Dixie Dairy 11: Just Hominy

Dixie Diary 11

Just Hominy

8" Version

A two-tone star represents Sarah’s dilemma: 

Starvation or surrender.

After two years of war the Morgan women were hungry. Sarah's 56-year-old mother was suffering in the town of Clinton where food had run out. Confederate brother Gibbes hoped to find them a home in a city far from battles and poverty. Brother Philip living in Union-occupied New Orleans suggested they join him there, take an oath of loyalty to the Union and end their ordeal.

Confederate refugees in a Union camp

March 31, 1863, Linwood, East Feliciana Parish

"To be or not to be; that's the question." Whether 'tis nobler in the Confederacy to suffer the pangs of unappeasable hunger and never-ending trouble, or to take passage to a Yankee port, and there remaining end them. Which is best? I am so near daft that I cannot pretend to say; I only know that I shudder at the thought of going to New Orleans, and that my heart fails me when I think of the probable consequence to Mother if I allow a mere outward sign of patriotism to overbalance what should be my first consideration---her health. For Clinton is growing no better rapidly. To be hungry is there an everyday occurrence. For ten days mother writes, they have lived off just hominy enough to keep their bodies and souls from parting, without being able to procure another article---not even a potato.

Hominy is field corn boiled in an alkali solution such as lye.

Mother is not in a condition to stand such privation; day by day she grows weaker on her new regimen; I am satisfied that two months more of danger, difficulties, perplexities, and starvation will lay her in her grave….Lilly has been obliged to put her children to bed to make them forget they were supperless, and when she followed their example, could not sleep herself, for very hunger. 

Sarah's mother is in Clinton (the white star).

Sarah is at Linwood Plantation (white circle).

Gibbes has searched Augusta (blue heart) for shelter.

Union-held New Orleans is the blue arrow.

"We have tried in vain to find another home in the Confederacy. After three days spent in searching Augusta, Gibbes wrote that it was impossible to find a vacant room for us, as the city was already crowded with refugees….The question has now resolved itself to whether we shall see mother die for want of food in Clinton, or by sacrificing an outward show of patriotism (the inward sentiment cannot be changed), go with her to New Orleans.…

Sarah Fowler Morgan,

Sarah's mother, in better days.

Just Hominy by Sandi Brothers

 12" version with a 1" frame, set on point

Cutting a 12" Block

A Cut 1 square 4 3/4".

B Cut rectangles 5 1/8" x 2 5/8". Trim one end at a 45 degree angle to make the shape B. 

Cut 4 medium going one direction and 4 dark going the other direction.

C Cut 2 light squares and 2 dark squares 3 7/8". Cut each into 2 triangles with 1 cut. 

You need 4 triangles of each.

D Cut 1 square 7 1/4" (7-3/16th" if you use the 1/16th" default). 

Cut into 4 triangles with 2 cuts. You need 4 triangles.

Cutting an 8" Block

A Cut 1 square 3-3/8" (3-5/16")

UPDATE: I fixed the above measurements. Thanks to PinkD and Cheryl .

B Cut rectangles 3-5/8 x 1-7/8"". Trim one end at a 45 degree angle to make the shape B. 

Cut 4 medium going one direction and 4 dark going the other direction.

C Cut 2 light squares and 2 dark squares 2 7/8". Cut each into 2 triangles with 1 cut. 

You need 4 triangles of each.

D Cut 1 square 5-1/4".  (5-3/16th" if you use the 1/16th" default). 

Cut into 4 triangles with 2 cuts. You need 4 triangles.

Optional applique:

Applique a star or a heart after piecing.

Go back to the January 5, 2013 post to see a JPG with the heart and the star.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2013/01/dixie-diary-1-her-flag-flying.html