The suffering and bravery of southern women in the American Civil War can inspire us. Northern soldiers confiscated wood for fuel, chickens, garden crops, pigs, out of necessary. Rogue soldiers often robbed a family's wealth.
Hiding family valuables
"Word
was sent by a neighbor's young houseboy, who sneaked through the woods
to their home to warn them that the Union soldiers were foraging, and
so they had a little time to hide things."
Food
and valuables were hidden in nearby swamps or woods.
"We heard that Sherman had burnt Columbia and was advancing towards Fayetteville N.C. We began to make preparations for the expected raid by hiding such things as we could unbeknowing to the Negroes. My brother Elisha and I hauled away two barrels of lard, pretending in the presence of the Negroes that we were carrying it for delivery to a purchaser in the neighborhood...
"We heard that Sherman had burnt Columbia and was advancing towards Fayetteville N.C. We began to make preparations for the expected raid by hiding such things as we could unbeknowing to the Negroes. My brother Elisha and I hauled away two barrels of lard, pretending in the presence of the Negroes that we were carrying it for delivery to a purchaser in the neighborhood...
After
leaving home and got out of sight we drove into the woods some
distance where we had previously dug holes to receive it and there
buried it destroying all traces of the affair. After we had finished, it
was too soon to return home so we spent the time collecting wood to
take back home. In due time we reached home with our load of wood,
reporting in the presence of the Negroes, the safe delivery of the lard
handing in a pretended receipt. "
