Conclusion

By examining the Unionist and Confederate ideologies, extensively through the eyes of James Rumley under occupation in eastern North Carolina, it can be argued that people were more opportunistic than anything else. The business the Union army broke was too lucrative for a lot of people, so they willingly took the Oath of Allegiance. Even James Rumley, a man whose writing paints a vivid picture of an unbelievably loyal Confederate mind even succumbed to taking the oath to ensure the protection of his rights and assets.  The way in which the opinions expressed by the populace in the region continue to change throughout the occupation suggest that they were not necessarily concrete in any ideology but one that would not only maintain their personal protection, but ensure the social and cultural norms that they were accustomed too. The Emancipation Proclamation drew such heavy criticism from the locals, regardless of Unionist or Confederate ideologies, because it pushed the norm. By pushing the norm however, the advancement for former slaves could start to progress. Due to the standing army, along with the fertile environment for Benevolence societies, the occupation provided a fruitful atmosphere for African American education.