The Battle Of The South Summary

This novel tells us about the troubles in the South, during and after the Civil War for both blacks and whites during 1861 - 1865. The topics that Freehling introduces in the book include; Slavery and its abolition, Succession from the Union, anti-Confederates, Civil War actions, and government changes to suit what happened after the war. The Union used the anti-Confederates to get an upper hand on the south, both in military and supplies. The novel focuses on the south and its impact based on during, and after the Civil War. With the Union victory from not only their military strength or their advantages, but because they had help from anti-Confederates who lived in the border states of Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Delaware. The anti-Confederates consisted of blacks and whites who disliked the Confederates goal, they supplied people and useful resources to aid the Union with their victory. Furthermore, the south needed to try to secure their victory, they tore down bridges, railroads, and telephone lines. With this they were able to block incoming Union troops. The Union with its recent election of president Abraham Lincoln sought after the Emancipation Proclamation, which would secure freedom to slaves in the North and the South. With America's newly
elected president Lincoln is one of the many reasons for why the war started, though what influenced it even more were the Confederates and their attack on Fort Sumter, before the arrival of Lincoln’s bread bearing ship. There was already tension between the North and the South, this attack from the confederates helped to further influence the war and it’s start.
Freehling shows us the view on the civil war through many events that occur, both outside and inside the politics of the South, as well as the view of the North’s political view on the War and its outcomes.
The North has to deal with what to do with the South afterwards, since the constitution did not have anything for an internal war, and what should have been done afterwards.The North’s congress repeatedly asked Lincoln on what should have been done to southern military leaders. Freehling also centers around the slaves and their hardships throughout the war, the slaves near the Border States had the least amount of slaves for there were more anti-confederates as well as the runaway slaves to the
north. Freehlings book shows us a more in-depth look on the Civil War and its effects on both the South and the North. He shows us the options that the North has to go through to succeed in defeating the south, and the South's tactics that help it with fending of the North. He explains in much more depth how the congress deals with the war and what happened afterwards. Furthermore, Freehlings book is a very excellent book that gives you a more historically in-depth look in the south during the civil war, this book would be a good read for those who want a more in-depth look on the events that take place before, during, and after the Civil War.