A Ruined Land

"This fascinating social history, thru Golay's expert use of sources, brings to life a time in America's past that promised so much but delivered so little, expecially to former slaves."--Publishers Weekly"A tautly woven narrative history. Lively & readable."--KirkusIn a fascinating approach that allows the voices of those touched by the Civil War to speak for themselves, Golay shows the impact of victory & defeat on the ordinary Americans who both influenced events & were caught up in them. Using illuminating new material, much previously unpublished, he takes a unique perspective by interweaving personal histories of soldiers & civilians with the larger events of the Civil War. Among the events of this bitter conflict, he illuminates the impact of Sherman's march thru Georgia & the Carolinas, the despair caused by Lincoln's assassination, the 1st bitter weeks of armistice, the immediate chaotic postwar life in a devastated South & the promise of freedom for slaves. Letters, diaries & other literary remains of those who experienced the war give a vivid, panoramic look at the effects of the struggle & at the efforts of both sides to work toward a solution to problems where effective answers were elusive.List of IllustrationsAuthor's NoteTime LineCast of CharactersWar & RevolutionHoney HillThe Laws of WarThe Sherman LandsThe End of the WarThe Smoky MarchThe Shell of RebellionBooth & His CrimeSomething Like PeaceExile & ReturnCrime, Punishment, AbsolutionFallow & Neglected Lands 1876-77NotesBibliographyIndex