d) They carried empty plates and utensils

In the bread riots of 1863 in Richmond, the women protesters displayed a unique form of protest by carrying empty plates and utensils. These riots were sparked by the dire food shortages and inflated prices in the Confederate capital. The women, many of whom were wives and mothers of soldiers, took to the streets to demand relief. Their symbolic act of carrying empty plates and utensils powerfully conveyed their desperation and the severity of the situation. This protest highlighted the impact of the Civil War on the home front and the active role women played in responding to the hardships of the war.