A captivating history of the Civil War in northeast Florida "Captures in rich detail the competition between the Confederates and Unionists; blacks and whites; and civilians and soldiers in the region. A fascinating and illuminating story told through compelling and persuasive prose."--Aaron Sheehan-Dean; author of Why Confederates Fought "A fast-paced social history of the Civil War in northeastern Florida."--John David Smith; editor of Black Soldiers in Blue When the Civil War finally came to North Florida; it did so with an intermittent fury that destroyed much of Jacksonville and scattered its residents. The city was taken four separate times by Federal forces but abandoned after each of the first three occupations. During the fourth occupation; it was used as a staging ground for the ill-fated Union invasion of the Florida interior; which ended in the bloody Battle of Olustee in February 1864. This late Confederate victory; along with the deadly use of underwater mines against the U.S. Navy along the St. Johns; nearly succeeded in ending the fourth Union occupation of Jacksonville. Writing in clear; engaging prose; Daniel Schafer sheds light on this oft-forgotten theatre of war and details the dynamic racial and cultural factors that led to Florida’s engagement on behalf of the South. He investigates how fears about the black population increased and held sway over whites; seeking out the true motives behind both the state and federal initiatives that drove freed blacks from the cities back to the plantations even before the war's end. From the Missouri Compromise to Reconstruction; Thunder on the River offers the history of a city and a region precariously situated as a major center of commerce on the brink of frontier Florida. Historians and Civil War aficionados alike will not want to miss this important addition to the literature.
#90016 in Books University Press of Florida 2003-05-11Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.02 x .55 x 5.98l; .81 #File Name: 0813028124240 pages
Review
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful. `By James R ConnerExquisitely researched; elegantly written; indispensable for serious scholars of the Civil War. These women; largely the daughters; wives; and sisters of the Brahmins of the south; enjoyed tremendous success in transforming Johnny Reb's image from loser and traitor to patriot and man of military valor; proving that a lie repeated often enough can become a fact for many.19 of 21 people found the following review helpful. "Dixie's Daughters;" A Comprehensive Study of an Often Ignored Subject.By Thomas John BrownProfessor Cox has done an excellent job of revealinig the tremendous influence the United Daughters of the Confederacy had in the latter stages of the Lost Cause. This influence is still felt today. The book is well researched and very readable. It was a big help on a recent project of mine concerning the development of Confederate nationalism following the Civil War. I am a graduate student at San Jose State University in California. Thomas Brown8 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Dixie's DaughterBy MaggieA wonderful story about the struggles of women during a terrible time what they did
