April 9, 1863, Clarke County Journal (Alabama)
On yesterday (says the Atlanta Intelligencer of the 19th) a scene occurred in our streets which moved the sympathies of our soul. A number of ladies, perhaps a dozen, composed of the wives and daughters of soldier’s families, who represented themselves and their families to have been deprived of anything to eat in the last few days, save a small portion of corn bread, were seen perambulating our streets until they came up to a provision store on White Hall street. They all entered it, being preceded by a tall lady on whose brown rested care and determination. She asked the merchant the price of bacon. He replied that it was $1.10 per lb. She remonstrated with him, as to the impossibility of females in their condition paying such prices for this necessity of life. He remaining inexorable in his demand, this tall lady proceeded to draw from her besom a long navy repeater, and at the same time ordered the others in the crowd to help themselves to what they liked, which they did accordingly, giving preference to the bacon, until they had taken, as we learn, something like $200 worth.–They went out, and on being questioned by some gentlemen as to what they meant, they related their suffering condition, of which we have already spoken.