Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Zebulon Vance Papers: "Fight the Yankees and fuss with the Confederacy"
The Papers of Z.B. Vance, Vols. 1-3 |
At the helm of North Carolina’s war effort during much of the conflict, Zebulon Baird Vance presented an imposing figure with his six foot, two-hundred pound frame, and his tuft of thick, black hair. He was a natural, engaging politician, whose charm and wit were difficult to match. He was also a commanding speaker. Historians have found an enigmatic figure in Vance. Initially a unionist like many in the upper south, he strongly embraced the Confederate cause once the bell of secession rang. As Governor during much of the war, he often quarreled with authorities in Richmond. He took issue with Confederate policies that limited individual rights in his state as well as with measures that hamstrung North Carolina's efforts designed, in his view, to win the war. His frequent clashes with President Jefferson Davis have led some over the years to label him an obstructionist to the Confederate war effort.
Z. B. Vance |
These volumes are heavy. I look forward to spending more time with them over the next few months.
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