By William C. Davis and James I. Robertson, Jr., editors
"By January 1865, most of Virginia's schools were closed, many newspapers had ceased publication, businesses suffered, and food was scarce. Having endured major defeats on their home soil and the loss of much of the state's territory to the Union army, Virginia's Confederate soldiers began to desert at higher rates than at any other time in the war, returning home to provide their families with whatever assistance they could muster. It was a dark year for Virginia. Virginia at War, 1865 closely examines the end of the Civil War in the Old Dominion, delivering a striking depiction of a state ravaged by violence and destruction.
"In the final volume of the Virginia at War series, editors William C. Davis and James I. Robertson Jr. have once again assembled an impressive collection of essays covering topics that include land operations, women and families, wartime economy, music and entertainment, the demobilization of Lee's army, and the war's aftermath. The volume ends with the final installment of Judith Brockenbrough McGuire's popular and important Diary of a Southern Refugee during the War."
Published under the dual auspices of the American Library Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities, this Civil War anthology [has] about 30 writings … Editor Ayers, a reputable scholar in Civil War studies, categorizes his selections into several topics for participants to debate: reaction to the secession crisis of 1860-61; the experience of war as exemplified by the 1862 Battle of Shiloh; and the end of slavery.
