MS in the Civil War: The Home Front

By Timothy B. Smith
304 pages (approx.), 6 x 9 inches, 15 b&w illustrations, 2 maps, bibliography, index


Tim Smith, author of "Mississippi in the Civil War: The Home Front" will be signing his book on Friday July 2 at 4 p.m. at Lorelei Books and Saturday July 3 at 9 a.m. at the Visitor Center of the Vicksburg National Military Park.
Mississippi in the Civil War is the newest addition to the Heritage of Mississippi series, examines the state’s civilian populace during the Civil War. It examines Mississippi's Civil War defeat by both outside and inside forces. The invading Union army dismantled the state's political system, infrastructure, economy, and fighting capability. The state saw extensive military operations, destruction, and bloodshed within her borders. One of the most frightful and extended sieges of the war ended in a crucial Confederate defeat at Vicksburg, the capstone to a tremendous Union campaign.

As Confederate forces and Mississippi became overwhelmed militarily, the populace's morale began to crumble. Realizing that the enemy could roll unchecked over the state, civilians, Smith argues, began to lose the will to continue the struggle. Many white Confederates chose to return to the Union rather than see continued destruction in the name of a victory that seemed ever more improbable. When the tide turned, Unionists and African Americans boldly stepped up their endeavors. The result, Smith finds, was a state vanquished and destined to endure suffering far into its future.

The book presents the first examination of the state's Civil War home front in seventy years. It tells the story of all classes of Mississippians during the war, concentrating on previously neglected groups such as women and African Americans. The result is a new and fresh examination of the social side of war.

Timothy B. Smith, Adamsville, Tennessee, teaches history at the University of Tennessee at Martin. He is the author of several books, including Shiloh: The Battle and Battlefield and Champion Hill: Decisive Battle for Vicksburg.

Reference:
New Book: Mississippi in the Civil War:
http://upmississippi.blogspot.com/2010/04/new-book-mississippi-in-civil-war.html
Tim Smith signs "Mississippi in the Civil War: The Home Front": http://www.visitthedelta.com/festivals_events/?id=1910
Vicksburg National Military Park website: http://www.nps.gov/vick/index.htm
University Press of Mississippi: http://www.upress.state.ms.us/books/1273
Amazon.com book page (Price:$28.80): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604734299?ie=UTF8&tag=civilwarbooks-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1604734299
Tim Smith's Amazon.com page: http://www.amazon.com/Timothy-B.-Smith/e/B001JRZ7M4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Mississippi Department of Archives and History: http://mdah.state.ms.us/pubs/home_front.html