Why Confederates Fought

“A careful analysis [that] should . . . supersede previous works.” — American Historical Review

“Paying refreshingly close attention to change over time, Sheehan-Dean convincingly shows that, far from fracturing the Confederacy, Union hard-war policies condensed it.” — Journal of Southern History

“A fresh and forceful contribution to our understanding of why these Virginians fought and how the very course of the war served to create new rationales for their resolve in doing so for so much of the Confederate nation’s four-year lifespan.” — Civil War Book Review

“A thought-compelling, quality monograph. . . . Highly recommended.” — CHOICE

“A singular contribution to the debate. . . . Sensible and engaging.” — Journal of Military History

“This well-researched, well written book is a very welcome addition to the literature on nationalism in the Confederacy.” — The Journal of American History

“Sheehan-Dean’s road may be the heavily traveled highway of Confederate nationalism, but his vehicle is distinctive.” — Journal of Interdisciplinary History

“A thought-provoking analysis of the rise of the Confederate nation. . . . Should serve as a model for meticulous historical research. . . . An engaging text, which challenges scholars to look more carefully at the motivation that caused Virginians to fight for the Confederacy.” — Southern Historian

“[A] persuasive demonstration that white Virginians did in fact support the Confederacy, and that they did so because they saw its army as the principal means by which to protect their families.” — Virginia Magazine

“A major contribution to the growing body of literature on Civil War soldiers.” — North Carolina Historical Review