Customer Reviews

The Cause Lost: Myths and Realities of the Confederacy (Modern War Studies)

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William C. (Jack) Davis is a prolific author on the Civil War whose books (and talks) are both extremely well-researched and entertaining. He would be on anyone's short list of the best Civil War historians, and is the History Book Club's reviewer for new Civil War books. His books specialize on the Confederate side of the recent unpleasantness between the states. Like his other books, this one is well worth reading for his illuminating insight into topics such as the relationship of Jefferson Davis to his generals, especially Lee, Johnston, Beauregard, Jackson, and Breckinridge; the Confederate secret service and the 1864 U.S. presidential election; and the reasons behind the development of the post-Confederate philosophy known as the Lost Cause. Only one chapter deals with the lost cause--for a detailed book on the lost cause, read Gary Gallagher and Alan Nolan's "The Myth of the Lost Cause and Civil War History." But Davis's Cause Lost is a must read for anyone interested in the Civil War.

Mr. Davis writes for popular history in that he does not go too deep into any single issue but that he does reduce issues to the point that most readers can understand them. In this book he takes on several of the most enduring "histories" of The Lost Cause of the Southern view of the Civil War and for the most part effectively refutes them. He has done popular history a service by entering into this particular fray.

Most Americans recall of the Civil War revolves around what can loosely be called history, much of which is either partiallly or deeply wrong. Not all states for instance that left the US did so explictly mentioning slavery, here Alabama comes to mind (the majority of the CS did name it the first or chief reason for secession). The Lincoln pre war tax impost was a reason but outside of SC is seldom mentioned in any other state paper and at best is a minor reason or excuse for the war that resulted. Slavery and Federal interference (or threat of interference) with it, constituted the chief reason for secession. Of course the majority of Southern men fought to defend their homes, one can argue here poor men were manipulated into fighting for the rich slave holders if you take the view of poor always fighting rich men's fights.
However, this and the failure of the CSA government, other then the military, to acomplish much in the course of the War is today only now being noticed or studied.

Reading several of the previous reviewers it is obvious that no amount of scholarship will change their minds regarding the War, its causes, or lasting effects. Here is proof positive of Mr. Davis' points regarding The Lost Cause; yes history was rewritten, but by the losers. From the effects of various battles, the disregard in many Southern partisans' minds for the Western theater, hatred for those who after the War decided they were Americans again (Longstreet for instance), reasons why War came about, and coming up with reasons why the South lost all have been so colored by revisionists that non-Americans often wonder if the South had really won but allowed the North to think otherwise...

There are many books coming out now on the Southern homefront now that are direct contradictions to this revised version of history. The South was never monolithic in white opinion (look at CSA desertion rates, voting records on secession, & Unionist activity behind Southern lines) nor was it a simple all blacks being pro-Union but there were no New York or black Confederate units either. This history is complex enough that the simplistic Lost Cause version is slowly being crushed, the fusion of whats left will doubtless be closer to the truth.

This book should be read by anyone wishing to learn all they can about the "War Between the States" in 204 pages. Davis is very readable as usual as an author with a southern tint. I especially loved the chapter on "Stonewall". Davis ties the chapters together at the end with a modern day perspective on the late war. As a dedicated reader of this period of American history, I would surely add this to my collection.

Davis is no neo-Confederate, but he's no South-basher either. In this book he distinguishes sharply between the cause of secession and the reason why men took up arms.

YES! slavery *was* the cause of secession. Just read the declarations of each state!

But Davis states emphatically the men who took up arms (90% of whom did not own slaves according to Davis) did not fight to preserve slavery but out of defense of their homes.

Want more? How about the numerous petitions to Jeff Davis from slaves and free blacks to fight for the Confederacy which he mentions and deals with at length in his book on the Davis Adminstration. Would a "south-hater" mention that!?!

So 90% of the confederate troops, actually *opposed* slavery? Show me *one* letter from *one* confederate soldier saying slavery was evil and ought to be abolished immediately!

You think people couldn't be bamboozled into fighting for Bill Gates? HA! Poor people fighting and dying in wars started by the rich is a large part of human history! WAKE UP!

For those who can get beyond this, they will stand to gain much from this book. Davis is a wonderful writer. Blissfully non-Academic. His essay on Breckinridge was a revelation and his essay on the election of 1864 was a challenge to *my* preconceptions.

Anyone who wants to understand the Civil War better should read this book. Anyone who wants to cling to myths of "moonlight and magnolias" should look elsewhere.

William C. Davis is a fine historian of the Civil War who has written a number of excellent and lengthy books on the subject. But, as this collection of essays shows, Davis is not a strong essayist despite some valiant efforts. There are some excellent essays here; namely a critical but sympathetic look at Jefferson Davis and another sketch covering Jefferson Davis and his troubled relations with P.G.T Beauregard and Joseph E. Johnston that ranks as one of the funniest pieces I have ever read on the war. But there are also some very weak entries including rushed looks at the various sieges of Charleston and the Trans-Mississippi region. There is also a look at film interpretations of the war which was entertaining. There is also a serious ethical breech from the historian. William C. Davis takes a number of shots at the Ken Burns production of the Civil War and praises A&E's "Civil War Journal." Alright. But William C. Davis consulted for "Civil War Journal" and appeared on it numerous times. Somehow he does not mention that in the essay. Sure it's a minor point but that's a conflict of interest and you would think Davis could have mentioned it. Davis is, as always, a readable writer but this collection of essays was not his finest effort.

William C. Davis, famous and rather prolific Civil War historians, faces the myths that constitute the Lost Cause doctrine and destroys a lot of them.
The book is a collection of articles published previously on several reviews: they analize the relationships between Jefferson Davis and his generals, the forgotten fronts of war (South Carolina, Trans-Mississippi), and -last but not least- the southern attempts to find explanations to the defeat.
The second half of the book is the better. The chapters devoted to the "forgotten fronts" are pheraphs too short and generic.
However a very intriguing book.

I found the book refreshing. Especialy the chapter titled "Myths and Realities of the Confederacy." (Part Four #11) That section realy pulled together a lot of truths to combat the myths that have been foisted on the public by Southern writers since the war ended. Defeat is a bitter pill for anyone to swallow and more difficult for the prideful people of the south. To this day many will not admit to it.

Mr. Davis is an accomplished author and historian with whom I do not always agree but with this book he has "hit the nail on the head."

I thought that this was a very good book. I learned so many things that I had never known before about the war. It was a very fact filled, informational book. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the Civil War, and specifically the Confederate Army.

To answer the last reviewer's comments, Yes, Slavery was a part of the reason for sucession, But it was not the whole +reason+. Several reasons brought about the war. One reason was the tarriff that the Northern States favored that was harmful to Southern Farm exports. And yet another reason was the idea of the Fundamental Concept of the Federal Goverment. Lincoln, believed in the Concept of a Strong Centralized Goverment while our Forefathers believed in a limited Goverment. Try reading a copy of the Declaration of Independence. The word united is in lower case letters while States is capitalized. I strongly suggest reading Jefferson's Davis book on the Rise and Fall of the Confederate Goverment. It is far more eye opening into the intent of the Confederate States then a History teacher's opinion. By the way, My Great/Great Grandfather fought not to defend *Slavery* but to defend his home from an armed invasion. He fought for his home plain and simple. Try reading the book "Black Confederates" to explore a little known part of the Civil War.And to answer the question of "Rich man's war, Poor man's fight", that is not always the case. A man is willing to fight and die for the truth, But how many will fight and die for what they know is a lie? A Liberal minded can not understand the strong word "Conviction" but that is why they fought.

Mr. Davis, like most so-called historiens is full of, well you know what!.....Like most of his kind he says that the South was fighting for slavery. This is one of the biggest lies in the nations history. He trys to tell us that over 90% of the men who were in the Confederate army did not own slaves, and this is true, but he does not say the these 90% of the Southern people saw slavery as worng, and that it hurt their livelyhoods. So trying to say that these men fought for slavery is like saying that Mr. Davis and 10 of his friends would give up their lives, their family, everything they own, so that Bill Gates could remain rich. Mr. Davis sould have called this piece of junk "THE CONTINUEING LIE ABOUT THE CONFEDERACY!"