Labor
Information about labor in Richmond, VA during the Civil War.

Written Accounts

1868-10-20, Richmond Dispatch; anonymous letter about the Tredegar strike has been received but will not be published until name is furnished
1869-06-24, Nashville Union and American; Miss Van Lew refuses to close the post office on Memorial Day, decision reversed by President Grant, and she fires the ringleader of the protest
1870-05-28, Nashville Union and American; most of the clerks at the Richmond post office have resigned or are on strike, citing Miss Van Lew as being a martinet
1871-11-14, Memphis (Tenn.) Daily Appeal; excerpt from a column related to Southern boosterism, proclaiming the success of the Tredegar Iron Works in securing rail contracts.
1872-01-20, Richmond Daily State Journal; Strike at the Richmond post office- “Miss Van Lew will be kept quite busy considering applications for the positions made vacant by the strikers”
1872-03-12, Richmond Daily State Journal; superintendent of the letter carrier’s department was sacked by Van Lew
1872-03-21, Leavenworth (Kan.) Weekly Times; New York Herald condemns Miss Van Lew for the strike in the post office and the failure to get the mails delivered in a timely manner.
1872-07-29, Richmond Daily State Journal; Miss Van Lew has appointed a new letter-carrier
1875-01-07, Anderson (SC) Intelligencer; Tredegar has received large orders, including one from Cuba, for railroad cars, and is augmenting its workforce.
1876-01-18, National Republican (Washington DC); The Tredegar Iron Works have been compelled by excessive losses to close. 400-600 workers have been “ousted.”

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