American Civil War

Facts and Fictions

James R. Hedtke

• Publisher: ABC-CLIO
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781440860737
• eBook ISBN: 9798216045564
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: American Civil War History
• Index: History

This book debunks popular myths and misconceptions about the American Civil War through primary source documents and shows how misinformation can become so widespread. The American Civil War deeply divided the nation and was a pivotal point in American history. The acrimony and bitterness of this four-year struggle, coupled with its importance to the fabric of American life, has resulted in the development and perpetuation of many myths about the conflict. This work separates myth from reality. The author examines 10 popular myths about the war, each of which is examined in terms of its origins and how it became ensconced in the American memory. It uses primary sources to explain the evolution of the myths and to inform the reader about what really happened, providing a unique quality to this work. Moreover, the book not only explains the flaws in the myth but encourages the reader to further investigate each of the topics.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1. The Main Reason the Southern States Seceded from the Union Was States’ Rights
• 2. Edmund Ruffin Fired the First Shot at Fort Sumter
• 3. Black Regiments Fought in Combat for the Confederate States of America
• 4. There Were No Female Combat Soldiers in the Civil War
• 5. Lincoln Freed the Slaves
• 6. The Gettysburg Address Was Written on a Train
• 7. Grant Was a Butcher
• 8. Civil War Medicine Was Barbaric
• 9. Freed Slaves Were Promised 40 Acres and a Mule
• 10. Lincoln’s Assassination Was the Result of a Conspiracy
• Bibliography
• Index
• About the Author