<P> The supply situation for most Confederate armies was dismal, even when they were victorious on the battlefield . The central government was short of money so each state government had to supply its own regiments . The lack of central authority and the ineffective railroads, combined with the frequent unwillingness or inability of Southern state governments to provide adequate funding, were key factors in the Confederate army's demise . The Confederacy early on lost control of most of its major river and ocean ports to capture or blockade . The road system was poor, and it relied more and more on a heavily overburdened railroad system . Union forces destroyed track, engines, cars, bridges and telegraph lines as often as possible, knowing that new equipment was unavailable to the Confederacy . Occasional raids into the North were designed to bring back money and supplies . In 1864, the Confederates burned down Chambersburg, a Pennsylvania city they had raided twice in the years before, due to its failure to pay an extortion demand . </P> <P> As a result of severe supply problems, as well as the lack of textile factories in the Confederacy and the successful Union naval blockade of Southern ports, the typical Confederate soldier was rarely able to wear the standard regulation uniform, particularly as the war progressed . While on the march or in parade formation, Confederate armies often displayed a wide array of dress, ranging from faded, patched - together regulation uniforms; rough, homespun uniforms colored with homemade dyes such as butternut (a yellow - brown color), and even soldiers in a hodgepodge of civilian clothing . After a successful battle, it was not unusual for victorious Confederate troops to procure Union Army uniform parts from captured supplies and dead Union soldiers; this would occasionally cause confusion in later battles and skirmishes . </P> <P> Individual states were expected to supply their soldiers, which practice led to lack of uniformity . Some states (such as North Carolina) were able to better supply their soldiers, while other states (such as Texas) were unable for various reasons to adequately supply their troops as the war continued . </P> <P> Furthermore, each state often had its own uniform regulations and insignia, which meant that the "standard" Confederate uniform often featured a variety of differences based on the state the soldier came from . For example, uniforms for North Carolina regiments often featured a colored strip of cloth on their shoulders to designate what part of the service the soldier was in . Confederate soldiers also frequently suffered from inadequate supplies of shoes, tents, and other gear, and would be forced to innovate and make do with whatever they could scrounge from the local countryside . While Confederate officers were generally better - supplied and were normally able to wear a regulation officer's uniform, they often chose to share other hardships--such as the lack of adequate food--with their troops . </P>

What was the nickname for the confederate troops