sides initially seemed to welcome the federal troops as a neutral intermediary and a positive force for ending the decades-old conflict between operators and miners. The vast majority of the region's residents were law-abiding and peaceful citizens before, during, and after the arrival of federal troops. The children of Mingo County, especially, found the soldiers on duty in their mining camps a curiosity. At least one local girl, a school teacher, was courted by a soldier on duty in the Matewan area, while another married a federal soldier from Massachusetts. Federal troops provided food, clothing, and shelter to miners made homeless by evictions and shared in celebrations with local citizens on numerous occasions. Miners in return aided troops in moving heavy military vehicles over the muddy and oftenimpassable mountain tracts and otherwise cooperated with the regulars.11

In mid-September 1920, however, the efforts of coal operators to import strikebreakers into the region caused rioting at Williamson. Federal troops were summoned to protect the strikebreakers and their families as they arrived at the Williamson train station, and to escort the new miners to work. The presence of federal troops allowed coal operators to reopen several mines with the use of strikebreakers. Combined with court injunctions obtained by coal operators in September that forbade the UMW from interfering with mine operations, the various strikes in the region gradually weakened. By November 4 violent incidents decreased and Governor Cornwell requested the withdrawal of federal troops.12

Less than four days after the final November withdrawal of the troops, the meager force of