Customer Reviews

After Secession: Jefferson Davis and the Failure of Confederate Nationalism

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Paul D. Escott shines a light on the President of the Confederacy and reveils new information about why the Civil War ended in the maner in which it did. Escott focuses on the attempts to strengthen Confederate Nationalism, particularly focusing on the efforts of Jefferson Davis. Davis' characteristics and attitudes are respectful analized by Escott to determine how they affected the survival of the Confederate States of America. Escott also looks at Davis' attitudes towards his generals and cabinet members, compairing them to that of Abraham Lincoln. This book particularly appeals to those that enjoy the Civil War, but is also enjoyable to those that would just like to know more about this aspect of American history.

Paul D. Escott's well researched book refutes its own thesis--that Jefferson Davis was largely responsible for the failure of the Confederacy to coalesce into unified country. What one ultimately realizes is that Escott wanted to blame Davis and disregarded what his own evidence told him, that governors such as Thomas Cobb of Georgia were actively undermining the Confederacy in an attempt to increase their own power over their states.

I give the book three stars because it is an excellent resource; anyone seeking a book from which to begin a literature search would be well served to start here. The book gets no higher ranking because of the weakness of his thesis in light of the evidence presented in this book. Indeed, rewriting the first chapter to blame the governors and unwilling citizens of the Confederacy would automatically earn the book five stars.