 South Carolina was a source of troops for the Confederate army, and as the war progressed, also for the Union, as thousands of ex-slaves flocked to join the Union (the state had more slaves than freemen at the war's outset).The state also provided uniforms, textiles, food, and war material, as well as trained soldiers and leaders from The Citadel and other military schools.In contrast to most other Confederate states, South Carolina had a well-developed rail network linking all of its major cities without a break of gauge.