Besides the more than thirty thousand men who were absentees northward--nearly all of whom had enlisted in the Federal army--and the unknown number who had been sent to the Southern prisons, some thousands were in the Confederate army. So that probably more than one-eighth of the entire population were withdrawn from all peaceful labor and chiefly from tilling the soil. As long before as 1861 and ’62, the earth had very scantily yielded its fruits, because little work had been done in cultivating it. Even that little had been performed in the midst of excitements, agitations and disturbances, and was therefore defective in quality. Many Confederate soldiers had been quartered here and there throughout East Tennessee, or were in active movement over it from point to point. They had to be fed, and being imperfectly disciplined, they wasted much even of that they bought of their friends, and still more of that they took from Union people. The provisions and provender they ruthlessly seized, might be transported by them elsewhere or be wantonly destroyed on the spot. In the proclamation by Kirby Smith, April, 1862, was a clause following the invitation to Union refugees, which testifies of his good intentions to correct disorders committed by his own troops. In doing this, it bears witness also to their wrong doings and the need there was of protection from them being assured to all citizens. He said: “The Major General commanding, furthermore declares his determination henceforth to employ all the elements at his disposal for the protection of the lives and property of the citizens of East Tennessee, whether from the incursions of the enemy, or the irregularities of his own troops.” The depleting causes continued during the year 1863. One who had good opportunity to be informed on the subject says, that in the summer of that year; “East Tennessee was full of parties marching and countermarching, skirmishing and battling, ravaging and devastating the whole country, which was far distant from reliable bases of supply. The young laboring men were in the armies; and what was left of the people’s substance being wasted, the prevailing want pressed upon the brink of starvation and was brought to the homes of thousands who had never known hunger before. The present and prospective victims of the extreme destitution were women and children, old men and invalids.” When autumn came, to be followed by winter, the outlook was ominous and distressing. Was there any way possible of mitigating the growing calamity? If so, how and from whence could help be had?