Friday, December 20, 2013

December 21, 1863---"God save me from such ignorant trash."



DECEMBER 21, 1863:         

A letter, purportedly written by Union soldier D.G. Griffin, is published in the fire-eating Charleston Mercury, under the title, “One Yankee’s Opinion of Their Friends In East Tennessee.” It reads in part:

Our Union friends have fanaticism and enthusiasm enough, but they are so ignorant and ill-bred as to disgust any gentleman. The women know how to make "corn dodgers" and dirty little Federal flags, "ginger cakes and the like," and to curse and point out their superiors--rebel ladies and rebel gentlemen--and that is about all.

The rebel ladies are intelligent, well bred, and good looking--dignified and bold in their demeanor. But they won't talk to us--consider themselves our superiors, simply from the fact that we are fighting for their inferiors, the Union ladies. They are not to blame. I often blush when I think of the common herd that I am imperiling my life for. God save me from such ignorant trash.