Mobile Register
June 20, 1861
Page 2
Letter
from Baldwin County
Baldwin County, June 17, 1861
Els.
Register and Advertiser
Gentlemen—About
a week ago I met a wagon and two men at the house of a still owner. They reported that they had left eight
barrels of crude turpentine to be distilled, and asked to know the price of the
spirit barrel, saying they learned at the still that the rosin barrels would be
furnished at the still. Their question
was answered, and out came from the wagon an old rag, and the silver in price was handed over. One of the wagoners
said he had half of the crude left, but had no bread, and hoped for a little cash to enable him to buy meat, and
that if he could not get it he would have to stop chipping his boxes. The still owner said he was unable to advance
meal, meat or money, and that he had better carry the crude somewhere
else. His face was over preacher
length—the longest I ever saw; but the other wagoner
began a yarn, that soon created with all of us a laugh, and in the end he
opened his rag again and pulled out a hundred dollar bill, and said he thought with that he could supply his neighbor
if he kept on chipping, and when that bill was used up he would still keep on
chipping and live on bread and butter, as every man in Baldwin pine woods had
or could borrow corn enough to give him plenty, if he worked. His face was short, and a happier expression
of countenance I’ve never seen, except in Arkansas, where the people had Irish
potato seed that they had hauled, the first peck eighteen years before, from “Massoury State.”
There they love to dance—and so you would have judged the people of this
county did, had you been at Daphne Friday night last, as the Rangers and ladies
moved to music’s sweet sounds. They were
welcomed by the citizens, and quarters for all provided at the hotel, and dined
there on Saturday with the officers of the Rifles. A gala time it was, and you ought to have
sent out a reporter; but you will next Saturday be there yourselves, fail not.
Both
companies were out for drill on the 15th, and a large attendance of
citizens were present to greet them.
The
Rangers were taken care of by the neighborhood Saturday night, and left us
yesterday morning en route for home.
Some of them live seventy miles distant, and are residents of Monroe
county.
A
company of boys, from 10 to 18, will be out, armed, but not yet uniformed, next
Saturday, the 22d inst., to witness the flag presentation to the Baldwin
Rifles; and I say you must be there then, or we will scorn you—on and off our
reading tables, evermore.
Let
Baldwin property owners in your city contribute on the 23d’s lunch, and help
the treasury of the Rifles. Then tell
them not to fail to be with us.
No
recruiting officers are needed here—animus enough. A third company, if not a fourth, will soon
be reported.
Yours,
BALDWINESS
[Transcribed by: Sharon Strout]
