Virginia at War, 1861 [Hardcover]

William C. Davis (Editor), James I. Robertson Jr. (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Virginia at War | Publication Date: November 11, 2005

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

""Goes 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

""This 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

""This book is highly recommended to those interested in various aspects of Virginia in the Civil War during 1861."" -- www.curledup.com

""Unquestionably 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

""This collection of essays surveys a myriad of aspects of how the Civil War in Virginia affected its inhabitants."" -- History Wire

"Her diary entries close this enlightening examination of the effects of total war on a society." -- Roanoke Public Library Foundation

"This book covers some interesting areas of lesser-known history of life in Virginia during the Civil War." -- Curled Up.com

"[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

"As 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

""[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" --

""William 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" --

About the Author

William C. Davis, director of programs at the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, is the author or editor of more than fifty books, including, most recently, The Pirates Laffite: The Treacherous World of the Corsairs of the Gulf. He was also chief consultant for The History Channel’s Civil War Journal and is professor of history at Virginia Tech.

James I. Robertson Jr., Alumni Distinguished Professor of History at Virginia Tech, 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 chief historical consultant for the movie Gods and Generals.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky (November 11, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813123720
• ISBN-13: 978-0813123721
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #955,846 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting concept, October 26, 2005

By 

Colonel Moran - See all my reviews

This review is from: Virginia at War, 1861 (Hardcover)

This book of essays is the first of five planned books discussing Virginia during each of the years of the Civil War. The essays are written by well-known historians and cover an interesting range of topics. Particularly intriguing was the essay about the decision to relocate the Confederate capital from Montgomery to Richmond. The motion just barely passed. The location of the two capitals had considerable effect on the strategy of the war and one wonders what things would have been like if the capital had remained in Alabama. The essays are brief and well-written. This is a volume for serious students of the subject but is an interesting concept for a series.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Virginia, a Nation at War, January 29, 2008

By 

J. K. Brandau "Author, Murder At Green Springs" (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Virginia at War, 1861 (Hardcover)

Step back in time to national Virginia, formerly one of a union of nations, forced to side with those bent on dissolution and compelled to mount a defense against imminent invasion.

The scholarship for which Davis and Robertson are noted is joined by that of other established authorities, in particular John Coski [The Confederate Battle Flag] and Ervin Jordan [Black Confederates and Afro-Yankees in Civil War Virginia]. Coski's essay on the Virginia Navy is unique and information rich. Jordan's essay on black perspectives is essential to understanding period society.

This native Virginian, whose fifth grade class in Richmond still stood to sing Dixie before a portrait of General Lee in 1960, now appreciates the Commonwealth's pro-Union sentiments and leadership evident in Robertson's essay on secession.

The edited selection from the diary of Judith Brockenbrough McGuire compliments the work.

The idea for the series is brilliant. I look forward to the remaining volumes.