From 1861 to 1865, America experienced the tragedy of a division of her own people, North and South, whose hostilities toward one another exploded into a war which left the South devastated with defeat, and the North victorious, but uncertain of what that victory meant. It was to be expected that the armies on both sides would suffer hardships, but the southern civilians could not have been prepared for the lesson in privation which the war entailed. From the beginning of the war, the South was faced with the superior strength of the North. The northern states could boast of 22,000,000 people while the states of the new Confederacy contained roughly 9,000,000 inhabitants with Negro slaves constituting about 3,500,000 of this sparse population. As compared to her Yankee rivals, the South …show more content…
As late as 1860, southern railroads were fairly new and consisted of short lines; local companies with little money controlled them under few restraints of law. Most railroads were equipped for local transporting, such as delivering goods to towns near rivers or seaports. Poor construction of railroads caused frequent accidents and delayed travel. A common procedure was to place railroad ties and rails on unprepared ground, which made the line exceedingly dangerous in unfavorable weather. Often, a seasonal rainstorm would sweep away costly tracks, interrupting train service for weeks at a time. The railroads had not been overstocked with engines and cars in 1860, but they made no provisions to furnish any more of the equipment when the war began. When a shortage of trains soon resulted, the government took an indifferent attitude that placed the burden of repairs upon the railroads. As organization became necessary, various patriots would supervise the railroads to some degree, but it was not until 1865 that extensive government control of railroad repair began in