Living a big war in a small place
Subtitle: Spartanburg, South Carolina, during the Confederacy
By: Philip N. Racine
Publisher: University of South Carolina Press
Published: 2013
Place of publication: Columbia, S.C
Language: eng
Number of pages: 119
ISBN-13: 9781611172973; 9781611172980
Subjects: History; Social conditions
Description: "Most of what we know about how the Civil War affected life in the Confederacy is related to cities, troop movements, battles, and prominent political, economic, and military leaders. Far less is known about the people who lived in small Southern towns remote from marching armies or battles. Philip N. Racine explores life in one such place--Spartanburg, South Carolina--in an effort to reshape the contours of that great conflict. By 1864 life in most of the Confederacy, but especially in rural towns, was characterized by scarcity, high prices, uncertainty, fear, and bad-tempered neighbors. Shortages of food were common. People lived with constant anxiety that a soldiering father or son would be killed or wounded. Taxes were high, inflation was rampant, and good news was scarce and seemed to always be followed by bad. Slaves were growing restive, and their masters' bad news was their good news. Army deserters were threatening lawlessness; accusations and vindictiveness colored the atmosphere and added to the anxiety, fear, and feeling of helplessness. Often people blamed their troubles on the Confederate government in faraway Richmond, Virginia. Racine provides insight into these events through personal stories: the plight of a slave; the struggles of a war widow managing her husband's farm, ten slaves, and seven children; and the trauma of a lowcountry refugee on having to forfeit a wealthy, aristocratic way of life for an alien social world. All were part of the complexity of wartime Spartanburg District"--Publisher's description.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: The district; title: The setting; title: Spartanburg wages war; title: Spartanburg beleaguered; title: Slavery during the war; title: Individuals; title: The slave Catherine and the kindness of strangers?; title: Emily Harris, reluctant farmer; title: A question of loyalty; title: Having fled war.