What I would want is...I would have them up hold the Constitution as they fought for. To allow a state be a state and not be ruled by military despotism. They won the war, the South surrendered, now send your troops home and rebuild what you destroyed.

Japan after World War II was treated better. Its occupation only lasted from 1945 to 1952 and it was given economic boost to make it part of the main stream world economy. The United States rebuilt Japan. They even were allowed to keep their leader!

The South was occupied (after the war was declared over) from 1866-1877, the land and natural resources was stripped, the economy destroyed, they tried to even brain-wash the children and eliminate the Southern culture with imported New England teachers.

International law could have come into play with sactions, and other non-violent means. Europe declared the war as between two legal belligerants governments under the Declaration of Paris 1856. They may not have like seeing large scale attrocities committed on a conquered nation. The first humanitarian conferences on the conduct of war were being held in Europe starting in 1863. The first adoptions of the Law of War, so I'm sure the United States was worried about how they would be seen by the world.

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David Upton