In Their Own Words
August 30, 1864
Trouble Trading for Necessities
William King of Cobb County wrote in his diary of the trouble people were having trading for necessities - one woman in particular who was angry about it.
“…Some Wagons with [torn] station trading, some have come 15 or 20 miles with their little supplies to exchange for something to eat, they get very little in return. One old Woman told me that the Yankees had taken all the Horses & Mules in the neighborhood, they afterwards picked up some old, rejected Horses, after getting them in a condition to work, the Rebels came & took them; leaving in the neighborhood only 1 steer (which she had in the Wagon) to go to Mill & do all the work for the neighbors–the old lady was quite out of temper & out of humor with every body; she must have felt more embittered after she finished her trading this morning, as I noticed the soldiers had determined to steal all they could from her & pay but little for the balance. …”
