Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/61

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of war according to military rules. Owing to thr ^>ar>ely settled country, the difficulty of diffusing information at that time and the immeiiM- ai-'-a of Texas, it is more than probable that a majority of the late Confederate soldiers in this State never heard of the order. June igth was a date prolific of orders and proclamations. Be- side that relating to the parole of the disb mded Confederates, and one for tin- lib.-ration of tin- si i\vs whi.-h will be mentioned later, the general in comman<l i-^ned .mother on that day demanding the re- turn of "all public property, arms, etc., belonging to the so-called Confederate States." The order was most peremptory and gave notice that "all persons not promptly complying to this order will be arrested as prisoners of war and sent north for imprisonment, and their property forfeited." Savage and threatening as this document appeared on its face, it did not strike much terror to the hearts of those old Confederate soldiers who had secured anything from the general wreck. They could not readily believe that after all the prisoners of war had been liberated a new prison system would be put in operation for the especial benefit of those who should not promptly "comply " with the order to return the government effects, and as to a forfeiture of their own property, the average Confederate soldier at the close of the war would have gladly divided equally with the finder any property of his which could be discovered by Gen- eral Granger or any one else. The order, however, was complied with to a certain extent. A few old muskets and Enfield rifles were turned in, and some unserviceable horses and mules were given up to the United States agents, but Confederate property in the hands of the old soldiers which was worth anything as a general rule remained in their possession. They generally showed no indisposition to re- turn v* hat was worthless, but scrupulously drew the line at anything of substantial value.

EMANCIPATION.

The conduct of the negroes during the war had been most exem- plary. In many neighborhoods plantations cultivated by a force of a hundred or more were managed by white women. A few old men and boys under seventeen years of age constituted all the male whites in many localities where the negro population was relatively ten to one. In some cases plantations were managed by negro foremen without any white person in charge, the owners being in the army or living miles away. Yet throughout the war crime of any kind was but rarely committed by negroes, and the general experience of