Page 177 - Arkansas Confederate Women

152 CONFEDERATE WOMEN OF ARKANSAS

and the Yankees were trying to starve them into surrender.

Provisions and medicines, especially quinine and whiskey, were

often smuggled by the women, for the lives of the Southern sol-

diers often depended on these two articles. Sometimes medi-

cines were sewed in the lining of their dresses. Spinning, weav-

ing and knitting occupied the time of most Southern women,

preparaing boxes of clothing, medicine, provisions to be sent
with words of cheer. During this time another son was born

to them and death claimed their twin boys, one only a few hours

Myafter the other. mother's delicate health and nature 'almost

succumbed to this terrible shock, which required more forti-

tude than any one can ever understand, being separated from

parents and husband, with raiders appearing at any moment.
Kind friends and dear hands constructed a nice walnut coffin,

covered it with velvet, a luxury at that time, and the little

ones were consigned to mother earth, clasped in the arms of

Myone another, as they entered this world. father surrendered

at Gainesville, Ala., and as the railroad wires were torn up by
Yanks, came home on a hand car with others who took turn

about, walking to push, often mending the broken railroad to

continue their journey. His negroes were free, he was without

a dollar, disheartened, almost heartbroken over the sad fall of

the brave South, but like the hero he was, he took his small

son and tried to farm. His negroes, however, soon decided he

was the best master to be found, and nearly all returned to work
for him, and helped him to regain his fortune. Both parents

still live in the old home at Sardis, Miss., and would be glad

to hear from any old friend or comrade in those squally times.

They live to recount the incidents of the war, and many, many

myhours have I sat at father's knee, listening and never tiring

of listening to the brave deeds, narrow escapes, trying times,

hardships, such as sleeping on two rails in a fence corner, and

thought the rails a great luxury. The stories of the thirst and
hunger so often suffered by him and his comrades was to me
simply terrible. At that time money was scarce and worth lit-

tle. Calico was a dollar a yard. Spool thread a dollar. Shoes
ten dollars to seventy-five dollars. Flannel that first wrapped

my husband cost seventy-five dollars a yard. His first shoes