Civil War | The Fires at Home | 4
American History Tellers
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The Protests of Mary Jackson
Mary Jackson gathered 300 women in a Richmond Church to address soaring local food prices. Many of the women worked at a local ironworks, putting in long shifts making weapons and ammunition for the rebel armies. They decided to take their demands to Virginia Governor John Lecher. The mob descended on warehouses and grocery stores, seizing ham, flour, and shoes. Soon they looted jewelry and other luxury items. Jefferson Davis himself climbed into a cart to address the mob. He took coins out of his pocket and threw them into the crowd. When his appeals failed, he gave the crowd five minutes to disperse before he ordered troops to fire.
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