\begin{tabular}{l} cow [and] are able to have butter. \\ February 22, 1865 \\ Yesterday afternoon we walked all over the town. . . . I meant last night to \\ write down some description of what I had seen, but was too wretchedly \\ depressed and miserable to even think of it. . . It is even worse than I \\ thought. The place is literally in ruins. The entire heart of the city is in ashes- \\ only the outer edges remain. \\ wretchedly: horribly \\ If LeConte's experience was similar to other Confederate civilians, which of the following \\ conclusions is supported by these diary entries? \\ The war made life harder for most Southern civilians. \\ Most Southern civilians wanted the Union army to win the war. \\ Most Southern civilians were better off than LeConte's family. \\ The war increased the wealth of most Southern civilians. \\ \hline\end{tabular}

LeConte’s diary entries highlight the devastation faced by many Southern civilians during the Civil War, painting a grim picture of destruction and despair. Date-stamped February 22, 1865, they resonate with the experience of countless families enduring hardship. As cities lay in ruins and the once-thriving heart of towns turned to ashes, it becomes evident that the conflict took a severe toll on ordinary life—not unlike other accounts from this tumultuous period. Many historians assert that the Civil War disproportionately impacted Southern civilians, causing not only physical destruction but also emotional and social upheaval. Urban areas transformed into battlefields left countless people struggling with loss and poverty, emphasizing that the realities of war often lead to shared pain among those who are not directly fighting, making the conclusion that life became harder for most Southern civilians well-supported by such narratives.