3 January 1865: “I went to the dairy to get a bucket with a little milk in it, a yankee came running half bent asking “what you got” I turned it bottom upwards and kept on”

Item Description: A letter from Alabama describing what the Union Army took during their occupation, as well as some of the conditions of the confederate people and animals.

 

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Item Citation: From Folder 271, in the Pettigrew Family Papers #592, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Item Transcription:

Home, January 3rd 1865

My dear Brother,

The year has commenced with excitement and trouble for the poor downtrodden people of Alabama. Sunday night four Yankees came by and tryed to press or ? to go to their camp down at the mill. Pa directed them and got off but yesterday we had them thiefs, and today has been worse. They took Bonaparte a Yankee horse we had had for sometime, and killed our last three turkeys, making twenty two in all they had taken from us, fruit-tin vessels and shot nearly all the chickens besides taking several pieces of meat and all the sausage. They robed two beegums, and as they had filled all their buckets they undertook to get another to put their honey in. Tommy hid our water bucket, and Pa ran in mothers room with the other, and left it with me. ? a yankee came and took a general search for it sensing every breath. I quietly kept my seat which was the water bucket, and of course the gent had to leave without it. Yesterday, I went to the dairy to get a bucket with a little milk in it, a yankee came running half bent asking “what you got” I turned it bottom upwards and kept on, he was very angry- swore he would do ten times worse. Pa was very uneasy, thought he might bring a crowd; but they have all gone on since those to day were a different set. Of all the senseless rabbles those to day were the worst. Full of their impudent insulting remarks, fired off their yams a great many times. They took thirty pieces of meat from Mr Fletcher a hundred pounds of sugar shaving utensils, combs, presents, flour, clothes, and when all the negros, broke him up in the way of horses. Mr Vaughan came off even worse. Lost all his horses, four forty pounds of coffee, about all they had. Mr Smith lost some provisions but no stock. Mr Davis was here when they came yesterday morning, and they asked him if he had two fine grey mules. He told them he had, that he would show them where he had hauled them off- both haveing ? with glanders. Pa think horse they got here has it, all the horses in the country are ailing with it. They hadint been to kind nor Mr Moore’s, Mr M has not lost anything yet, neither has Mr Sam P. We think the Ishams are sending them in this week. The yankees say they hade been told the people here had lost nothing. Pa is worried nearly to death. J.B.M. sent his bond in last night by B.A.M. who wanted to come any way to get some men who dodged him when he had to leave before, but with the yankees so ? he cant do anything now. The bond I speak of is the one he gives no probate ?- haveing received the appointment. Tyns being dead He left to find the circuit judge to have it approved by him and was South and now it has to be signed and approved by the circuit clerk, who is not here. The time allowed by the law for makeing it is about out.

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One Response to 3 January 1865: “I went to the dairy to get a bucket with a little milk in it, a yankee came running half bent asking “what you got” I turned it bottom upwards and kept on”

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