Book description
By January 1865, most of Virginia's schools were closed, many
newspapers had ceased publication, businesses suffered, and food was
scarce. Having endured major defeats on their home soil and the loss of
much of the state's territory to the Union army, Virginia's Confederate
soldiers began to desert at higher rates than at any other time in the
war, returning home to provide their families with whatever assistance
they could muster. It was a dark year for Virginia. Virginia at War,
1865 closely examines the end of the Civil War in the Old Dominion,
delivering a striking depiction of a state ravaged by violence and
destruction. In the final volume of the Virginia at War series, editors
William C. Davis and James I. Robertson Jr. have once again assembled an
impressive collection of essays covering topics that include land
operations, women and families, wartime economy, music and
entertainment, the demobilization of Lee's army, and the war's
aftermath. The volume ends with the final installment of Judith
Brockenbrough McGuire's popular and important Diary of a Southern
Refugee during the War. Like the previous four volumes in the series,
Virginia at War, 1865 provides valuable insights into the devastating
effects of the war on citizens across the state. William C. Davis,
professor of history and director of programs at Virginia Tech's
Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, is the author of Lincoln's Men:
How President Lincoln Became Father to an Army and a Nation. He lives in
Blacksburg, Virginia. James I. Robertson Jr., Alumni Distinguished
Professor of History at Virginia Tech and director of the Virginia
Center for Civil War Studies, is the author of Stonewall Jackson: The
Man, the Soldier, the Legend. He lives in Blacksburg, Virginia.
