Crucible of the Civil War

Edward L. Ayers, former Hugh P. Kelly Professor of History and Dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Virginia, is President of the University of Richmond. Gary W. Gallagher is John L. Nau III Professor in the History of the American Civil War at the University of Virginia. Andrew J. Torget is the Director of the Digital Scholarship Lab at the University of Richmond and a historian of nineteenth-century America.

This is a coherent, lively, and important study. - American Historical Review ""While these essays reach differing perspectives in the Civil War's continuity/change debate, all are grounded in primary sources, each poses intriguing questions, and their collective chronological, geographic, and topical scope provides valuable insight into the diverse ways Virginians experienced the Civil War era."" - Civil War History ""This book deserves a wide readership. Each essay, without exception, contributes significantly to our understanding of the socio-cultural experiences of Virginians in the Civil War."" - Studies in American Culture ""Crucible of the Civil War presents a fine collection of essays by a talented group of young historians. Brimming with insights about social, economic, and religious life in Virginia, this book is a valuable addition to a growing body of work that carries the study of the Civil War far beyond the battlefields."" - George C. Rable, University of Alabama, author of the Lincoln Prize - winning Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!