Battle Cry of Freedom

James McPherson certainly adheres to the "war over slavery" theory. He stacks up a mountain of evidence that fairly proves his point, including documentary and anecdotal evidence, even a table showing that representatives from counties where slavery was not prevalent voted generally against secession at conventions held before the war to consider the issue.

Yet the differences between North and South only partly stemmed from slavery. The North was moving into the industrial age of "free labor" where people were no longer tied for life to crafts or trades. Movement on the social ladder was much more fluid. The South was a rigid agricultural society and wished to remain that way.

The South's ability to concentrate its political power in the Democrat party in alliance with various interest groups in the North had allowed the South to dominate the national government since its founding. As the Republican party rose and abolitionism gained force and as the new order of industrial life took hold in the North, the South felt threatened. Not only did Southerners want to preserve their way of life, but they feared what would happen within their various states should the numerous slaves be freed and given political power.

"Battle Cry of Freedom" makes all of these trends clear and treats the causes and events leading up to the war in a comprehensive and compelling manner. All the battles and events of the epic struggle are told with vigor and erudition. The insights into the implication of each event are profound, making this volume one of the most important written during the many years since the great struggle.

That one-half-million men died over the cause of slavery is an important fact of American history. There is little doubt that there have been terrible crimes committed by nations and peoples. Subjecting an entire people to slavery, however theoretically benign in the minds of slaveholders, cannot be in any way justified. The great Civil War expiated these crimes in an awful penance of blood and suffering. The nation's conscience would not allow slavery to continue. Even General Lee, before the war, understood what was happening when he wrote, "I foresee that the country will have to pass through a terrible ordeal, a necessary expiation perhaps for our national sins."

So the war was a struggle for the unity of the nation. The primary difference between sections being the "peculiar institution" of slavery. As Professor McPherson so ably points out, the United States before the war was thought of in the plural sense ("the United States are..."). After the war, it has ever since been refered to in the singular sense ("the United States is..."). We are still an "is", one nation, one culture bound together by belief in republican/democratic principles that guarantee "Life, Liberty and Property".

In the South there was a great exception to the truths expounded in our founding documents. The American character would not allow this glaring injustice to continue.

James McPherson's "Battle Cry of Freedom" has been around for several years. It is generally considered the premier book on the Civil War. A new illustrated version has recently been published. It has over 700 photos, paintings or engravings, 24 clear battle maps all with extensive captions. This is a book to be placed in a prominent place in your home library for both reference and reflection. "Battle Cry of Freedom" is a powerful work that has earned its place as one of the great works on American history.

This book is available at Amazon.com.