Confederate Crackers and Cavaliers

This is Grady McWhiney at his finest. <strong>Confederate Crackers and Cavaliers</strong> is acollection of seventeen essays on a wide variety of topics relatin... » 

This is Grady McWhiney at his finest. Confederate Crackers and Cavaliers is acollection of seventeen essays on a wide variety of topics relating toConfederate leadership and warmaking.The role of culture in the coming of the war is explored in depth as are thedifferences between Southern Crackers and Cavaliers. Battlefield leadershipis also discussed including pieces on A. P. Hill P. G.l T. BeauregardBraxton Bragg and Leonidas Polk.Other important essays include work on why the South fired the first shot ofthe war how 1862 was actually the doom year of the Confederacy and atreatment of the tactical revolution that occurred between the beginning of theMexican War and the end of the Civil War. There are more than a few surprises.One chapter entitled Sex and Chivalry investigates the role of West Pointin shaping the deportment of Americas class of military gentlemen.Jefferson Davis though looms largest in this book. From his days along thebanks of the Hudson to his service in Mexico to an analysis of his warleadership as president of the Confederacy McWhiney investigates thistarnished American hero whom the author claims has been almost as vilified byAmericans as Adolf Hitler .McWhiney is known for his unconventional stances. While his work is sometimescontroversial often hotly debated and nearly always provocative it can neverbe ignored. After a long sabbatical from publishing this astonishing authorand historian is back at work. «