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Civilian duties of 90,000 Texas men fighting for the Confederacy fell to wives back home in land of few factories and an enemy blockade that cut down on imports. Women had to run businesses and farms for their absent men who committed to the uncertain mails their letters of instruction. Yet with help of children, old men and loyal slaves, furnished Army and the Confederacy with grain, meat and cotton for home consumption and foreign exchange for guns, gunpowder, factory goods, drugs and other supplies. Ran newspapers. Loaded shells. Made gun caps. Did "man's work" of many kinds, in addition to homemaking, sewing, nursing, teaching and child care. Made medicines from herbs and plants. Grew poppies and squeezed the seed pods to supply opiates to the hospitals. Carded cotton and wool, spun and wove, then dyed the homemade cloth with bark or roots. Plaited palmetto or corn shucks to make hats. Made coffee of acorns or vegetables, tea of sage or orange leaves. On 2,000 miles of coastline and frontier, faced personal hazards from invasion or Indian raids. Elsewhere were in peril from marauders. Through the four years won admiration for their pluck, and maintained faith enough to help rebuild the defeated South. |
