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Hello,
While I don't have alot of information on Charleston or Atlanta, below is some interesting snippets of life inside the clothing manufactory in Richmond.
July 20, 1863
Sudden death.
About 2 o'clock last SaturdaymorningMrs. Mary Montague, wife of the late Henry Montague, of this city, fell dead on Broad street, corner of 9th. Mrs. Montague, because of her indigent circumstances, left home between 1 and 2 o'clock, accompanied by her daughter, to go to the Confederate clothing depot for work. On getting to 9th street she suddenly fell, and her child, supposing her mother had fainted, called for help. Five or six gentlemen repaired to the spot, and soon after obtained a physician, but too late to do any good — the vital spark had fled. They then obtained a bier, and removed the corpse to its late residence, on Marshall street, near Brook Avenue. Mrs. M. leaves two helpless children. We understand that in March, 1862 Mr. Henry Montague, the husband of the deceased, fell dead near the same spot.
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July 22, 1863
Needle Women find great difficulty, at this time in earning a scant subsistence, owing to the high prices of all the necessaries of life, and the small wages they have to labor for. The Confederate clothing depot is furnishing work to many worthy ladies, but judging from the continuous crowds of females around its doors at all hours, many of them have to make heavy sacrifices of time to procure that work. We have heard ladies say that they frequently wait half a day, and sometimes longer, before they can get into the establishment, so great is the rush. Some of them, in their anxiety to secure work, take their stands at the door before daylight, and there remain for hours, regardless of weather. On Saturdaymorning last Mrs. Montague, who had left home at a very early hour to procure work, fell dead in the street before she reached the depot. We know very little of the management of this clothing bureau, but suppose that some plan might readily be adopted for distributing work which would save ladies the trouble of waiting in the streets for it hours at a time. Will not the officers in charge give the matter their attention, and thus benefit a large class of deserving females?
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August 24, 1863
Capt. Weisiger, of the Confederate Clothing Bureau, in order to accommodate the hundreds of ladies who work for his department, has so remodeled his establishment as to facilitate the delivery of work, and to prevent the employees from having to wait for hours at a time. Besides increasing his "Cutters," he has duplicated the delivery office, the receiving office, and the pay office, so that the ladies are promptly attended to, and spared the mortification of lounging about the doors day and night
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Sept. 4, 1863
A Virginian, over the conscript age. and in every way unexceptionable, can be procured as a Substitute by applying at once at the Clothing Bureau, 24 Pearl street.
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Nov. 2, 1863
Soldiers' wives.
Complains are frequently made by the families and friends of soldiers, that work is given in any quantity to ladies who have neither husbands nor sons in the army, whilst the wives of soldiers are refused tickets, and sometimes rudely treated at the clothing burcan. Where so many persons are to be supplied with work it is very difficult to do justice to all the really needy that apply, or to prevent those who do not need from getting the work that others ought to have. A note before us gives the names of ladies, whose husbands are not in active service, who get enough work to earn and lay by money every week; and also the names of others, whose husbands are in the field, and who have to depend upon their needles for the support of themselves and children, who have been rudely refused tickets for work. Where such cases are known the facts should be given to the head of the clothing bureau, in order to have the errors corrected. From what we have seen we are quite sure that the authorities design giving the wives and mothers of soldiers the preference in work, and only need be informed of any injustice to ensure speedy correction
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Nov. 3, 1863
Daring act.
Yesterday morning, as a lady residing on the western suburbs of the city, was passing along Jackson street, with a bundle of finished work, on her way to the Clothing Bureau, she ws met by a white ruffian, who snatched the clothing from her and started off in the direction of the old Academy building. The cries of the lady brought two gentlemen to her assistance, who speedily started in pursuit of the thief, and ran him until he dropped the goods. --Unluckily, neither of them were armed, or they might have shot the daring highwayman
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Nov. 4, 1863
Soldier's wives.
As we intimated yesterday, the officers of the Clothing Bureau desire to give the preference of the work to the wives and daughters of soldiers, and if any of them are overlooked their friends have only to make that fact known. Next to the class of ladies already mentioned is widows and other needy women, and after they are supplied, then ladies who have husbands to support them, but desire to be employed to make money, will be furnished with the surplus work. Lists of the neglected, as well as of those who have work but do not need it, should be forwarded to the Clothing Bureau, signed by a responsible name.
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Nov. 5, 1863
The Clothing Bureau,
On 14th street, near Cary, under the charge of Capt. Weisiger, has been carefully arranged, as well for the transaction of business as for the accommodation and convenience of the three thousand ladies who get work there. Capt. W. says his first object is to give the work of his department to the wives, daughters, and mothers of soldiers in the field, and to enable him to do this he has already called in some five hundred tickets, held by ladies whose supports are not in active service.--The families of detailed men are not equally entitled to the work with those of soldiers, nor are any other class. Such lists as have been forwarded to us will be sent to the proper bureau, in order that the really needy may have the preference over those ladies who have their husbands and fathers with them, and who can get along without Government patronage.
We are satisfied that all abuses in this office will be remedied as soon as they are discovered, and that Capt. Weisiger will do all in his power to aid soldiers' families in providing for themselves the necessaries of life. After they are served the surplus work, if any, will be given to helpless widows and other ladies who live only by their needles, and who are known as deserving.
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Nov. 12, 1863
Sewing Ladies, in search of employment, can only obtain it of the Government by applying to Capt. Weisiger, corner of 14th and Cary streets. The Captain is giving the wives and daughters of soldiers the preference in the work, and to enable him to do this he has already taken in a large number of tickets held by other ladies, and will continue to do so till the preferred class is provided for.
From the Richmond daily Dispatches
L. Scott Hanes
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