The Cambridge History of the American Civil War: Volume 2, Affairs of the State

Explores the political and social dimensions of the Civil War in both the North and South.

Aaron Sheehan-Dean (Edited by)

9781316608043, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 17 November 2022

0 pages, 1 b/w illus.
23 x 15.2 x 3.2 cm, 0.85 kg

This volume explores the political and social dimensions of the Civil War in both the North and South. Millions of Americans lived outside the major campaign zones so they experienced secondary exposure to military events through newspaper reporting and letters home from soldiers. Governors and Congressmen assumed a major role in steering the personnel decisions, strategic planning, and methods of fighting, but regular people also played roles in direct military action, as guerrilla fighters, as nurses and doctors, and as military contractors. Chapters investigate a variety of aspects of military leadership and management, including coverage of technology, discipline, finance, the environment, and health and medicine. Chapters also consider the political administration of the war, examining how antebellum disputes over issues such as emancipation and the draft resulted in a shift of partisan dynamics and the ways that people of all stripes took advantage of the flux of war to advance their own interests.

Part I. Causes: 1. The Antebellum war over slavery Stanley Harrold
2. The election of 1860 Michael Green
3. Secession and disunion Michael E. Woods
Part II. Managing the War: 4. Strategy, operations, and tactics Donald Stoker and Mark Elam
5. Union military leadership Ethan S. Rafuse
6. Confederate military leadership Steven Woodworth
7. Technology and war Andrew S. Bledsoe
8. Armies and discipline Lesley J. Gordon
9. Financing the war David K. Thomson
10. Guerrilla wars Barton A. Myers
11. Occupation Joan E. Cashin
12. Atrocities, retribution, and laws D. H. Dilbeck
13. Environmental war Lisa M. Brady
14. Civil war health and medicine Shauna Devine
15. Prisoners of war Lorien Foote
Part III. The Global War: 16. The Civil War in the Americas Andre M. Fleche
17. The Civil War in Europe Brian Schoen
Part IV. Politics: 18. Radicals and Republicans J. Matthew Gallman
19. Northern Democrats Adam I. P. Smith
20. Confederate politics Paul D. Escott
21. Lincoln and the war Jonathan W. White
22. Peace and dissent in the North Jennifer L. Weber
23. African American political activism Stephen Kantrowitz
24. Davis and the War John M. Sacher
25. Peace and dissent in the South David Brown.

Subject Areas: American Civil War [HBWJ], Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], History of the Americas [HBJK]