Virginia at War, 1861 by William C. Davies, James I. Robertson Jr. (Editor)

Although nine of the former British colonies joined the United States before Virginia, the fate of the new republic depended heavily on the Commonwealth. With four of the first five American presidents, and many other founding fathers and framers of the Constitution, calling Virginia their home, the roots of American democracy are firmly planted within the borders of the Old Dominion. Similarly, several Southern states preceded Virginia in seceding from the Union, but until Virginia joined them in April 1861, the Confederacy lacked cohesion. Richmond was immediately named the capital of the fledgling nation, and by the end of spring, Virginia had become the primary political and military theater in which the grand tragedy of the Civil War was enacted. Virginia at War, 1861, edited by acclaimed historians William C. Davis and James I. Robertson Jr., vividly portrays the process of secession, the early phases of conflict, and the struggles of Virginians to weather the brutal storms of war. Virginia at War, 1861 is the first in a series of volumes on each of Virginia's five years as a Confederate state. Essays by eight noted Civil War scholars provide a three-dimensional view of Virginians' experiences during the first year of the War Between the States. In addition to recounting the remarkable military events taking place in Virginia in 1861, this collection examines a civilian population braced for war but divided on crucial questions, an economy pressed to cope with the demands of combat, and a culture that strained to reconcile its proud heritage with its uncertain future. In 1861, the outcome of the Civil War was far from determined, but for Virginians there was little doubt that the war experience would alter nearly everything they had known before the outbreak of hostilities. In exacting detail, Virginia at War, 1861 examines the earliest challenges of the Civil War, the changes war wrought, and the ways in which Virginians withstood and adapted to this profound, irrevocable upheaval. n nEditorial Reviews n nReview nGoes beyond traditional military history, offering fresh perspective on the initial changes that confronted the state's civilian population. . . . Lucid, insightful, and well-researched.?North Carolina Historical Review n nThis fine work belongs on the bookshelves of every knowledgeable student of the war, right next to the first volume in this excellent series.?The Free Lance-Star n nThis book is highly recommended to those interested in various aspects of Virginia in the Civil War during 1861.?www.curledup.com n nUnquestionably a valuable contribution to Civil War scholarship. More than a background story, Virginia at War, 1861, is the compelling story of a people at war.?James M. Prichard, On Point n nThis collection of essays surveys a myriad of aspects of how the Civil War in Virginia affected its inhabitants.?History Wire n nHer diary entries close this enlightening examination of the effects of total war on a society.?Roanoke Public Library Foundation n nThis book covers some interesting areas of lesser-known history of life in Virginia during the Civil War.?Curled Up.com n n[The essays] connect common threads that reveal a state in turmoil, simultaneously undergoing important social changes that would extend far beyond the war. . . . challenge the privileged position of battle accounts, suggesting that am much more complicated and seminal experience took place.?LSU Libraries' Special Collections n nAs in previous volumes in this series, editors William C. Davis and James I. Robertson, Jr. have brought together what is definitely an interesting group of essays.?Blue & Gray Magazine n n[This is] a collection of strong essays that confirm established wisdom about the Old Dominion's wartime experience and [provide] a composite view of the challenges the state faced as it entered the conflict's final year.?Civil War History n nWilliam C. Davis and James I. Robertson, staples of Civil War publications, created a series of anthologies to examine Virginia in every year of the conflict. Their latest volume covers the events and aspects of the Old Dominion in 1863, the defining year?militarily and socially?of the war. The contributors, a blend of established authors and young historians, examine many aspects of the war with the focus clearly on social aspects of the home front. ? Louisiana History n nA well-rounded volume that will interest anyone wanting to know more about Virginia, both at home and at the front, during the war's final year.?Virginia Magazine of History and Biography n nRobertson's accompanying notes once more give context to the entries, making them more accessible to scholars and lay readers alike. Virginia at War has something for everyone, and students of the American Civil War shoud find time to digest not only this volume, but also the other books in the series. ? The Journal of American History?Jason M. Frawley, The Journal of American History n nThe insight into the minds of Virginians in 1865 is invaluable, as are the rest of this book's contents.?The Historian n nAbout the Author nWilliam C. Davis is director of programs at the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies. He is the author or editor of more than fifty books, including The Pirates Laffite: The Treacherous World of the Corsairs of the Gulf. He was also the chief consultant for The History Channel's Civil War Journal and is professor of history at Virginia Tech. n nJames I. Robertson Jr. is Alumni Distinguished Professor of History at Virginia Tech. He is the author or editor of more than two dozen books, including the award-winning Stonewall Jackson: The Man, the Soldier, the Legend. He was the chief historical consultant for the movie Gods and Generals.