Existing comment:
"We who are so entirely in the power of and so entirely surrounded by the enemy... cannot but feel gloomy. Every day the reigns are tightened."
-- Sarah Kennedy, March 13, 1863
Daily Life:
Once Clarksville was occupied, freedoms were restricted or lost. Shortages and inflation took a toll on residents trying to feed their families. Those who could do so, traveled to Oak Grove and outlying communities to shop where prices were lower. Residents encountered Union soldiers at every turn, which was a constant topic in letters and diaries. Despite hardships, they tried to maintain as normal a life as possible with church activities, birthdays, weddings, picnics, sewing circles and other social events.
The Porter Children:
Even the wealthy were deprived of access to medicine as most medical supplies were used by the military. The measles epidemic of 1864 killed Irma Eugenia Porter, aged four, and her brohter James Hartwell Porter, aged 11 months, probably due to inadequate medical attention. They are buried in Riverview Cemetery with their grandparents. |