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hen； their benefactors now； have their sacks filled and are fed。〃
Acute distress continued until 1867； after that year there was no further danger of starvation。 Some of the poor whites； especially in the remote districts； never again reached a comfortable standard of living； some were demoralized by too much assistance； others were discouraged and left the South for the West or the North。 But the mass of the people accepted the discipline of poverty and made the best of their situation。
The difficulties； however； that beset even the courageous and the competent were enormous。 The general paralysis of industry； the breaking up of society； and poverty on all sides bore especially hard on those who had not previously been manual laborers。 Physicians could get practice enough but no fees； lawyers who had supported the Confederacy found it difficult to get back into the reorganized courts because of the test oaths and the competition of 〃loyal〃 attorneys； and for the teachers there were few schools。 We read of officers high in the Confederate service selling to Federal soldiers the pies and cakes cooked by their wives； of others selling fish and oysters which they themselves had caught； and of men and women hitching themselves to plows when they had no horse or mule。
Such incidents must； from their nature； have been infrequent； but they show to what straits some at least were reduced。 Six years after the war； James S。 Pike； then in South Carolina； mentions cases which might be duplicated in nearly every old Southern community： 〃In the vicinity；〃 he says； 〃lived a gentleman whose income when the war broke out was rated at 150；000 a year。 Not a vestige of his whole vast estate remains today。 Not far distant were the estates of a large proprietor and a well…known family； rich and distinguished for generations。 The slaves were gone。 The family is gone。 A single scion of the house remains； and he peddles tea by the pound and molasses by the quart； on a corner of the old homestead； to the former slaves of the family and thereby earns his livelihood。〃
General Lee's good example influenced many。 Commercial enterprises were willing to pay for the use of his name and reputation； but he wished to farm and could get no opportunity。 〃They are offering my father everything；〃 his daughter said； 〃except the only thing he will accept； a place to earn honest bread while engaged in some useful work。〃 This remark led to an offer of the presidency of Washington College； now Washington and Lee University； which he accepted。 〃I have a self…imposed task which I must accomplish；〃 he said； 〃I have led the young men of the South in battle； I have seen many of them fall under my standard。 I shall devote my life now to training young men to do their duty in life。〃
The condition of honest folk was still further troubled by a general spirit of lawlessness in many regions。 Virginia； Tennessee； Arkansas； and Louisiana recognized the 〃Union〃 state government； but the coming of peace brought legal anarchy to the other states of the Confederacy。 The Confederate state and local governments were abolished as the armies of occupation spread over the South； and for a period of four or six months there was no government except that exercised by the commanders of the military garrisons left behind when the armies marched away。 Even before the surrender； the local governments were unable to make their authority respected； and soon after the war ended； parts of the country became infested with outlaws； pretend treasury agents； horse thieves； cattle thieves； and deserters。 Away from the military posts only lynch law could cope with these elements of disorder。
With the aid of the army in the more settled regions； and by extra…legal means elsewhere； the outlaws； thieves； cotton burners； and house burners were brought somewhat under control even before the state governments were reorganized； though the embers of lawlessness continued to smolder。
The relations between the Federal soldiers stationed in the principal towns and the native white population were not； on the whole； so bad as might have been expected。 If the commanding officer were well disposed； there was little danger of friction； though sometimes his troops got out of hand。 The regulars had a better reputation than the volunteers。 The Confederate soldiers were surfeited with fighting； but the 〃stay…at…home〃 element was often a cause of trouble。 The problem of social relations between the conquerors and the conquered was troublesome。 The men might get along well together； but the women would have nothing do with the 〃Yankees；〃 and ill feeling arose because of their antipathy。 Carl Schurz reported that 〃the soldier of the Union is looked upon as a stranger； an intruder； as the 'Yankee；' the 'enemy。' 。 。 。 The existence and intensity of this aversion is too well known to those who have served or are serving in the South to require proof。〃
In retaliation the soldiers developed ingenious ways of annoying the whites。 Women； forced for any reason to go to headquarters； were made to take the oath of allegiance or the 〃ironclad〃 oath before their requests were granted； flags were fastened over doors； gates； or sidewalks in order to irritate the recalcitrant dames and their daughters。 Confederate songs and color combinations were forbidden。 In Richmond； General Halleck ordered that no marriages be performed unless the bride； the groom； and the officiating clergyman took the oath of allegiance。 He explained this as a measure taken to prevent 〃the propagation of legitimate rebels。〃
The wearing of Confederate uniforms was forbidden by military order； but by May 1865； few soldiers possessed regulation uniforms。 In Tennessee the State also imposed fines upon *wear wearers of the uniform。 In the vicinity of military posts； buttons and marks of rank were usually ordered removed and the gray clothes dyed with some other color。 General Lee； for example； had the buttons on his coat covered with cloth。 But frequently the Federal commander； after issuing the orders； paid no more attention to the matter and such conflicts as arose on account of the uniform were usually caused by officious enlisted men and the Negro troops。 Whitelaw Reid relates the following incident：
〃Nothing was more touching； in all that I saw in Savannah； than the almost painful effort of the rebels； from generals down to privates； to conduct themselves so as to evince respect for our soldiers； and to bring no severer punishment upon the city than it had already received。 There was a brutal scene at the hotel； where a drunken sergeant； with a pair of tailor's shears； insisted on cutting the buttons from the uniform of an elegant gray…headed old brigadier； who had just come in from Johnston's army； but he bore himself modestly and very handsomely through it。 His staff was composed of fine…looking； stalwart fellows； evidently gentlemen； who appeared intensely mortified at such treatment。 They had no clothes except their rebel uniforms； and had； as yet； had no time to procure others； but they avoided disturbances and submitted to what they might； with some propriety； and with the general approval of our officers； *have resented。〃
The Negro troops； even at their best； were everywhere considered offensive by the native whites。 General Grant； indeed； urged that only white troops be used to garrison the interior。 But the Negro soldier； impudent by reason of his new freedom； his new uniform； and his new gun； was more than Southern temper could tranquilly bear； and race conflicts were frequent。 A New Orleans newspaper thus states the Southern point of view： 〃Our citizens who had been accustomed to meet and treat the Negroes only as respectful servants； were mortified； pained； and shocked to encounter them 。 。 。 wearing Federal uniforms and bearing bright muskets and gleaming bayonets 。 。 。 。 They are jostled from the sidewalks by dusky guards； marching four abreast。 They were halted； in rude and sullen tones； by Negro sentinels。〃
The task of the Federal forces was not easy。 The garrisons were not large enough nor numerous enough to keep order in the absence of civil government。 The commanders in the South asked in vain for cavalry to police the rural districts。 Much of the disorder； violence； and incendiarism attributed at the time to lawless soldiers appeared later to be due to discharged soldiers and others pretending to be soldiers in order to carry out schemes of robbery。 The whites complained vigorously of the garrisons； and petitions were sent to Washington from mass meetings and from state legislatures asking for their removal。 The higher commanders； however； bore themselves well； and in a few fortunate cases Southern whites were on most amicable terms with the garrison commanders。 The correspondence of responsible military officers in the South shows how earnestly and considerately each； as a rule； tried to work out his task。 The good sense of most of the Federal officers appeared when； after the murder of Lincoln； even General Grant for a brief space lost his head and ordered the arrest of paroled Confederates。
The church organizations were as much involved in the war and in the reconstruction as were secular institutions。 Before the war