A study of the social, political, and military history of the Confederacy, looking at how the morale of the people and the army affected the outcome of the war, analyzing the operation of the Confederate government, and delineating the changes which occurred in the society of the Old South under the impact of the war.

Gathered "behind the scenes in Richmond." Containing curious and extraordinary information of the principal southern characters in the late war, in connection with President Davis, and in relation to the various intrigues of his administration.

"This volume is a study of the efforts of the Confederate authorities ... to secure foreign recognition and support. It considers also the forces which controlled the European powers and defeated the attempt to divide the American Union ... It attempts to give a careful and purely historical presentation of the theories, purposes, policies, diplomatic efforts, and difficulties of the Secessionists ... It traces the inner working of the diplomatic machine during the many variations of the military and political situation, closely observes the attitude, motives, and policy of the great nations with whom the Confederate agents sought to negotiate, and throws light upon international questions arising between the United States and foreign powers"--Pref.

REBEL YELL: History of the Confederacy, Memoirs and Biographies of the Confederate Leaders & Official Documents encompasses a profound and eclectic mix of perspectives, shedding light on the Confederate States of America through a compendium of memoirs, biographies, and seminal documents. This anthology harmoniously blends varying literary styles, from the eloquent and reflective memoirs of generals to the meticulously curated official records, providing an unparalleled insight into the complexities and nuances of the Civil War era. With contributions that range from the strategic musings of Robert E. Lee to the impassioned narratives of John Esten Cooke, the collection offers a unique lens through which the history and ideology of the Confederacy are explored, marking it a significant compilation in Civil War literature. The authors and editors, each a notable figure of the Confederate cause or its chronicling, bring a rich tapestry of backgrounds to the collection. Their writings not only reflect their personal experiences and roles within the Confederacy but also situate the collection within broader historical, cultural, and literary movements. The diversity of the contributors, from high-ranking officials like Jefferson Davis to foreign observers such as Heros von Borcke, adds a broad spectrum of viewpoints, enriching the readers understanding of the Confederate ethos and the civil strife that marked this tumultuous period in American history. REBEL YELL is a must-read for scholars, history enthusiasts, and anyone interested in exploring the multi-faceted narratives of the Civil War from the Confederate perspective. The anthology offers a unique opportunity to delve into the minds and experiences of those who shaped and were shaped by the Confederacy, providing a comprehensive and illuminating exploration of a pivotal era. Its educational value, coupled with the breadth of insights and the dialogue it fosters between the different authors' works, makes it an invaluable resource for understanding the complexities of American history.

When Jefferson Davis became president of the Confederacy, his wife, Varina Howell Davis, reluctantly became the First Lady. For this highly intelligent, acutely observant woman, loyalty did not come easily: she spent long years struggling to reconcile her societal duties to her personal beliefs. Raised in Mississippi but educated in Philadelphia, and a long-time resident of Washington, D.C., Mrs. Davis never felt at ease in Richmond. During the war she nursed Union prisoners and secretly corresponded with friends in the North. Though she publicly supported the South, her term as First Lady was plagued by rumors of her disaffection. After the war, Varina Davis endured financial woes and the loss of several children, but following her husband's death in 1889, she moved to New York and began a career in journalism. Here she advocated reconciliation between the North and South and became friends with Julia Grant, the widow of Ulysses S. Grant. She shocked many by declaring in a newspaper that it was God's will that the North won the war. A century after Varina Davis's death in 1906, Joan E. Cashin has written a masterly work, the first definitive biography of this truly modern, but deeply conflicted, woman. Pro-slavery but also pro-Union, Varina Davis was inhibited by her role as Confederate First Lady and unable to reveal her true convictions. In this pathbreaking book, Cashin offers a splendid portrait of a fascinating woman who struggled with the constraints of her time and place.

The Confederate armies included in their ranks a remarkable range of nationalities--among them Germans, Irish, Italians, French, Poles, Mexicans, Cubans, Hungarians, Russians, Swedes, Danes, and Chinese. Covering the complete story of the activities of th

In this groundbreaking study, Barton A. Myers analyzes the secret world of hundreds of white and black Southern Unionists as they struggled for survival in a new Confederate world, resisted the imposition of Confederate military and civil authority, began a diffuse underground movement to destroy the Confederacy, joined the United States Army as soldiers, and waged a series of violent guerrilla battles at the local level against other Southerners. Myers also details the work of Confederates as they struggled to build a new nation at the local level and maintain control over manpower, labor, agricultural, and financial resources, which Southern Unionists possessed. The story is not solely one of triumph over adversity but also one of persecution and, ultimately, erasure of these dissidents by the postwar South's Lost Cause mythologizers.