History Commons^™

Praying For The South: Catholics And The Confederacy, Thomas Richardson

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This thesis examines the distinctiveness of Southern Catholic support of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, with a geographic emphasis on Virginian Catholics. During the antebellum decades, the Catholic Church in America thrived despite facing increasing hostility from the largely-Protestant United States. In response to these challenges, Catholics learned to support their state and federal governments whenever and wherever they could as a means to defuse anti-Catholic attacks. This led Catholics to condone (and involve themselves in) American racialized slavery, even after the Church itself condemned the practice. Seen in this light, Catholics who fought for and supported the …

War And Reconstruction From An East Texas Perspective: Nacogdoches County From 1861-1876, William Wade Carter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Initially founded in 1826 as a municipality of Mexico and organized as a county in 1837—and sharing its name with the oldest town in Texas—Nacogdoches County flourishes with a rich history and has been a factor in nearly every major event in early Texas history. The Civil War is no exception. Men from the county contributed to the war effort but also felt the war’s sting at home. Citizens did what they could to survive. The county continued under the yoke of Reconstruction after the war before booming again in the 1880s thanks largely to the town the county shares …

The “Honorable” Woman: Gender, Honor, And Privilege In The Civil War South, Sarah West

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

When past wars are discussed or taught in a mainstream setting, the focus is often on the soldiers, the battles, and the generals that led them. The topic of the people who passively lived through them is rarely included in the narrative and when it is, it usually pertains to the people on the winning side. During the Civil War, the Southern women made tremendous contributions on the home front. Although social construction of southern honor paved the way for patriotic expressions, as the war went on many women found themselves discarding these honorable gestures in favor of self-preservation. The …

The 1863 Invasion Of Pennsylvania, Michael J. Gallagher

Theses

Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s invasion of Pennsylvania in 1863 was a grave mistake, on a variety of levels, which ultimately culminated in a crippling defeat at Gettysburg. After the Army of Northern Virginia successfully defended southern territory against northern attacks, the transition to an offensive strategy, advancing north in to Pennsylvania was a vast miscalculation. Lee’s army now traversed enemy territory, leaving behind the advantages of a campaign on southern territory and abandoning a defensive posture. This transition to fighting on enemy territory brought several difficulties that Lee seemingly overlooked, and presented challenges for which Lee was unprepared. Lee …

The Contributions Of Edward A. Pollard's The Lost Cause To The Myth Of The Lost Cause, Justin F. Krasnoff

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Edward A. Pollard’s The Lost Cause first appeared in 1866. Although it established the Myth of the Lost Cause, it was widely read, not as myth, but as history, especially in the South. Then, after 1900, it was largely forgotten. However, starting in the early 1970s, historians began to investigate the Myth of the Lost Cause as a myth. Pollard’s name and the title of his book finally came up again, but usually just in passing. Except for occasionally getting credit for coining the term “the Lost Cause,” his contributions and popularity remained largely ignored. The purpose of this thesis …

Slavery And Confederate Military Strategy And Policy, 1860–1865, David M. Campmier

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis places slavery at the center of all aspects of the Confederate war effort; from the beginning of the war until its end, the Rebel leadership in Richmond, in the army, and in the states prioritized protecting slavery.

Historians of the Civil War and the Confederacy agree that the war began when southern states declared secession to preserve the institution of slavery. When examining the war, scholars tend to not analyze slavery and its impact on Confederate military strategy, logistics, conscription, and military policy. This lack of study stands in stark contrast to how historians of the Union war …

Diplomacy And The American Civil War: The Impact On Anglo-American Relations, Johnathan B. Seitz

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Modern historical memory of the American Civil War is dominated by the domestic elements of the four-year conflict between the Union and Confederacy. The military figures, battles, and major political changes of 1861-1864 are central elements to public interpretation of the Civil War. But there is an additional dimension to the events of this period in American history, one that, outside of secondary scholarly research in the past century, remains distant from public knowledge. This research explores the nature of international reaction to the American Civil War, focusing on interaction between the combatants and the United Kingdom. The heart of …

"Life Under Union Occupation: Elite Women In Richmond, April And May 1865", Amanda C. Tompkins

Theses and Dissertations

This paper crafts a narrative about how elite, white Richmond women experienced the fall and rebuilding of their city in April and May 1865. At first, the women feared the entrance of the occupying army because they believed the troops would treat them as enemies. However, the goal of the white occupiers was to restore order in the city. Even though they were initially saddened by the occupation, many women were surprised at the courtesy and respected afforded them by the Union troops. Black soldiers also made up the occupying army, and women struggled to submit to black authority. With …

Xrf And The Corrosion Environment At Camp Lawton: A Comprehensive Study Of The Archeological Microenvironment Of A Civil War Prison Camp, Amanda L. Morrow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author's abstract: Handheld X Ray Fluorescence (XRF) technology is a new and emerging method in the field of archeology. This thesis discusses the results of XRF comparative analysis and comparative chemical analysis between a given ferrous metallic artifact's corrosion environment (the surrounding soil matrix) and the subsequent corrosion products formed on the artifact. The hypothesis is that the data will demonstrate a chemical correlation between the two. Iron and chlorine are the two major elements discussed in the study. The artifacts in the sample set have been collected from Camp Lawton (9JS1), a Confederate Prison for Union Soldiers located in …

"The Latent Enmity Of Georgia": Sherman's March And Its Effects On The Social Division Of Georgia, Michael Jason Spurr

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In September 1864, Union General William T. Sherman's Savannah Campaign targeted the growing animosity between wealthy and poor Georgians when he proposed that Union forces "arouse the latent enmity of Georgia." This thesis continues the study of the March to the Sea by examining the effect of Sherman's campaign as it pertained to the social divisions between Georgians. Sherman's army alone did not ruin the state's ability to remain a vital contributor to the war effort, but rather focused upon the already growing social disputes between Georgians over economic contributions, military sacrifice, and political support. Even before Sherman's army arrived, …

Snapshot Within A Portrait: The Civil War In Clark County, Arkansas, 1861-1865, Stephanie Harper

Honors Theses

Pointilism is described as "the application of paint in small dots and brush strokes so as to create an effect of blending." From a distance, the artistic style of pointilism appears to be a complete work of art but closer inspection reveals a series of miniscule dots that combine to form the entire image on the canvas. The American Civil War is a large portrait in American history. However, its description is not limited to battles and war heroes. A true portrait encompasses all aspects of the war effort from the citizens on the home front to the soldiers in …

Tobacco And Its Role In The Life Of The Confederacy, D. T. Smith

History Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the role that tobacco played in influencing Confederate policy during the American Civil War. Surprisingly, very little research has been done on this subject; historians have virtually ignored the influence of tobacco upon Southern economic interests between 1850 and 1870.

The southern tobacco-producing states grew 439,183,561 pounds of raw tobacco in 1860. Southern manufactured tobacco was worth $21,820,535 in 1860, and along with other agricultural products, especially cotton, played an important economic, political, and diplomatic role in the life of the Confederacy. The tobacco industry represented a very strong interest group in the Upper South during the …

John Bankhead Magruder And The Defense Of The Virginia Peninsula, 1861-1862, Leonard W. Riedel Jr.

History Theses & Dissertations

The viability of the Confederacy depended on its ability to organize a government and military defense force. Two early concerns were the operation of Gosport Naval Shipyard and protection of the Confederate capital at Richmond. Poised between them was Fortress Monroe.

With undisputed Union mastery of the Chesapeake Bay, Fortress Monroe was a constant reminder of the tentative security of these critical points. The man chosen to protect the Peninsula was Virginian, John Bankhead Magruder. Less than one year later, his efforts were denigrated by Commanding General Joseph E. Johnston who wanted to pursue his own strategic plan.

Under constant …

The Piedmont Railroad: A Reflection Of Confederate Railroad Policy, David Maurice Self

History Theses & Dissertations

Confederate railroad policies had a disruptive effect on the final outcome of the war for the South. This thesis endeavors to examine the history of the construction of the Piedmont Railroad as it reflected Confederate railroad policy during the American Civil War. The work is devoted specifically to a study of the obstacles confronting the construction of the Piedmont Railroad from its inception to its completion. One finds throughout this period a fluctuating Confederate policy concerning its railroads and no permanent. official agency to coordinate its affairs. The Piedmont Railroad was to be a vital part of the system of …

Washington, Arkansas: "The War Years" (1860-1865), Don Yancey

Honors Theses

To the ignorant visitor to Washington, Arkansas, it may seem a bit strange that this tiny, decaying Southern town played such an important role during the War Between the States. The strangeness disappears, however, when one learns of how its location in the South, its people, and its monetary and troop contributions meant to the war effort here in Arkansas. Even when the Federals took control of Little Rock, the state capitol, Washington volunteered its services to serve as the Confederate State Capitol. Despite its later decline, Washington occupies a commanding position in the state history of Arkansas and the …