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Flaws In The Armor Of The Grand Illusion: Dissent, Reluctance, And Disaffection Toward The Confederate Cause In The Central Shenandoah Valley - A Study Of Page County Virginia, Robert H. Moore Ii

History Theses & Dissertations

The Shenandoah Valley of Virginia was critical to the Confederacy, not only for its strategic importance, but also as a supplier of food and manpower. Due to its agricultural productivity, the area was known early on as the "Breadbasket of the Confederacy." Additionally, many of the units formed from this area were considered among the elite of General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and included the famed "Stonewall Brigade." Thus, it has long been assumed that the great majority of the Valley's white residents strongly supported the Confederate cause.

However, in stark contrast to these assumptions, this paper …