Reviews for Rebellion And Realignment

The average rating for Rebellion And Realignment based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2010-03-12 00:00:00 Brendan Martin "They believe slavery is a sin, and we do not, and there lies the trouble." - Arkansas Governor Henry Rector, 1861 Rebellion and Realignment is an examination of the politics of Arkansas leading up to the state's secession from the United States in 1861. It examines the domination of Arkansas politics by "The Family": the Conway-Sevier-Johnson dynasty that dominated politics in Arkansas up until just prior to the Civil War. It examines the coalition put together by Thomas Hindman that defeated the Family in the last antebellum gubernatorial election by electing Henry Rector. Then it examines how both factions became all but meaningless in the face of the secession issue which divided along geographical rather than political lines, mirroring the territories that were developing a plantation economy vs. those that weren't. It looks at all this through a relatively unbiased eye towards what happened, and why. In doing so it exposes the lie that secession was about anything other than slavery. As shown in the quote above, slavery was THE issue that was being considered when secession was brought up. There was some talk of "state rights" in the antebellum period, but the "rights" being talked about consisted of the right of states to determine whether they are slave or free, and the right to secede if they were denied that right. Not that this book attempts in any way to editorialize on that issue. It is simply showing the political and economic causes that led Arkansas to secede.

Review # 2 was written on 2018-01-18 00:00:00 Jennifer Luciano Approaching the Chattahoochie River, Sherman referred to it as "crossing the Rubicon." "One of the least familiar traits of [Gen. Sherman:] was his firm insistence that he had the gift of 'foreknowledge.' His belief in this power was so strong that he often confided to his wife that he saw the future more clearly than the present. 'I can't help but overlook the present and look ahead,' he confided." "[Union Brig. Gen. John A. 'Blackjack':] Logan exploited his brief period as commander of the Army of the Tennessee....It provided him with what he considered a strong political base.... He became a candidate for the vice presidency and was widely discussed as a potential occupant of the White House. To boost his fame, [in 1884:] Logan commissioned a group of foreign artists to depict the battle [in which he led the recapture of 20-pounder Parrot guns belonging to the Union:] on a hugh canvas. The work was called 'Logan's Great Battle.' After changing hands several times, it was acquired by the city of Atlanta. Restored and displayed in the Cyclorama, the canvas lauding Logan is perhaps the largest and finest work of art of its sort."