Charles there were tens of thousands of victims like your grandpa who under an occupying Army and/or harsh Federal laws had to do what they had to do to survive.

Remember that was the ends to justify the means for the North to take over (invade) the most prosperous region of the Nation and starve everyone out until they either gave into the "man" and took up jobs that perhaps their former slaves had or left for greener pastures.

My Mother and her entire family including 4 sisters were in the cotton fields or some field before and after school for their entire childhood/teenage years and this was in the 1920’s-40’s. The real Southern culture/heritage side of this little story is that most of them either remained in or returned to the very same places that they struggled, starved and died during their childhood/early adulthood to live out their lives to this day so the Yankees in some ways really did not win.

Personally I would have most likely got the heck out of dodge at the first opportunity but now that I am retired myself I too want to return to my roots in Dixie.