Virginia At War 1864 is the fourth installment in a series of Civil War books. The book was edited by William C. Davis and James I. Robertson, Jr. Robertson was the Chief Historical Consultant in the 2003 Warner Brothers film Gods and Generals, which prominently features Stonewall Jackson. Dr. Davis is a professor of history at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. An expert on the American Civil War, Davis has twice been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. The stated purpose of the books is to analyze the year on a year by year basis. Having only read the newest installment of the series, this reviewer can only comment on it. Although it is a wonderful collection of essays, it does not necessarily follow its stated purpose. Many of the essay focus on events prior to 1864. This is forgivable considering that most of the topics covered do need some background for a fully understanding.
One of the most interesting chapters is titled “Clinging to Patriotism: The Fourth of July in Civil war Virginia” by Jared Bond. As the chapter’s endnotes reveal, Bond is well versed in Virginia newspapers from the Civil War era. With this chapter he seeks to delve into the minds of the people during the war. This of course is no impossible task. Then just as today the media is a somewhat accurate litmus test of public opinion. In Virginia the public opinion was no doubt strong about observing the Fourth of July. According to Bond, “Virginians felt that the South had not yet secured the vision and ideals set down by the Founding Fathers. Among these were notions of independence, liberty, human rights, and the right to rebel to secure these values. Many of these ideas were inspired and promoted by the efforts of Founding Fathers who were also Virginians, including Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, James Madison, George Mason, James Monroe, Edmund Randolph, and George Washington.” For Virginians the Fourth of July was a time of reflection in which they considered the ideals of the founding fathers in light of their current situation. Many considered the Civil War to be a continuation of the Revolutionary War; one great struggle against tyranny. According to Bond the Fourth remained a hallowed holiday for much of the war. Banks and businesses closed. Civic organizations held public celebrations until 1863. By 1864 the war had taken a different course. By then the Fourth of July was the one year reminder of the fall of Vicksburg.
J. Michael Cobb made a fine addition to this book with his chapter “Rehearsing Reconstruction in Occupied Virginia: Life and Emancipation at Fort Monroe.” Cobb focuses on what life was like in an occupied territory. Fort Monroe fell into Union hands early in the war. It was the site of the famous naval battle between the ironclads USS Monitor and CSS Virginia. 1864 was a pivotal year for Fort Monroe and the nearby town of Hampton because the infamous Major General Benjamin “Beast” Butler was put in control of the Army of the James and subsequently ruled the area with an iron fist. Butler, formerly commander of the occupation forces of New Orleans, was one of the few Union officers to have a standing Confederate death warrant. Southern historians have long vilified Butler. Cobb steps away from the pack as he gives an honest evaluation of Butler’s achievements. According to Cobb, “under Butler’s command and thanks to his ingenuity, significant inroads toward the abolition of slavery were made at Fort Monroe. In addition, he molded a solidly Unionist encampment of freedmen and soldiery there, while in the Norfolk and Portsmouth area, Butler proved an equally proficient and inventive governor of a rebellious citizenry and countryside.”
Cobb begins his story by telling the story of how Fort Monroe got the name “Freedom Fortress.” In 1861 the Confiscation Acts were passed which allowed for Union army to take in runaway slaves. As the war raged on more and more slaves sought their freedom at Fort Monroe. Many showed up destitute and hungry but Butler took them in. The able bodied men were put to work. The women did what they could by cooking, cleaning and sowing. Butler’s sister Laura W. Hildreth called the runaways the “Virginia Volunteers.” During the war runaways were called “contraband” by the Union army. “The treatment of contrabands by most Northerners was at best paternal and was often abusive, as most of the Union soldiers were no less prejudiced than their Southern counterparts.” Butler believed that “fugitive slaves should be treated as shipwrecked human beings on a civilized coast: all their social ties and means of living were thereby gone, and they were to be cared for because of their humanity.” Over 10,000 slaves found their freedom at Fort Monroe by war’s end. Ironically, the “Beast” Butler, Villain of New Orleans was their Moses.
The book ends with a firsthand account of the war by Judith Brockenbrough McGuire. In 1863 Ms. McGuire obtained a clerkship in the Confederate Commissary Department. She was skilled with a pen and kept a diary throughout the war. One of the more harrowing stories that she tells is that of the funeral of General “Jeb” Stuart. McGuire was a woman of faith but by this point her faith in the Confederacy was waning. On May 13, she wrote, “General Stuart died of his wounds last night . . . Thus passed away our great cavalry general, just one year after the immortal Jackson. This seems darkly mysterious to us, but God’s will be done.”
It is impossible review Virginia At War 1864 in a concise manner. It is a rather sizable addition to the body of Civil War Knowledge. Its ten authors and two editors have done their subjects justice. Each chapter is well written and loaded with new insight. The book will be enjoyed by novice and professional historians alike.