Private D.H. Farr to Lubbock, April 14, 1862

Life in Texas grew very difficult as the Civil War continued. Some Confederate supporters formed militia groups that were little more than lynch mobs, rounding up those suspected of Union sympathies and terrorizing or murdering them. There were shortages of ordinary goods, such as salt, coffee, medicine, shoes, paper, farm implements, and clothing; Governor Lubbock himself was inaugurated in a homespun suit. The beginnings of forced conscription (the draft) meant that men were sent to the war front, leaving women and children to run the farms. The transportation system broke down, as railroad tracks were torn up and roads and bridges fell into disrepair.

This letter from a soldier is typical of the letters from ordinary citizens that can be found in the correspondence of Governor Lubbock.

"War, Ruin, and Reconstruction"

Governor Lubbock Dear sir Owing to the failure of crops and scarcity of money on the frontier I take this oppor tunity of addressing you a few lines requesting a favour at your hands for my self and others that is to give us an order to our quarter master for breadstuff for our famileys I see no reason why the state cannot pay us in breadstuff as well as money if we had the money we cood not leave camps to go off and procure bread stuff consiquently I hope you will prov ide some means of subsistence for our famileys our famileys as well as our selves need cloathing verry much and without some assistance from the state we are obliged to suffer please let me hear from you immediately yours with respect August 14 1862 D.H. Farr, pri, Capt H. Davises company

"War, Ruin, and Reconstruction"

Private D.H. Farr to Lubbock, April 14, 1862, Records of Francis Richard Lubbock, Texas Office of the Governor, Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.