Princes of Cotton: Four Diaries of Young Men in the South, 1848-1860 (The Publications of the Southern Texts Society Ser.)

A rogue, a megalomaniac, a plodder, and a depressive: the men whose previously unpublished diaries are collected in this volume were four very different characters. But they had much in common too. All were from the Deep South. All were young, between seventeen and twenty-five. All had a connection to cotton and slaves. Most obviously, all were diarists, enduring night upon night of cramped hands and candle bugs to write out their lives. Down the furrows of their fathers' farms, through the thickets of their local woods, past the familiar haunts of their youth, Harry Dixon, Henry Hughes, John Coleman, and Henry Craft arrive at manhood via journeys they narrate themselves. All would be swept into the Confederate Army, and one would die in its service. But if their manhood was tested in the war, it was formed in the years before, when they emerged from their swimming holes, sopping with boyhood, determined to become princes among men. Few books exist about the inner lives of southern males, especially those in adolescence and early adulthood. ""Princes of Cotton"" begins to remedy this shortage. These diaries, along with Stephen Berry's introduction, address some of the central questions in the study of southern manhood: how masculine ideals in the Old South were constructed and maintained; how males of different ages and regions resisted, modified, or flouted those ideals; how those ideals could be expressed differently in public and private; and how the Civil War provoked a seismic shift in southern masculinity. A Rogue, A Megalomaniac, A Plodder, And A Depressive: The Men Whose Previously Unpublished Diaries Are Collected In This Volume Were Four Very Different Characters. But They Had Much In Common Too. All Were From The Deep South. All Were Young, Between Seventeen And Twenty-five. All Had A Connection To Cotton And Slaves. Most Obviously, All Were Diarists, Enduring Night Upon Night Of Cramped Hands And Candle Bugs To Write Out Their Lives. Down The Furrows Of Their Fathers' Farms, Through The Thickets Of Their Local Woods, Past The Familiar Haunts Of Their Youth, Harry Dixon, Henry Hughes, John Coleman, And Henry Craft Arrive At Manhood Via Journeys They Narrate Themselves. All Would Be Swept Into The Confederate Army, And One Would Die In Its Service. But If Their Manhood Was Tested In The War, It Was Formed In The Years Before, When They Emerged From Their Swimming Holes, Sopping With Boyhood, Determined To Become Princes Among Men. Few Books Exist About The Inner Lives Of Southern Males, Especially Those In Adolescence And Early Adulthood. Princes Of Cotton Begins To Remedy This Shortage. These Diaries, Along With Stephen Berry's Introduction, Address Some Of The Central Questions In The Study Of Southern Manhood: How Masculine Ideals In The Old South Were Constructed And Maintained; How Males Of Different Ages And Regions Resisted, Modified, Or Flouted Those Ideals; How The Ideals Could Be Expressed Differently In Public And Private; And How The Civil War Provoked A Seismic Shift In Southern Masculinity.--book Jacket. Introduction -- Editorial Note -- The Diaries -- Harry St. John Dixon -- Henry Hughes -- John Albert Feaster Coleman -- Henry Craft -- Epilogue. Edited By Stephen Berry. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 509-538) And Index. In the summer of 1860 Harry St. John Dixon was seventeen. His gamboling Mississippi boyhood was drawing to a close, and he knew it. In the fall he would leave for the University of Virginia and from there to manhood and all its burdens. The prospect was sobering, Harry admitted. Gone were the days when he and his friends had turned somersaults in the local creek. Gone were the giddy moments when he had skipped through the schottische with the local girls. At some point the girls had become women, and his friends had gone off to schools of their own. The forest paths of Deer Creek were quiet now, and Harry wandered them alone, overpowered by nostalgia. One evening Harry found the air unusually still and the moon unusually bright; from swimming hole to schoolhouse, each spot seemed a memento of bygone days. Thinking of the “happy moments which are gone and past forever,” Harry began to sing “Home Sweet Home”: Includes diaries that address some of the central questions in the study of southern manhood: how masculine ideals in the Old South were constructed and maintained; how males of different ages and regions resisted, modified, or flouted those ideals; how those ideals could be expressed differently in public and private; and more.