At the onset on the war, in 1861 and 1862, they stood as relatively equal combatants. The Confederates had the advantage of being able to wage a defensive war, rather than an offensive one. They had to protect and preserve their new boundaries, but they did not have to be the aggressors against the Union.
The Efe (hunter-gatherers from Congo) settle their disputes by long discussions, where they can settle on a solution. If that doesn't happen, then they can change their hunting group.
