In the Shadow of the Civil War: Passmore Williamson and the Rescue of Jane Johnson
"In the Shadow of the Civil Waris an exciting  narrative of a conflict between slavery and freedom that had national  consequences beyond the streets and courts of Philadelphia where it took  place. Passmore Williamson went to jail for his part in helping Jane  Johnson and her children achieve freedom in 1855, but then won his own  liberty and vindicated the state sovereignty of Pennsylvania on behalf of  freedom over the power of slavery wielded by the federal government. In  their riveting account, the Brandts show how the publicity generated by  this case moved the nation a step closer to the crisis of 1861."--James M.  McPherson, author ofBattle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War EraandThis Mighty Scourge of War: The American Illiad,  1861-1865"Based on excellent research,In the  Shadow of the Civil Warbrilliantly illuminates the complex personal,  legal, and societal factors surrounding slavery and race in the United  States in the era just prior to the Civil War. An abolitionist's simple  rescue mission in Philadelphia in 1855 emerged as anything but routine, and  the resulting legal proceedings reflected the strengths and weaknesses of  constitutional law and evoked the passions of a nation. The immense cast of  characters superbly described in this comprehensive and elegantly written  account reveal to us the human lives at the center of national controversy.  This story dramatically and indelibly recreates the divergent ideals that  coursed throughout the country on the eve of war and contributes enormously  to our understanding of rich regional and national implications inherent in  the emancipation of Jane Johnson and her sons. In short, the Brandts, both  masterful storytellers, have given us a really marvelous book."-- Franklin  W. Knight, Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Professor of History, Johns Hopkins  University