What were Peyton Farquhar's struggles?

First, Peyton Farquhar struggles to support the South in war in which they are losing.  He was "an original secessionist" and "ardently devoted to the Southern cause," meaning that he very much wanted the Confederacy to separate from the Union and would do anything to support this effort.  He feels bound, absolutely, to do whatever is possible to aid the South, and this is a struggle because the South is losing, a fact we know...

First, Peyton Farquhar struggles to support the South in war in which they are losing.  He was "an original secessionist" and "ardently devoted to the Southern cause," meaning that he very much wanted the Confederacy to separate from the Union and would do anything to support this effort.  He feels bound, absolutely, to do whatever is possible to aid the South, and this is a struggle because the South is losing, a fact we know because the Union army has seized control of the railroads and communication lines.

Second, Farquhar struggles to accept his own fate.  He considers attempting to "'free [his] hands'" and "'throw off the noose and spring into the stream'" so that he can swim to shore and try to make his way home.  He does not want to die, and his thoughts turn to his home which is still "outside [enemy] lines" and his wife and children who are safe, for now.  It is this struggle, to accept his impending death, that prompts his mind to begin to race so that he perceives time as slowing down.