The Fate of Texas: The Civil War and the Lone Star State (The Civil War in the West)

In its examination of a state too often neglected by Civil War historians, The Fate of Texas presents Texas as a decidedly Southern, yet in many ways unusual, state seriously committed to and deeply affected by the Confederate war effort in a multitude of ways. When the state joined the Confederacy and fought in the war, its fate was uncertain. The war touched every portion of the population and all aspects of life in Texas. Never before has a group of historians examined the impact of the war on so many facets of the state. A Collection Of Eleven Essays That Explore Various Topics Associated With The Civil War And The State Of Texas Including The Lives Of Texas Women During The War, Slavery, And Postwar Experiences Of Confederate Veterans. Texas, Jefferson Davis, And Confederate National Strategy / Joseph G. Dawson -- Warriors, Husbands, And Fathers: Confederate Soldiers And Their Families / Richard Lowe -- If We Should Succeed In Driving The Enemy Back Out Of My Native State: Why Texans Fought East Of The Mississippi River During The Civil War / Charles D. Grear -- The Price Of Liberty: The Great Hanging At Gainsville / Richard B. Mccaslin -- The Civil War And The Lives Of Texas Women / Angela Boswell -- Slaves Taken To Texas For Safekeeping During The Civil War / Dale Brown -- New Perspectives On Texas Germans And The Confederacy / Walter B. Kamphoefner -- After The Surrender: The Postwar Experiences Of Confederate Veterans In Harrison County, Texas / Randolph B. Campbell -- I Seemed To Have No Thought Of The Past, Present, Or Future: Texans React To Confederate Defeat / Carl H. Moneyhon -- Causes Lost But Not Forgotten: George Washington Littlefield, Jefferson Davis, And Confederate Memories At The University Of Texas At Austin / Alexander Mendoza -- Tell It Like It Was: Texas, The Civil War, And Public History / Julie Holcomb. Edited By Charles D. Grear. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 251-256) And Index. Choice Outstanding Academic Title Texas has often been overlooked in Civil War scholarship, but this examination shows that the Lone Star State—though definitely unusual—was decidedly Southern. Eleven noted historians examine the ways the civil war touched every aspect of life in Texas and approach the subject from varied perspectives—military, social, and cultural history; public history; and historical memory—to provide a greater understanding of the roles of women and slaves during the war, and how veterans and the aftermath of loss helped pave the way for the Texas of today. Charles D. Grear is assistant professor of history at Prairie View A & M University. Previously he taught history at Texas Christian University