num_pages: 275
description: Mythology about the South and its leaders  and the Civil War as a whole incidentally  commenced the moment the war ended if not before.We have come a long way in interpreting the Confederacy yet traditional history does little to dispel the myths and long-held beliefs surrounding the Civil War and the leaders of the Confederate States. And whilst widely-believed events pertaining to the victories and defeats of the South can be found widely throughout biographies literature TV and film they are often far from accurate or omit the truth altogether.One such gap between fact and fiction can be exemplified in the perception of the Confederacys president Jefferson Davis. Many of his personal correspondences offer us an insight into the fundamental issues he suffered whilst forging relationships with his generals for which the Souths move for independence undoubtedly suffered.Similarly a cold hard look at Stonewall Jackson soon exposes him as far less than the demigod that others would have us believe. Also misunderstood was the extent of the war west of the Appalachians. Largely ignored by historians until recently the lack of appreciation for its scale does not make the level of its destruction any less real.William C. Davis collection of essays written over twenty years unveils the truth from underneath the faade of the history books and explores the impact of dispelling those myths on our understanding of the entire Confederate story.A wonderful book written by a man with full command of and great love for his subject. Davis grasps the war in its totality decently and respectfully. He does not so much demolish myths as clarify and nuance them.  Washington TimesCelebrated author William C. Davis here offers us stimulating essays full of provocative opinions. Will provoke plenty of healthy debate.  Blue &amp; Gray MagazineA fine analysis of the way in which myth-making can distort history.  Kirkus ReviewsWilliam C. Davis is an American historian and former Professor of History who specialises in the Civil War and Southern States. A prolific writer he has written or edited more than forty works on the subject and is four-time winner of the Jefferson Davis Award.
language: English
title: The Cause Lost: Myths and Realities of the Confederacy
publisher: Endeavour Frontier