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State Aid for Indigent Soldiers and Their Families in Arkansas, 1861-1865 Author(s): William Frank Zornow and William Frank Zarnow Source: The Arkansas Historical Quarterly, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Summer, 1955), pp. 97-102 Published by: Arkansas Historical Association Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40025465 . Accessed: 13/06/2014 17:20 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. . Arkansas Historical Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 195.34.79.223 on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 17:20:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

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Page 1: State Aid for Indigent Soldiers and Their Families in Arkansas, 1861-1865

State Aid for Indigent Soldiers and Their Families in Arkansas, 1861-1865Author(s): William Frank Zornow and William Frank ZarnowSource: The Arkansas Historical Quarterly, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Summer, 1955), pp. 97-102Published by: Arkansas Historical AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40025465 .

Accessed: 13/06/2014 17:20

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

Arkansas Historical Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to TheArkansas Historical Quarterly.

http://www.jstor.org

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Page 2: State Aid for Indigent Soldiers and Their Families in Arkansas, 1861-1865

STATE AID FOR INDIGENT SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN ARKANSAS, 1861-1865

By William Frank Zornow* Kansas State College, Manhattan

Historians have long noted the economic weaknesses of the Confederate states as compared with those of the North. From the very beginning of the war the southern economy seemed to become increasingly stagnant. In whole areas of the Confederacy there was actually privation and an economic decline which often bore no relationship what- soever to the proximity of the Union army. These eco- nomic deficiencies unquestionably were one of the principal reasons for its collapse.

At no point is this economic stagnation more appar- ent than in the problem of how to care for the families of soldiers.1 The southern government was burdened from the start with this additional problem. In each of the states it demanded a solution, and a considerable amount of legis- lation and organized effort was devoted to this purpose. Although it was a problem of nation-wide magnitude, the Confederate government was inclined to regard it as one entirely in the province of state concern, and at first the states were eciually willing to consider it a local matter.

Charles Ramsdell pointed out that when considering how this problem was handled it was permissible to make some general observations.2 At first it was regarded as a local matter, but when it grew too extensive state interven- tion became necessary. A second trend was to give at first monetary relief to these families, and as the currency system collapsed this was replaced by a system of relief in kind. Clothing, food, and other necessities were laboriously dis- tributed. As home morale became more demoralized to- ward the end of the war, it became necessary to resort to impressments and requisitions in order to obtain the needed

2Bell Irvin Wiley, The Plain People of the Confederacy (Baton Roujjc, 1944). The general situation among the people of the Confederacy may be conveniently surveyed in this work.

2Charles Ramsdell, Behind the Lines in the Southern Confederacy (Baton Rouge, 1944), pp. 62-68.

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Page 3: State Aid for Indigent Soldiers and Their Families in Arkansas, 1861-1865

98 ARKANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

provisions. It was in March 1862, that the Arkansas General As-

sembly first took cognizance of the problem of indigent families. A law was passed which provided that the county courts could levy and collect an annual tax on the objects of taxation for state revenue for the relief and support of the families of volunteers who were in active service. Until such time as the actual collection of taxes could be under- taken, the courts were further empowered to issue county script in anticipation of tax receipts. The court was also given the discretion of deciding whether cash allotments or a distribution in kind should be made. The Arkansas legisla- ture, unlike those in other states, made no provision for the families of dead soldiers or of those discharged because of disabling wounds.3

This initial system proved inadequate almost from the beginning and before the end of the year the assembly was forced to expand the provisions for relief. Local collections did not meet the needs. Officials were remiss, and there was much evasion of taxes and falsification of returns; hence it became necessary to provide a more comprehensive system of distribution, to tighten state regulation, and to supplement local funds by state aid.

Two acts of November 1862, provided for the distribu- tion of grain in certain counties where the need was great. The first act appropriated $50,000 to purchase forty thous- and bushels of corn for distribution in Fort Smith, Green- wood, and Van Buren. This corn was to be sold to needy families (it was not limited only to the indigent families of soldiers) at cost, or it could be distributed gratis to fami- lies which were completely destitute.4

Less than one week later an additional $12,000 was appropriated for the purchase of ten thousand bushels of corn which were to be distributed to the needy families in the vicinity of Ozark.5

These two appropriations totaling $62,000 for the pur- 9 Acts of the General Assembly, 13 or special Session, March 17-22, 1862.

pp. 13-14, March 22, 1862. 4 Acts of the General Assembly, 14 Session, November ^-'December 1, W2.

pp. 16-17, November 24, 1862. The distribution was as follows: Van Buren, 15,000 bushels; Fort Smith, 10*000 bushels; Greenwood, 15,000 bushels.

r>Ibid., p. 42, November 29, 1862.

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Page 4: State Aid for Indigent Soldiers and Their Families in Arkansas, 1861-1865

STATE AID FOR INDIGENT SOLDIERS r^

chase of fifty thousand bushels of corn were still insuffi- cient to meet the needs of the indigent persons throughout Arkansas. These measures had been designed primarily to assist these families residing in the western portions of the state, but more general relief was needed than these laws had provided. To make additional funds available for relief purposes, the General Assembly passed an act on November 29, 1862. This act provided that the money accruing to the internal improvement fund of certain desig- nated counties could be used for relief purposes.6 The law empowered the county judges of the several counties to ap- point a person in each township who would be entrusted with the task of preparing lists of indigent families in his area. These lists were then to be forwarded to the county judge, who in turn would appropriate the available funds, basing such distribution to each family on its size and need. The act of March 1862, provided only for distribu- tion to the families of volunteers in active service, but this act substantially increased the number of persons eligible. Not only the families of volunteers were eligible, but those of conscripts could also apply for assistance. Families of dead or disabled volunteers or conscripts were also to be helped. As in the earlier act, temporary script could be issued by the county courts redeemable by the internal improvement commissioners.7

These acts still entrusted the entire problem of caring for indigent families of soldiers to the county agents, and to the limited resources of county funds. Both the special levies and the money from the internal improvement funds were inadequate to meet the urgent need for aid.

In December 1862, the General Assembly supplemented local assistance by state aid. The county courts were again ordered to prepare lists of all those needy families of sol- diers in service, and of those who had been killed or wounded. The term "family" was given the broadest possible interpre- tation. All families were declared worthy of state assistance

eThe counties were: Independence, Van Buren, Yell, Poinsett, Carroll, Co- lumbia, Pike, Polk, White, Pope, Newton, Searcy, Marion, Fulton, Calhoun, Cross, Johnson, Montgomery, Prairie, Perry, Randolph, Benton, Madison, St. Francis.

7 Acts of the General Assembly, 14 Session, pp. 80-81.

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100 ARKANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

which had absent in service, disabled, or dead, a father, husband, brother, or son who had previously been the male head and support, and in which there were no male mem- bers capable of assuming this duty.

When these lists were prepared the clerk of courts was to send a copy to the governor. To avoid errors or fraud the county judges were empowered to make periodic re- visions of the list.

The governor was to issue orders to the auditor to issue his warrant on the treasurer for amounts sufficient to meet the requirements of fulfilling the act. The treasurer was to deliver to the clerk of the county court or other designated agents the treasury warrants due. The intent of the bill was to provide five dollars a month to each fam- ily coming under its provisions. For this purpose the sum of $1,200,000 was appropriated out of the treasury.8

Unlike many states which authorized the payment of variable sums depending on the size and need of the family the Arkansas General Assembly provided for a standard amount to each. This five dollar monthly grant was in- sufficient to provide for the care of these people, and it was not the legislators' intention that the state appropriation should replace funds collected locally. It was regarded merely as a supplementary contribution, and the bulk of the assistance was still to be provided through local means. Many states provided either for cash payments or for those in kind, to be left to the discretion of the local agents. In Arkansas no such option was available; payment was in cash. The appropriation was for a two year period.

It was not until October 1864, that the General As- sembly found it necessary to enact further legislation for the care of soldiers' families. One of the articles needed most desperately by the people of the Confederacy was salt, and considerable state and national effort was directed toward its procurement.9 In 1864, another act assigned $200,000 out of the previous appropriation for the purchase of salt which was to be distributed among the soldiers' families

•Ibid., pp. 75-79, December 1, 1862. •Ella Lonn, Salt as a Factor in the Confederacy (New York, 1933). This is

the most comprehensive treatment of this important subject.

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Page 6: State Aid for Indigent Soldiers and Their Families in Arkansas, 1861-1865

STATE AID FOR INDIGENT SOLDIERS ^QJ

by county agents.10 The principle of having the state supply aid in kind made its first appearance.

At the same time the legislature appropriated an addi- tional $1,000,000 for the purchase. of cotton and wool cards,, medicines, drugs, and paper. All but the; last item were -to be distributed among the indigent families. of. soldiers. The governor was given the option of using some of this money to purchase machinery to manufacture these items. By Oc- tober 1864, machinery was unobtainable at any price, and there was serious competition among the states to pur- chase the dwindling supplies of cards, drugs, and medicines.11 Undoubtedly little of the appropriation could be used for its designated purpose.

Local and state appropriations did not solve the prob- lem. Dishonesty on the part of officials and fraudulent claims by many families not really in need unquestionably siphoned off much money, but this was not the real trouble. There was just not enough goods to go around. Large quantities of the available supplies were taken by the Confederate agents collecting the tax in kind.12 There was not enough to meet both the national and state needs, and the agents of the former took the disproportionate share. When more money was appropriated by the legislature, prices soared higher; this merely made the problem more acute. Goods fell into the hands of speculators, and some states were forced ultimately to resort to requisitions and impressment. This was not done in Arkansas, although the situation was critical.

In Arkansas the General Assembly had appropriated a total of $2,200,000 for providing aid in cash or kind to the indigent families of soldiers. An additional $62,000 had been appropriated to purchase corn for all needy fami- lies, but unquestionably most of it went to soldiers' fami- lies. Most of the actual care, however, was entrusted to local agents and local resources. These agents were em- powered to offer assistance in cash or kind. The state

10Acts of the General Assembly, Called Session, September 22-October 2, 1864, pp. 20-21, October 1, 1864.

^Ibid., pp. 18-19, October 1, 1864. iaThe tax in kind is described in John Schwab, The Confederate States of

Antrim (New York, 1904), pp. 292-93, 298-99, 301-302.

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Page 7: State Aid for Indigent Soldiers and Their Families in Arkansas, 1861-1865

JQ2 ARKANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

government eventually supplemented local grants by a flat monthly contribution of five dollars per family regardless of size. It was not until late in the war that these state grants in currency were supplemented by grants of salt, medicine, and drugs. The earlier corn dole could not be considered a true relief measure, since most of the re- cipients were expected to pay.

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