The Plain People of the Confederacy Wiley s most critical examination of the effects of the Civil War on the lives of its participationWidely hailed for his realistic portrayals of the common soldier of the Civil War Bell Irvin Wiley u

Wiley s most critical examination of the effects of the Civil War on the lives of its participationWidely hailed for his realistic portrayals of the common soldier of the Civil War, Bell Irvin Wiley upset carefully cultivated, deeply held southern myths about the Lost Cause with the 1944 publication of The Plain People of the Confederacy His engaging and timeless look atWiley s most critical examination of the effects of the Civil War on the lives of its participationWidely hailed for his realistic portrayals of the common soldier of the Civil War, Bell Irvin Wiley upset carefully cultivated, deeply held southern myths about the Lost Cause with the 1944 publication of The Plain People of the Confederacy His engaging and timeless look at the Confederate experience of soldiers, African Americans, and women also sparked a debate about the reasons for southern defeat that continues among historians to this day Republished here with Paul Escott s new introduction and fresh appraisal of the book s influence, this classic work reveals a far complex, conflicted, and intriguing society than the unified and idealized version created and perpetuated in the wake of surrender.Wiley broke new ground by challenging southern myths about a contented and loyal slave population, a self sacrificing citizenry united in support of states rights, and a military unmarred by cowardice and vice Unearthing a wealth of correspondence, government documents, and other firsthand accounts, Wiley brought to center stage the question of popular morale and insisted on its importance in shaping the fate of the Confederacy He showed that the Confederacy was racked by dissension and that the heart of the South s problems lay in class resentments and poor governmental policy rather than in military reverses.

One thought on “The Plain People of the Confederacy”

1. Jeff Koslowski on Feb 23, 2019 said:

   If you look at this book now, it doesn't do much as far as advancing thought but thinking about it when it was first published in 1943, it does a great job of collecting sources and dispensing them in an easy to read bite. Professor Wiley writes his book with three groups as the focus: the common soldier, civilians, and slaves. This serves as a nice little companion to any other book you might be reading on the Civil War as it paints a full picture from the Confederate side.Overall, at 104 pages [...]

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2. Isidore on Feb 23, 2019 said:

   An engaging and lively set of lectures from 1943, written with Wiley's characteristic gift for pleasing scholars and the general public alike. Inevitably there are areas where later scholarship would modify his interpretation of events, but unless you are a rabid neo-nationalist, you'll still get pleasure from hearing what Wiley had to say. It's a pity he never supplied references for the countless places where he cites primary sources, though.

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3. Spencer Riehl on Feb 23, 2019 said:

   In the discussion of battles, leaders, and ideologies if both sides of the Civil War, we never learn what life is like for participants. This book fills that gap. It is succinct, pointed, and delivers a clear message about the variety of experiences of those in Dixie. Highly recommend.

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