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An Honorable Defeat: The Last Days of the Confederate Government

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One of the aspects about the Civil War that usually goes unnoticed is that it is unlike almost all civil wars in human history. Such conflicts are usually, inter-communal, not sectional and protracted, lasting for decades and leaving behind old grudges to be nursed until fighting resumes. Think Lebanon, Northern Ireland, and the former Yugoslavia and you get the idea. By comparison, the end of the Civil War was quick and final. No wholesale execution of political and military leaders, not even confiscation of property. The issue of secession never seriously raised thereafter. For all the controversy over confederate symbols, we shouldn't wonder why there is so much bitterness over the war, we should wonder why there is so little.

Two books have appeared this year, within one month of one another that address this very aspect: APRIL 1865 by Jay Winik and AN HONORABLE PEACE by William Davis. Winik is a senior scholar at University of Maryland's School of Public Policy and frequent columnist in the Wall Street Journal. This is his first venture into Civil War history. (His previous book ON THE BRINK is a popular account of the end of the cold war.) Davis on the other hand, is program director of the Virginia Center for Civil War studies and a veteran Civil War historian with literally dozens of books on the subject to his credit.

Winik takes a big picture approach and paints with broad strokes on a broad canvas. The picture that emerges is that of disaster overcome with high-mindedness and commitment to the common good on the part of virtually all major participants. To begin with, Winik describes several probable (to him, at least) scenarios with the South continuing the war, chiefly the use of partisans like Mosby's Rangers who could (supposedly) live off the land and harass Federal troops at will. This together with the possibilties of foreign intervention render the Confederacy defeat less than certain, according to Winik. But providentially, Lee, who could not bear the sword against his native state, would not prolong the fight by letting it degenerate into guerilla warfare. Grant, in turn, refuses Lee's sword and let's his men keep their horses. It's almost all too good to be true.

Davis, by contrast, focuses on two individuals, both members of the confederate government: Jefferson Davis, the president, and John C. Breckinridge, his Secretary of War. Davis is uniquely qualified to write this story as the author of the standard biography of Breckinridge (BRECKINRIDGE: STATESMAN, SOLDIER, SYMBOL) and an authoritative biography of Davis (JEFFERSON DAVIS: THE MAN AND HIS HOUR), not to mention the definitive history of the confederate government A GOVERNMENT OF OUR OWN.

Davis, a man of great experience and ability, insisted on micro-managing the war, would listen only to yes men, and was scuttled all talk of peace negotiations unless independence was accepted. With the evacuation from Richmond, his grip on the government (and indeed with reality) begins to slip. Overwhelmed by circumstances he issues proclamations to continue the fight that don't get outside of Danville VA. He calls meetings of cabinet officials, but when gathered has nothing to tell them. The similarity with Hitler in the bunker is striking.

All the while power shifts to Breckinridge, made Secretary of War less than four months prior. Breckinridge, realizes from the outset that the situation is hopeless, yet he sets about his task of supporting the war effort. Within weeks, Lee says that his men were never so well supplied in months. As events unfold, Breckinridge, takes the initiative (unlike Davis, he's come up with contingency plans), oversees the evacution of Richmond (including the confederate archives, thus putting himself in every Civil War historian's debt), makes contact with Lee when succesive scouts fail to return.

Davis builds a compelling case that Breckinridge was instrumental in Lee's decision to surrender, they had been of one mind as to the hopelessness since January. His overriding concern during his all too brief tenure as Secretary of War was that "this has been a magnificent epic, let it not end in a farce." As a result of his efforts the confederacy surrenders as a defeated, but sovereign nation, not piecemeal like a fail revolt. It mantains a sense of honor.

Unlike Winik, Davis gives little credence to the possibility of continuing the war by adopting guerilla tactics. As Davis points out, no guerrilla effort has ever succeeded without outside help and the confederacy had none. As for "living off the land" that would have meant withdrawing into Appalachia, which was a hotbed of unionism. It could have prolonged the conflict, but defeat would have been no less sure and partisans would regress into banditry as they had in Missouri (with the James boys and the Younger brothers being only the most notable example).

Furthermore there is more ambiguity in Davis's book. Whereas, Winik concludes with an anecdote concerning Lee taking communion next to a black man as the true end of the civil war. Davis gives an account of a people "bloodied, but unbowed", one that is determined to reclaim as much of what they have lost as possible. There is no facile happy ending, but one can not help but admire these men and their sense of honor.

To date, Winik's book is exceedingly well publicized (his connections to WSJ are no doubt standing him in good stead) and is garnering praise from all quarters. Davis book while well recieved is not getting the notice it might have had it not been swamped in the wake of Winik's book.

Let this not suggest that Davis's book is "academic". It reads with the drama and movement of a novel. The story is a noble and tragic one, rather like Antigone seeking a decent burial for her father.

In sum, if you want a warm, fuzzy picture, stick with Winik. If you really want to understand why and how it happened, read Davis.

John Breckenridge was the youngest Vice President in United States history having been inaugerated in James Buchanan's administration at the age of 35 years and four months. When the southern states succeeded, Breckenridge, a Kentuckian, sided with the South. He served as a general in both the eastern and western theaters and was one of the most trusted of Jefferson Davis' inner circle. In fact, Breckenridge was the only one who could stand up to Davis, virtually all other's closer to Davis being toadies.

Before Lee's surrender, Breckenridge attempted to get Davis to realize the futility of continuing. However, the only peace agreement that Davis would make with the North had to recognize the Conferderacy as independent. Obviously, that was not a point the North would negotiate. After Lee's army fell, Richmond was evacuated and Davis, his cabinet and an accompanying military party fled as they moved south. Some wanted to escape to a Carribean nation but Davis wanted to join with troops still in the field and continue the cause. Breckenridge had recently become the Confederate Secretary of War and he futily tried to get Davis to understand that it was over.

Davis never gave up the cause and, perhaps he could have escaped but, his ideations that he could somehow hook up with troops in the field west of the Mississippi kept him from following the fastest, safest route to safety. This book captures, in great detail, the last days of the Confederate government as Davis tried to keep up the cause as the remaining armies (most significantly Joseph Johnston's) surrendered, making the cause even more impossible. Appomattox may have for practical purposes been the end of the war but, it was not truly over until all remaining armies in the field surrrendered and this period, between Appomattox and Davis' capture were the true last days of the lost cause. Breckenridge was a true hero in recognizing the inevitable and trying to get the bloodshed to cease. In a perverse way, however, Davis too emerged as a hero since his capture and imprisonment made him into a martyr in the eyes of many.

William C. Davis, a noted historian who is famous as a commentator on The History Channel's "Civil War Journal" has captured these final days and the personalities of the cabinet members who constituted the party seeking to escape capture. Civil War buffs will enjoy this account of the fall of the Conferderacy.

Mr. Davis has written an engaging account of the last days of the Confederate government. For the many readers whose knowledge of the civil war ends with Lee's surrender at Appomattox, this volume will prove especially interesting. Parts of the story (especially Breckinridge's travels thru Florida) would make a pretty good movie and give you a sense for what the country was like when Florida was almost the frontier.

My only real complaint about Mr. Davis' latest book is the length. I often had the feeling reading it that Mr. Davis was intent on showing off just how much research he did for this project... so we get journal entry after journal entry of how dashing, distinguished, etc that Breckinridge was. The reality is that you probably could have left at least 100 pages out of this book and not diminished the story in the process. Despite that objection though, this book is still worth a read.

I have always wondered why in spite of catastrophic military failures and the capture of major cities of Atlanta and the virtual disintegration of the Army of Tennessee at Nashville why the Confederate government continued the fight risking the destruction of Richmond and unnnecessary casualties particularly after the failure at Fort Steadman (east Richmond) and the total collapse at Five Forks (southwest Richmond). William C. Davis describes in an easy and enjoyable read the incredible perserverance of Jefferson Davis to fight to the very end even if the only thing left was Texas far to the West. Breckenridge the former Vice President of the US and current Secretary of War diplomatically tries to orchestrate a calculated peace to prevent the disintegration of orderly civilization in the south that can only result in guerilla warfare where the southern population fears its own soilders as they must live off any means possible to survive including their countrymen. The author describes the disintegration of the government, its dwindling authority and its virtual hopeless cause to keep Confederacy alive while the remaining central government officials try to flee to the west. The author describes the cabinet officials in great detail, their relationships to Davis and their own late actions to sway the President into the final reality that hope is lost.

An increduluous story how one man , Davis, wielded so much authority over a weak congress and a cabinet made up of sycophants particular Judah Benjamin. Benjamin's need to please the President appears to have bolstered Davis' driven and unreal need to keep the Confederacy alive in spite of the destruction all around him. A fatalistic story particular as Davis sets up the March peace talks for failure and his attempt to make Johnson's inevitable surrender an impossibility. In spite of it all, Breckenridge attempts to form a legal coalition to challenge Davis into finally understanding that the war is virtually over. Incredible detail of the collapse of Richmond and the descriptive detail of the eventual impovished travel of the cabinet. A particular haunting passage incudes the seven paroled Confederate soldiers who push themselves onto Jefferson Davis' and the cabinets' train car roof. They put wet blankets on the stove exhaust pipe to catch the heat exiting the stove to warm themselves in spite of the fact that the smoke now returns to the train car choking Davis and his cabinet. Irony that the General that Davis detests the most, Johnston, almost with glee tells Davis and the cabinet that the war is lost and that he must surrender.

Riveting descriptions of Davis continuing to argue that the south continue while passing through towns that eventually become fearful of even housing him. Exciting stories of the escapes of Breckenridge and Benjamin and the attempts by others.

How sad that when the war was logically over, the southern leader continued on while Richmond burned and with the useless loss of live. The author explains why it happened and how Breckenridge tried to usher a quick end to the war to preserve what remained of the south.

This book is a good addition to a permanent civil war book collection. Thoughtfully written and done in great detail.. it illustrates the final days of turmoil in the Confederate Goverment and the internal problems with facing the certain end of the war. Breckinridge is depicted as the peacemaker in the final days of the goverment. It s a fairly accurate description of his position with the coming certain defeat. The description of the escape of some of the confederate officials would make a good movie...if it was not so politically incorrect in these current times. The book is a good read for an inside look at the closing days of the war.

As Jefferson Davis was being taken to Augusta to be placed on a ship after his arrest a young Georgia boy stood and watched the President pass. That young boy would some fifty years later sink into a political mire due to the same personality flaw that Jefferson Davis exibited so clearly in 1865. Neither Jefferson Davis or Woodrow Wilson were ever able to admit defeat or that they might be wrong. This attidude cost Wilson his League of Nations and could have caused terrible additional suffering in the South had Davis not been forced to finally admit defeat.

William C. Davis gives us a wonderful look at the Confederate government during its last days in Richmond and on to the final escape of two of its top officals to England while the President was chained in prison. We get a view of Davis as he moved to carry on the war by whatever means, never accepting that the "cause" was lost. We also see Sec. of War Breckinridge trying to stop Davis' madness and checking the President's plans at every turn. I doubt Davis could have carried on the war even without Breckinridge's efforts but the man from Kentucky has to be given credit for looking to the South's future and the Confederacy's legacy at a time when the end could have well been the farce he feared.

Two of the more interesting parts of the book show both Breckinridge's skill and his and the rest of these historical figures human nature. In the first instance it is amazing just how close Breckinridge came in dealing with Sherman to gaining for the South a peace that no one could have ever thought possible. The Sec. of War almost got the South back in the Union with no sanction except the loss of slavery. Davis himself seemed shocked at the terms Breckinridge and Sherman worked out. The other story from this book that sticks in one's mind is the sight of the President, Sec. of War, Postmaster General, and other top Confederate officals down in the dirt playing marbles. These men were indeed human.

Finally, I rather liked the stories of the escape paths taken by Benjaman and Breckinridge. While it added little to the point of the book except to show Breckinridge's strong desire to get to England and settle as many of the Confederacy's debts as possible in an honorable manner it was still a study in endurance.

Bravo Mr. Davis. This book is well worth all five stars I gave it.

This book will give you a detailed account of the happenings amongst significant characters of the confederacy during the last days of the Civil War. William C. Davis certainly has hit the mark with this work. The narrative is very interesting and a true page-turner. Many a vignette will give you a feeling of listening in to the events and thought processes of people like Jefferson Davis, Joseph Johnston, Robert E. Lee etc.

In this narrative John Breckinridge, the senator from Kentucky, is fleshed out as a man of vision, common sense, and decency. Of all the southern leaders who had a chance of influencing policy, perhaps only personalities like Breckinridge, Johnston, and Lee saw the inevitable during the closing days of the war. However, only Johnston and Breckinridge tried to get Ole Jeff Davis to see the light. A sad part of the book is when Breckinridge thinks Lee agreed to speak up and directly inform Jeff Davis that a peace settlement should be sought but when the moment came Lee decided there was still hope of victory.

This is a classic narrative of where one leader, Jefferson Davis, to fulfill personal "honor" needlessly squanders lives of young men. I am sorry to come to this conclusion but any military tactician worth his salt could have noted that the war was lost back in early '64. Herein lies my one cavil with this book. I wish Mr. William C. Davis had devoted more space to analyze the decision-making processes of the confederacy and the impact of personal character on historical events.

I was heading out to a vacation in the South and decided to take along "An Honorable Defeat". It was a wise choice because it gave me an interesting perspective about the last days of the Confederacy. It also gave me some perspective about the history of some of the places I travelled through. I found the book very well-written and I certainly enjoyed the author's portrait of the main characters. Jefferson Davis comes across as a very aloof leader who was incapable of surrender when there was at least the promise of some Confederates still in uniform. The hero of the book is General John C. Breckinridge who comes across as the man who SHOULD have led the Conderacy because of his insight and leadership. We are introduced to the other leaders of the Confederacy as well who offer a wide array of personalities. This is the story of the end. It essentially begins with Lee's surrender and we follow the Confederate government as it moves further and further south looking for an army or armies that will lead it in another attempt at glory. Breckinridge sees the futility but Jefferson Davis doesn't. As they continue their journey, their ranks steadily shrink until they are vulnerable even to their own Rebel stragglers who know that they carry the remaining treasury of the Confederacy. In a sense it is a tragedy but we can't bring ourselves to cheer for the likes of President Davis. I found it a very informative book that picks up on the history that most people think ended with Appomattox. The problem is like that of many Civil War books; it is saturated with detail. In the case of "An Honorable Defeat", the problem is somewhat offset by the skilled writing of the author. This book reads almost like a novel. However, we learn more than we need to in order to know what we need to. True Civil War buffs probably already knew much of this but the rest of us can learn a lot by reading this book.

William Davis has written a comprehensive account of the last days of the Confederate Government. Chapter 1 reviews President Jefferson Davis's cabinet and briefly outlines the career of John Breckinridge (appointed Secretary of War in January 1865 and a key player in the final days of the Confederacy).

Failing to break to break through Grant's encircling line at Petersburg, on April 2nd Robert E. Lee notified Davis and Breckinridge, that the government should immediately leave Richmond as he only could hold his position until that night. That evening two trains took Davis and his cabinet to Danville, Virginia with Breckinridge following later by horseback leading a train of wagons. While Breckinridge was traveling to Danville, Lee surrendered his army.

The author narrates the escape of the Confederate Government as it traveled to Danville, Greensboro, and then Charlotte. The text gives an interesting account of Breckinridge in Charlotte traveling to join General Joe Johnston in negotiations with Sherman for surrender terms. Breckinridge largely framed the Confederacy's proposal. Sherman's generous terms (which Davis didn't like) were soon rejected in Washington. Johnston now had no choice except to surrender. To escape capture, Davis's government traveled to Abbeville and then to Washington, Georgia.

From Danville on, as the government moved south citizens began breaking into and looting the remaining military stores. The author notes "Tragically after four years of heroic sacrifice, what remained of the Confederacy had to be protected from its own people," At Washington, Georgia the government was essentially dissolved. Midshipmen R.H. Fleming's lamented "I fear all is lost but our honor."

While the book is an account of the final weeks of the Confederacy, the underlying theme is Breckinridge's efforts to achieve an honorable defeat and not have the war end as a "farce." The author notes that by 1865 it was no longer a question of would the Confederacy fall, but rather "how" it should fall. The author states perceptive men wished to avoid the retaliation, revenge, and oppression such as occurred in Mexico and South America following defeat in an internal struggle. Early in 1865, faced with certain defeat, Breckinridge, Lee and Assistant Secretary of War John Campbell wished to use the presence of Confederate armies in the field to bargain for better terms rather than be defeated and forced into "subjugation when they no longer had anything, even surrender, with which to bargain." However, Jefferson Davis wanted no part of any plan to end the war short of independence. After the surrender of Lee's and Johnston's armies, the author notes "it was clear that Jefferson Davis was not about to abandon his dreams for independence, but merely to change their shape ". He wished to continue the war as a partisan conflict and to cross the Mississippi River and continue the war from Texas.

Now Breckinridge wanted get Jefferson Davis safely out of the country to save the South from the humiliation of Davis's capture, conviction and possible execution. However, after leaving Washington, Jefferson Davis was captured the next morning outside of Irwinville. Breckinridge and a cavalry unit, which were trying to decoy Union cavalry away from Davis, escaped capture. The author next gives a graphic account of the escape to Cuba of Breckinridge and then Benjamin; either escape would make a fascinating adventure movie.

The final chapter, Aftermath, recounts the post Civil War history of Davis and the key members of his government. Benjamin practiced law in England and never returned. Other cabinet members stayed or returned to the United States, but afterwards they rarely saw each other. Regarding Breckinridge, the text continues "From February 1865 onward he saw that the one victory he could win was for the memory and example that the Confederate epic might provide for later generations . . . In preserving its archives for future historians, he helped to guarantee that they would be remembered." The book closes noting that Breckinridge's story was a part of the "magnificent epic" and " he refused to taint it with farce . . .in the fight for moderation and reconciliation over bitterness and recrimination in the years that were to follow . . ." The author correctly states that " the real winner was not a man but America."

My only criticism is that text lacks sufficient dates accompanying the narrative. On occasion, I had to consult other sources for the dates of critical events. However, those interested in the final days of the Confederate government will find this an excellent work.

An Honorable Defeat: The Last Days of the Confederate Government by William C. Davis is an interesting read concerning the final demise of the Confederate Government. It follows the Confederates through the last couple months of its existence from the retreat from Richmond to Lee's surrender and the cabinet members race for freedom.

Its central focus is the tension between Jefferson Davis and John Breckenridge, the Confederate Secretary of War. Davis wished to continue the War and Breckenridge hoped to end it in a honorable manner. History demonstrates that Breckenridge was the ultimate winner of the conflict, though his efforts cannot be said to have been pivotal to the outcome.

This book should be read in conjunction with April 1865: The Month That Saved America-- by Jay Winik. Both cover similar subjects, with different emphasis and conclusions.

While the manner in which the Civil War was to end was a basic premise of the book, the book finally devolves into the account of Breckenridge and other Cabinet Members attempts to escape. While this is interesting, Davis spends much to much time describing every minute detail. The last pages of the book border on monotony.

Davis' book is a good read even given its limitations. If one wants to gain an understanding of the end of the Civil War it is a good read.