Page 175 - Arkansas Confederate Women

150 CONFEDERATE WOMEN OF ARKANSAS

ened, he was cowed because of the cowardly trick. The whole
country was beseiged by Yankees and picketed so as to prevent
passing, buying or selling, and often supplies would run short.
Oftentimes rye, barley and potatoes would be parched and a con-
coction made of it to imitate coffee, no doubt a poor imitation,
but better than none. Shoes and gloves were made at home
from skins of animals killed at home, the tallow candle, and
those of beeswax and resin supplied the light after coal oil

gave out. These were the arc lights of the war.

My grandfather continued to grow worse and at last suc-

cumbed to heart disease in 1864. I think grandmother sur-

vived him many years. Two daughters, Mary Ellis Williamson

and Mattie Ellis Carufhers and William P. Ellis are still en-
joying a lonely old age, and William A. Ellis, the grandson,
is now a middle-aged father and husband. There are living,
eighteen grandchildren, and seventeen great-grandchildren

from this grand old couple. May they all live to honor 'and

glorify their ancestors as they should be honored and glorified.

ARKANSAS WOMAN CAPTURED BY A GUNBOAT.

Mrs. Samuel Gondelock, of Union District, went West with

her husband just prior to the war. He was killed in Arkansas

while serving with the Western army of the Onnfederacy, and

with her two little girls the mother attempted to get back from

Arkansas to South Carolina. The Mississippi Eiver was then

patrolled by Federal gunboats and as she was being rowed

across she was espied and stopped, brought aboard a gunboat

and her trunks opened and contents examined. Nothing incrim-

inating being found she was landed on the Eastern bank and

finally reached home. J. L. Strain.