Southern Bread Riots

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The Southern Bread Riots were events of civil unrest in the Confederacy in April 1863. The riots were triggered mainly by invading armies, who ravaged crops, devoured draft animals, and who generally tried to hinder every link between farmers and the hungry citizens. Inflation also was a major problem. From 1861 to 1863, the price of wheat tripled, while butter and milk quadrupled. Salt, which at the time was the only practical meat preservative, was very expensive as well. Similar to the French Revolution, citizens, mostly women, began to protest the exorbitant price of bread. The protesters believed a negligent government and greedy merchants were to blame. To show their displeasure, many protesters turned to violence. In Macon, Atlanta, and Augusta armed mobs attacked stores and warehouses. In North Carolina, mobs destroyed grocery and dry goods stores. In the Confederate capitol of Richmond, Virginia, a peaceful protest of thousands of people covered ten square blocks. The militia, the mayor, Governor John Letcher, and Jefferson Davis himself gave a speech and even begged the protesters to disperse, with no success. Only when Davis threatened to have militiamen fire on the mob did they disperse. Several of the rioters were later tried.