The Women of the ConfederacyUnderwood, J. L. (John Levi)
History
The Women of the Confederacy
Underwood, J. L. (John Levi)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Anecdotes; Women -- Confederate States of America
"Ain't you ashamed of you'uns," she piped. "A-coming down here
a-spiling our country, and a-robbing our hen-roosts? What did we ever
do to you'uns that you should come a-killing our brothers and sons?
Ain't you ashamed of you'uns? What for do you want us to live with
you'uns, you poor white trash? I ain't got a single nigger that would
be so mean as to force himself where he warn't wanted, and what do
we-uns want with you? Ain't you--" but there came a roar of laughter
from both cars, and, shaking with excitement, the old lady pulled down
her spectacles, which in the excitement she had pushed up on her
forehead, and tried in vain to resume her labors with uncertain
fingers.
FALSE TEETH
[In Richmond During the War, pages 165-166.]
In connection with the battle of the Cross Keys, we are just here
reminded of an amusing stratagem of a rebel lady to conceal her age
and charms from the enemy, who held possession of her house. She says:
"Mr. K., you know, was compelled to evacuate his premises when the
Federals took possession, and succeeding in making good their escape,
left me here, with my three children, to encounter the consequences of
their intrusion upon my premises. Not wishing to appear quite as
youthful as I really am, and desiring to destroy, if possible, any
remains of my former beauty, I took from my mouth a set of false
teeth, (which I was compelled to have put in before I was 20 years
old,) tied a handkerchief around my head, donned my most sloven
apparel, and in every way made myself as hideous as possible. The
disguise was perfect. I was sullen, morose, sententious. You could not
have believed I could so long have kept up a manner so disagreeable;
but it had the desired effect. The Yankees called me 'old woman.' They
took little thought I was not 30 years of age. They took my house for
a hospital for their sick and wounded, and allowed me only the use of
a single room, and required of me many acts of assistance in nursing
their men, which under any circumstances my own heart-promptings would
have made a pleasure to me. But I did not feel disposed to be
compelled to prepare food for those who had driven from me my husband,
and afterwards robbed me of all my food and bed-furniture, with the
exception of what they allowed me to have in my room. But they were
not insulting in their language to the 'old woman,' and I endured all
the inconveniences and unhappiness of my situation with as much
fortitude as I could bring into operation, feeling that my dear
husband, at least, was safe from harm. After they left," she
continued, "I was forced to go into the woods, near by, and with my
two little boys pick up fagots to cook the scanty food left to me."
This is the story of one of the most luxuriously reared women of
Virginia, and is scarcely the faintest shadow of what many endured
under similar circumstances.
EMMA SANSOM
[Gen. T. Jordan and J. P. Pryor, in Campaigns of General Forrest,
pages 267-270.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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