, the running gear is good, 'Tis stuffed with cotton round the side? and made of Southern wood; Carolina is the driver, with t'eorgiu by her aide, VirginiaTl hold the Hap up and we'll all take a ride." Or, perhaps, this couplet from "Carolina Forever," the Palmetto girl's favorito war refrain: "Siie has sworn she will never submit to oppression, And ber sons aro willing to di- for .Se cession." Alas! that her song should so soou have been changed to the plaintive air of "Let mc kiss him for his mother." JUE INGENU ITV OP SOI TIIKKX Wi ?MEN. During all that time, when every woman vied with the other in working for the soldiers, there were needs at homo ioo urgent to be disregarded. These, too, had to be met, and how, was not long the question. For those very womeu who had been reared in eas.; and affluence soon learned practi cally that "necessity is the mother of invention," and thc story of their in genuity, if all told, might surprise their Northern sisters, who always re garded them as inefficient, pleasure loving members of society. Whatever may have been the fault of their in stitutions and rearing, thc war cer tainly brought out thc true woman, and no woman of any age or nation ever entered, heart and soul, more en ciithusiastically into their country's contest than those who now mourn the "Lost Cause." While ourarmics were victorious in the field hope lured us on. We bore our share of privations cheerfully and gladly. We replaced our worn dresses with homespun, planning and devising checks and plaids, and intermingling colors with the skill of professional "designers." The samples we inter changed were homespuns of our last weaving, not A. T. Stewart's or John Wannamaker's sample envelopes, with their elaborate display of rieh and costly fabrics. Oar mathers' silk stockings, of ante-bellum date, were ravelled with patience and transform ed into the prettiest of neat-fitting gloves. The writer remembers never to have been more pleased than she was by the possession of a trim pair of boots made of the tanned skins of some half dozen squirrels. They were so much softer and finer than the or dinary heavy calfskin affairs to bc bought at the village "shoe shop," that no Northern maiden was ever more pleased cvith her ten-dollar boots. Our hats, made of palmetto and rye straw, were becoming and pretty with out lace, tips or flowers. Our jackets were made of the fathers' old-fashion ed cloaks, in vogue some forty years agone-those of that style represent ed in the pictures of Mr. Calhoun do ing splendid service by supplying all the girls in the family with one. We even made palmetto jewelry of exquis ite designs, intermingled with hair, that we might keep even with the boys who wore "palmetto cockades." The flowers that we wore were Nature's own beautiful, fragrant blossoms, sometimes, when in patriotic mood, nestled with symbolic ootton bolls. For our calico dresses, if ever so for tunate as to find one, wc somat?me* paid a hundred dollars, and for thc spool of cotton that made it from ten to twenty dollars. The buttons wc used were oftentimes cut from a gourd into sizes required and covered witt cloth, they having thc advantage oi pasteboard becauso they were rounded. On children's clothes persimmon seed in their natural state, with two holes drilled through them, were found boll neat and durable. In short, we fash ioncd all our garments after true Con federate style, without thc aid ol Madam Demurest's guide book, 01 Worth's Parisian models, and sufferec from none of "Miss Flora McFlim sey's" harassing dilemmas. WHAT THEY ATE AND D lt A ?SK. Tho things we ate and drank cam? in too for a prominent position. Ou first duty, after the blockade cut off al supplies, was to store away what gro ccrics and luxuries were left in as saf places as possible for sickness and ii view of tho return of wounded soldiers 80, theo, our coffee wa9 made of rye wheat and sweet potatoes chipped dried and parched; also okra seed am other substitutes too numerous to men tiou. It was sweetened, if at all, witl sorghum or honey. For toa the leave of blackberry vines were gathered an dried with as muoh care as a Chin man manipulates his "Young Hyson' and "Oolong." "Dixie oookeneo,' ounding in rcoipeo for molasse oakes and puddings, were quite th fashion. Our fruit cakes were mad of dried apples cherries, peers sn plums, and without any spies st si For medioines we used reo ts and herb) glad to make use of the red man' medioinal ekill. Salt, white and pun was obtained by digging up the cart! ern floors cf long used scaoke-housei dripping water through it in hoppei and boiling it down. When the lon winter evenings closed in the light wo used wero simple curiosities. W had no gatherings then round brillia* lamps with dainty embroideries an faney crochets in gay worsteds an silk. Our constant work was kni ting coarse socks for tho soldiers. ! Full directions for thc length and j breadth thereof being printed for the benefit of the inexperienced. Oar best lights wae tallow candles, but these were too scarce to bc used ex cept cn special occasions. Tbs ordi nary lights were knots of pine, sup ported on iron racks at the baok of the chimney to let the smoke fly upwards. Another odd light, known as a #ax taper, was made by winding thirty yards of wick, previously dipped in mel'ed wax, round an old candle stick. Imagine, if you can, its un sightly proportions. A favorite night's employment was found in making envelopes, for we wrote letters then as well as you do now, girls. Nt bits of white paper, suitable for writ'ng with pen and ink, could be wasted in envelopes; these had to take the place inside and bear j cur messages of love sud cheer to the boys, who appreciate them quite as much aa your lovers sf to-day. Thus it happened that wall papering and skeets with pictures ou one side, taken from old books of "United States explorations," served to make envelopes neat enough, as far as outaide appearances went, to please the most fastidious. These we stuck together with gum from peach trees. Ink was manufactured from oak balls and green persimmons with rusty nails instead of ?opperas to deepen the color. The noisy goose supplied our pens. With these materials were sent as loving missives and, we fancy, as warmly welcome as those nov? penned with gold on dainty, gilt-edged sheets of dazzling whiteness. ALONE WITH TUN SLAVES. In addition to these light privations, wives and mothers were burdened, as they had never been before, by the di rection and oversight of the numerous slaves, on whom alone tb ey depended for the homely supplies necessary to the maintenance ef the whites as well aB blacks. And he it said to their eternal credit, no iace was ever more submissive and helpful than they dur ing those four years of bloody strife. And bad not their ignorance been abused and tampered with by design ing scalawags and carpet baggers they might have been BO still, and ?hough freed, lived on till now in peace and harmony with their former masters. They even took a pride in feeling themselves the only protectors of the mistress at home, deprived of her natural support and guidance from tho strosger sex, all of whom had volunteerd in our country's cause. And yet again, there were thousands of men in the army apon whose daily labor their families depended for bread. Deprived of this and widowed and orphaned, as they rapidly were by the deadly battles which followed in quiek succession, they were left suf fering and starving, thrown almost entirely upon the mercy of these wives and mothers, who bravely met this additional demand upon their charity. But why need I write further? The list of things we were, and ate, and did, and the list of things we thought) and felt, and dreamed, might be writ ten of forever and then leave much of the truth untold. Vet[, for all that, barring suspense, we were content with just suoh comforts as we Lad. A sprig of the "herb called content" can make the poorest soup taste as rich as the lord-mayor's turtle, and our sacrifices seemed as trivial noth iogs in comparison with the hardships privations and dying agonies of our suffering and impoverished boys "along the Potomac," "where the light of the camp fires gleamed," and from whence no word of murmur ever came. Yes, our "own boys;" fo where was ever such an army known [CONTINUED ON PAOB SIX.] What Makes the Home? Not the house, however fine it may be; not its furniture, pictures and appoint ments. The wife and mother makes the home, and to speak of going home means to go back into the shelter of the mother's love and care. And when womanly ills sap the mother's strength, thc home-life suffers The food is not cooked as she cooks it Everywhere the lack of wifely supervision and motherly thought fulness is apparent , ' What a change then, when this wife and mother comes back to take her old place in the family. Thousands of women who, be cause of womanly ills, had been shut Out of home life and home happi ness, have been enabled to once more take their place in the family after being cured by for. Pierce's Favorite Prescription. It establishes regularity, dries weakening drains, heals inflammation sind ulcera tion an? cures female weakness. It makes'weak women strong, sick women well. ? I commenced taking ?bar * Favorite Prescrip tion . ?nd 'Golden Medical Discovery' about tue ioth of last December, one year ago," writes Mr?. Hilra Wright, of Moontainview, Howell Co., Missouri. ?I have been very slow abott writing: to yoe. although X am thankful I am her? to-dny and have the privilege of saying thank you a thousand times for your kind ad vice, i can ?rai nm ny say inst it waa through your kind advice nnd your medicine and the will of the Lord that X nm living to-day ; I am in better health than 1 have been for three years. X have taken one-half doxen bottle* of each medicine. I nm able to do my washing for four in family, end all my housework, cook ing and making. In fact, X feel like a new woman.". Dr. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets cure con stipation and its almost countless conse quences. They do not react on thc system nor beget the pill habit. The Ki ??i You Have Always Bought, and -.v?i?cl? Skas been in uso for ovor 30 years, has borne the signature of and has been made under his per J!/?y> J?!, sonal supervision since ito infancy. f-?occ*L?Z? Allow no one to deceive you in this. All Counterfeits, Imitations and " Just-as-good'* are but Experiments that trifle with and endanger the health of Infants and Children-Experience against Experiment What is CASTOR IA Castor in. i? i% harmless sabstitute fer Castor Oil, Fa-re* goric, I>rops and Slothing- Syrups. It is Pleasant? It contains neither Opium, Morphine nor other. Narcotic substance. Its ago is its guarantee. It destroys Worms and allays Feverishness. It cures Diarrhoea aud Wind Colic. It relieves Teething Troubles, cures Constipation and .Flatulency. It assimil?tes the Food, regulates the ?toma<>U and JUowels, giving healthy and natural sleep? Tbe Children's Panacea-The Mother's Friend? GENUINE CASTORIA ALWAYS Bears the Signature of Tim ri VAII ??QV? ?l??TQuO rcAil rilli mu iiiuu 1UU ?a? G ?lWdJf? DUUglii In Use For Over SO Years. THC CENTAUR COUMtlY, TT MU RUAT CTO EST, ?CW VOUK O ITV. Riding on Air 1 MIT?* MW. Is what you feel like when you roll along with sich an essy, delightful notion in a Ball Bearing Pneumatic Runab out, Such as we are showing in auch rich and handsome designs. You don't know ivhnt a speedy drive ?B unless vou have ons of these gems of speeders. Look at our FINE STOCK OF CARRIAGES. JOS. J. FEET WELL. ways 33 Car Loads Corn, Ear and Shelled. 10 Car Loads Oats. 10 Car Loads Molasses. 1 Car Load Green Coffee. 300 Barrels Sugar. . Come along and see for yourself. LIGON & LEBBETTEE, WHOLESALE DEALERS ^5 .*?> ..lia1 A LONG LOOK AHEAD A man thinks it is when tho matter of life int'.'rnnce suggests itself-bnt circumstan ces of late have shown how life hangs hy a thread when war, flood, hurricane and tire suddenly overtakes you, and the only way to be sure that your family ia protected ia case of calamity overtaking you is to in sure in a solid Company like The Mutual Benefit Life ins. Co. Di up in aud t>te us about it M. M. MATTISON, STATE AGENT? Poopleo' Bank Building, ANDERSON. S. C. GARDEN SEED. Braist anet J^erry5s. Remember when you go to get your Seed to get fresh ?nea. As this is our first year in the Seed business we have no seed carried over from last yeer? Yours, F. B. G PAYTON & CO. vc Near the Post Office*