Note 13 — Chapter VIII · Charleston, Now and Four Years Ago.

The same idea prevailed among some of the Richmond Rebels. A Richmond letter to the Boston Commonwealth, dated 30th June, describing the scenes at the points where rations were gratuitously issued to the destitute, says:

“‘We are all beggars, now!’ I heard one of them say, apologetically. But most of the high-born were coarse and imperious. ‘This is not begging,’ one of the most inveterate beggars said. ‘It is taking from the United States Government a very small portion of what it owes us.’ ‘As long as the Yankees have taken possession of Richmond, of course it’s their place to feed us,’ more than one said. To the few who gave thanks, and to the many who cursed, all the Commissions gave largely, for several weeks.”