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Mary Jane Chadick was a diarist who wrote of the Federal occupation in Huntsville, Alabama during the War. One of our favorite sections from the book includes an April Fool's Day joke she played on her friends. From the "Incidents of the War: The Civil War Journal of Mary Jane Chadick."
"April 1st, 1864. Still without a servant, Mrs. Weaver, my kind friend, milks for me regularly.
Had some fun today by playing April jokes. Sent Mrs. Steele amd Mrs. Figures official document, ordering them out of their houses for McPherson's staff officers. For a time. Mrs. Steele gave herself up to despair and Mrs. Figures, in her indignation, went to apply to the quartermaster.
We have some cheering news from the Confederacy.
A Yankee woman has the keys of Mrs. Harris' house and yesterday, was inspecting the rooms."
Then the book goes on to explain the "joke" in more detail:
"A copy of the bogus telegram to Mrs. Figures was shared at the United Daughters of the Confederacy meeting in November 1907 and printed in The Huntsville Democrat on the 13th of November.
Post Quartermaster's Office
Huntsville, April 1st, 1864
Mrs. Figures:
Three rooms in your home are hereby assigned to Major Dupree and family of General McPhearson's staff for quarters. The difficulty of procuring houses, and your undisguised disloyalty to the U.S. Government-and your acknowledged aversion to Federal officers and obnoxious language to us reported, lead us to these extreme measures.
Capt. Allen
A.A.Q.M
In Charge of Building"
Even in those dire times, MJ and friends still knew to have fun. What a way to push your pal's buttons- by making them think their homes would be occupied by Federal officers!!
"April 1st, 1864. Still without a servant, Mrs. Weaver, my kind friend, milks for me regularly.
Had some fun today by playing April jokes. Sent Mrs. Steele amd Mrs. Figures official document, ordering them out of their houses for McPherson's staff officers. For a time. Mrs. Steele gave herself up to despair and Mrs. Figures, in her indignation, went to apply to the quartermaster.
We have some cheering news from the Confederacy.
A Yankee woman has the keys of Mrs. Harris' house and yesterday, was inspecting the rooms."
Then the book goes on to explain the "joke" in more detail:
"A copy of the bogus telegram to Mrs. Figures was shared at the United Daughters of the Confederacy meeting in November 1907 and printed in The Huntsville Democrat on the 13th of November.
Post Quartermaster's Office
Huntsville, April 1st, 1864
Mrs. Figures:
Three rooms in your home are hereby assigned to Major Dupree and family of General McPhearson's staff for quarters. The difficulty of procuring houses, and your undisguised disloyalty to the U.S. Government-and your acknowledged aversion to Federal officers and obnoxious language to us reported, lead us to these extreme measures.
Capt. Allen
A.A.Q.M
In Charge of Building"
Even in those dire times, MJ and friends still knew to have fun. What a way to push your pal's buttons- by making them think their homes would be occupied by Federal officers!!
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