Challenging the historical argument that the Confederacy fought bravely and yet eventually lost the Civil War, showcasing how victory was hopeless from the very beginning, historian and author Gary Gallagher theorizes a new, refreshing take on why the Confederacy lost the war. Examining the writings of Confederate soldiers on the battlefield as well as writings from civilians within the south, Gary Gallagher instead asks why the Confederacy was able to last as long as it did. The answer, and ultimate thesis of his book, The Confederate War, argues that “defeat in the military sphere, rather than dissolution behind the lines, brought the collapse of the Confederacy.” Focusing almost entirely on southern generals and military units, The Confederate War is an impressively stimulating take on the standard question of fault for southern loss during the…show more content… Additionally, historians concerning the reasons for southern defeat, most notably in the Why the South Lost the Civil War by Richard E. Beringer, postulate that the reason for southern defeat came from internal weakness within the Confederacy. Gallagher denies this theory in his book, choosing instead to examine the notes and diaries of Confederate soldiers and civilians to submit that these individuals were more passionate and whose “wartime writings frequently employed language that revealed a sense of national community.” Additionally, part of the methodology present in The Confederate War intriguingly draws on comparisons made between George Washington and Civil War generals, like Robert E. Lee. All in all, this examination of how wartime spirit among the Confederate public contributes to the uniqueness of the book, distancing itself from prior historiography that focused on internal weakness rather than the strength and honor system of the southern
