An Interesting Incident

A released prisoner who gives his experience in Secessia to the Rochester Express, relates this incident:

Of the six or several cars which started from Manassas, there were but two remaining when we reached the rebel capital (Richmond.)  We arrived there about 9 o’clock in the evening.  After the cars had halted, I heard a low voice at my window, which was partly raised.  It was quite dark and I could not distinguish the speaker, who was an Irish woman.

“Whist,” said she, “are ye hungry?”

I replied that I was not that some of the boys probably were.

“Wait till I go to the house,” she continued; and a moment afterwards I heard her again at the window.  She handed me a loaf of bread, some meat and about a dozen baker’s cakes, saying, “that was all I had in the house, but I had a shillin’ and I bought the cakes with it; and if I had more you should have it and welcome!  Take it and God bless ye!”

I thanked her and said, “you are very kind to enemies.”

“Whist,” said she, “and ain’t I from New York meself?”

This was the first Union demonstration that I witnessed in old Virginia.  I thanked God for the consolation  which the reflection afforded me, as for the third night as I lay sleeplessly in the cars, my clothing still saturated, and my body thoroughly chilled from the effects of the deluge at Manassas, I could have desired no sweeter morsel than the good woman’s homely loaf; and proud of the loyal giver, I rejoiced that “I was from New York meself.”

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 20, 1862, p. 2