Margaret Mitchell's Gone With The Wind would appear to be a good source to address how White Southern culture retconned the book's subject once Civil War veterans' grandchildren were in charge of popular culture. It also sheds light on OP's question. It goes without saying, though I am saying it anyway, please do not look to this book for actual history.

After a few swings and misses, I finally read it all the way through 5ish years ago. Not a surprise - the word shows up a lot. Somewhat surprising - Scarlet and maybe Melanie Wilkes(?) - 2 patrician women characters - object to the use of that term. It was considered vulgar, maybe akin to the word 'shit' or 'fuck.' It is not an evil thing, but it is a breach of good manners and decorum to use such a word in the 1860's, says the author in a book published in 1936.

OTOH, the narrator's voice uses it occasionally as an adjective or to refer to the rougher elements of the Black community.

Bonus - the book is as racist as it seems, but the author also supported Morehouse College modestly + anonomously at first, but much more later on, and paid for the education of dozens of Black doctors/dentists. After her untimely death, her estate, at her instruction, and some descendants ran with the ball, so history is complicated.