After the Civil War and Union general William T. Sherman's March to the Sea, the Southern States were in ruin, both physically and economically. Much of the South's property and wealth laid as a smoking pile of ash and after the Civil War was over with and the South re-joined the Union, they needed to rebuild. The Reconstruction of the South dealt with helping its economy grow and helping it rebuild and recover from the destruction of the war, as well as aiding freed slaves. Reconstruction began officially with the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, and ended with the Compromise of 1877.