I've been interested in how the Confederates and their families were treated after the War. Margaret Hays returned to Jackison Co. in 1865 to find her husband's farm in the possession of his brother, Samuel Hays. She never got it back. She does make some remarks about having very high taxes on her small 'Dower' land farm and some land Upton Hays had in St. Charles Co., MO.

Margaret's cousin, Jim Berry of Callaway Co., MO served with the 12th MO Cav. and Quantrill. After the war he joined the outlaw Sam Bass' band - his wife and children lived at Mexico, Audrain Co., MO. In 1877 he returned to his family and was killed in a shoot-out with Sheriff Walter Glasscock in Callaway Co., MO.

Margaret's 'nephew', Warrington Dickerson of Howard Co., MO served with Poindexter's Regiment. He was captured and sent to Alton Prison. When he returned to the family farm near Fayette where he was harassed by the soldiers stationed there. See Letter 65 for an exciting description of what happened. He joined Doziers' Boone County VMM in May of 1865 but served for only 3 days. He became a farmer and in 1900 was a Justice of the Peace in Perche, Howard Co. His brother John also served with Poindexter and Quantrill, was imprisoned at Alton. He later was the City Marshall of Fayette.

Most of the Confederate Soldiers mentioned or related to the Letter's families returned home to their families in Missouri and regained some degree of prosperity. By the 1870's many migrated west and south but more stayed in Missouri where their descendants still live.