Life was difficult for Southern women during the War. Thomas W. Shearin's wife and several other women participated in a letter to the then governor of North Carolina.

Littlton, NC, Feb. 17, 1863
Mr. gov. Vance, if you please to tell me what we poore soldiers wifes is to do that we are hear sufering for the want of something to eat.…I sent to warrenton yesterday and they said the government had not put any thing there for the Soldiers wifes I never have suferd so much as I have for the last three or four months for I have to go some times week with nothing but bread to eat and I think that is to hard to take a poor man from his wife and children to leave hear to perish to death when we go to these rich people bout hear they wont let us have not one pound of meat for less than 50 cent per pound we have corn mily in our destrict but they will not do any thing for us my Husband has ben in the army nearly two year and they dont let him come home to see me much less provide any way for me to live if you dont provide some way for us to live we will be compell to take our little children and to our Husband or they must come home to us if you plese [write] to me as soon as you get this and let me no what we are to [do]. direct your letter to littleton depot.
yours truly Mrs. L. Reid, Mrs. M. Neal, Mrs. C. Aycock, Mrs. Thomson, Mrs. Elbeth, Susan Shearin, the wife of Thomas W Shearin
(Governors Papers, State Archives, Raleigh.)