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“Economy Rules the Day:”
The Civil War Sacrifices of Judith Walker McGuire
by Tim Sheehan

Table of Contents | Introduction | Conclusion | Endnotes | Printable HTML version | Images | Related Web Resources

Refugees

Alexandria immediately came under Federal control on 24 May 1861, the day after the voters of Virginia ratified secession from the Union. As their first personal sacrifice of the war, the McGuires decided to leave the Alexandria area. Fearing that Rev. McGuire’s vote for disunion would result in harassment by Federal troops, the McGuires fled just before troops arrived. Judith McGuire initially thought they would be gone for a short period of time, so they left their slaves and most of their belongings. They never returned to their home in Howard. (17)

As one of the Confederacy’s first refugees, they depended on family and friends for food and shelter throughout 1861. McGuire, however, did not let her position as a refugee prevent her from contributing to the war. Throughout 1861, she proudly reports in the Diary occasional patriotic deeds. During her stay with family in Clarke County, Virginia, the “chief employment” of her time was spent knitting for the soldiers. Women would gather to sew while one read aloud the latest news. McGuire jokingly theorized about Federals destroying the sewing machine she left at Howard, which was used to mend clothing she sent to the Confederate armies. At this time in 1861, she felt that she would get that machine back, repair it, and then put it back to work as a “silent agent” to aid the Confederacy “for the wrongs it has suffered” under Union occupation. (18) This patriotic dream never came to reality.

Some of McGuire’s 1861 entries describe contributions other women made to the war effort. These entries not only include scenes McGuire witnessed, but also include second-hand information McGuire obtained from letters and newspapers. Her 6 June 1861 entry claims that “hundreds” of women in Richmond, Virginia gathered at various churches to sew for the soldiers, and were “fitting out company after company.” Women in Richmond did actively supply soldiers with goods. The 5 June 1861 Richmond Dispatch, for example, contains the following item:

The Ladies of the Centenary Church will be at the school room of their church every day (till further notice, or for so long as their services may be needed,) from 9 o’clock in the morning until 3 o’clock in the evening, where they will be pleased to make up any article that may be wanted for the volunteers or soldiers. The above ladies in common with those composing the congregations of the other churches in this city, have done their whole in this contest. They have said they were willing to help and have demonstrated their faith by their works.

This tidbit gives readers the impression that Richmond’s Christian women worked tirelessly to outfit soldiers with clothing. It however does not state that these women supplied “company after company” with clothing. McGuire obviously embellished the secondhand information she received. (19)

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This page last updated 1 January 2008