Dale County AlArchives News.....Destitution During Reconstruction by Creel Richardson January 8 1986
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Christine Thacker http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00033.html#0008100 May 9, 2004, 2:43 pm

Southern Star
The History Corner-Part II (Southern Star Jan. 8, 1986

             Destitution During Reconstruction

                 By Creel Richardson


  In the late 19th century, Dr. H.J. Smisson, a medical doctor in Newton
since 1859, recalled that it was so late in the Spring of 1965 (sic)when the 
Civil war "terminated" that very "little could be done toward) raising a crop"
that year. People had "plenty of stock but nothing to feed them on" to make
them suitable for food on the table. In view of these conditions the "masses 
lived largely on peas". The area was "chaotic politically, financially and 
socially...with a new order of things on us and we were not prepared to meet 
them".
  In the "depression" years of the early 1930s, Uncle John, a correspon-
dent of the Southern Star, recounted some of the conditions of his community   
(Echo?) during the Reconstruction Era. "After the Civil War," he wrote, "there 
was very little money. The Confederate money was no good... and there was very 
little greenback". Some people had "gold", and some had cotton that could be 
sold for 40 cents "a pound". But, he continued, "We had to make what we ate and 
more. Nothing to buy and not much to buy with. We had no matches and no 
kerosene oil. Had to use candles and cover up the fire every night. If it went 
out we had to go off and borrow from those that kept it burning. I have gone a 
mile several mornings after fire. You could hear the hum of the spinning wheel 
and the knock of the loom making cloth for that was all the way we had of 
getting clothes".
  In the issue of June 1, 1867, the Editor of the Henry County Register painted 
an optimistic picture of crop prospects for that year. Despite the late frosts 
and spring floods, farmers had "cheerful faces" and expected "abundant" 
harvests in the fall. Hired freedmen appeared to be working "faithfully and 
energetically, notwithstanding the various political meetings which have had a 
tendency to distract their attention from labor. The principal fears now 
entertained are of scarcity of food until the crops are brought to maturity". 
If, he continued, "moneyed men of all sections will do their duty towards 
planting interests, if they will determine that the planters must be aided in 
all possible ways, bread and meat enough will be made to enable our people to 
laugh at the fears of starvation".
 In his report to Governor Patton in April 1867, M.H. Cruikshank, Commissioner 
for the Destitute in Alabama, stated that "destitution (was) rapidly and... 
alarmingly on the increase in the State". The "supply of corn and bacon 
furnished by the Federal Government (was) wholly inadequate to meet the 
pressing needs of the sufferers".         
  In an effort to help meet these needs, various "relief" organizations of the 
North and West contributed food and clothing for the destitute in the State. 
The Southern Relief Association of Philadelphia contributed 5,000 bushels of 
corn. The Merchants Exchange Relief Commission of St. Louis, Mo. donated two
shipments of corn- one to the Mobile area and one to Tuscumbia- for the relief 
of the needy in the State. The New York Famine Relief Commission sent a 
shipment of corn to Tuscumbia. "Captain Stempson" delivered 18,000 bushels of 
corn from the same Commission to Mobile by steamboat "free of charge". General 
Swayne of the Freedmens Bureau had this corn shipped to the interior parts of 
the State at U.S. Government expense. The South Western Relief Commission of 
Louisville, Ky. "furnished food and clothing" to starving and suffering people 
of South Alabama." Despite these contributions "the cry for bread" continued to 
come from all parts of the State.
  During the months of March and April 1867, the U.S. Government contributed 
45,000 bushels of corn, and 100,000 pounds of bacon to be distributed 
throughout the State by the Freedmens Bureau. From this allotment Dale County 
received 1500 pounds of bacon and 660 bushels of corn. In May 1867 Dale County 
received 600 bushels of corn and 1250 pounds of bacon from the Baltimore Relief 
Association shipped by way of Savannah.
  In his December 1867 report to the Governor Commissioner Cruikshank noted 
that although there had been a "slight increase in destitution" in the State, 
there was "no great scarcity of breadstuffs in any part of the State". The 
supply of meat was "very limited in all" parts of the State. Relief for the 
month had been chiefly confined to the area of the cities where the poor 
had "congregated." Five hundred dollars had been alloted to the State 
Institution for the "Deaf, Dumb and Blind" for clothing in an effort to relieve 
the indigent in the Institution of those who needed to be placed in that 
Institution. In the opinion of the Commissioner "every effort should be made to 
induce the poor to leave the towns and cities" and migrate to the rural areas 
where they might find employment in "gardening or agricultural pursuits". The 
large number of "poor and dependent women and children" who were unemployed 
ought to be "encouraged to seek employment upon farms and plantations where 
they can at least earn a scanty subsistence". Furthermore, he suggested 
that "great care should be taken in the selection of agents and the issue of 
food to prevent the encouragement of idleness. None should receive relief who 
couldm by any sort of effort subsist themselves". From his observations he had 
concluded that the "extreme destitution of the past two years" had taught the 
people of the State that "life" could be "sustained upon bread alone and many 
were exceedingly thankful to be able to secure a supply of bread for themselves 
and families".

  From the Southern Star Collection of Harold Stephens.
  Scanned and submitted by Christine G. Thacker, May 9, 2004.


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