Ohio’s War: The Civil War in Documents by Christine Dee (review)

BOOK REVIEWS of time. These quibbles aside, * e VieEU from the Ground remains an important work that builds upon one of the richest fields of study in military history. James Perrin Ohio State University Christine Dee,ed. Obiok War {/ be Civil TUir in Documents.Athens: Ohio University Press,2007. 244 pp. ISBN 0821416839 paper), $ 16.95. The Civil War in the Great Interior" series, published by the Ohio University Press, promises to give muchneeded attention to the social history of the Civil War in the Middle West. Unlike standard monographs, these document collections offer readers a chance to listen to 44,= 3, «S»= 1<] j' t » '-' the people who fought, suffered, debated, and 4. 1 , » embraced this allencompassing conflict. In the first book in the series, Christine Dee assernbles a chorus of diverse voices that project the complex mixture of opinions and ideas with which Buckeyes experienced the war within the context of regional dynamics . As a result, Obios War is a valuable text that addresses the issues of race, class, and gender within the political,social,and military history of Ohio during the Civil War. Dee compiles a wide range of documents , including newspaper articles, letters , diaries, and memoirs, and begins each chapter with a brief narrative, emphasizing important historical themes. Political issues take the forefront in the first four chapters, specifically the debate over slavery and racial equality The first chapter nicely demonstrates the clash of anti-and proslavery factions in Ohio. Scholars will recognize familiar sources, such as an excerpt from John R Parker' s autobiography . Chapters two and three deal with secession and the first vear of the war, respectively. It is here that Dee' s selection of documents effectively depicts the interests and concerns of most Ohioans. Citizens were understandably preoccupied with how the war would disrupt the status quo in their communities. White residents pondered the war' s possible effect on their economy and the institution of slavery . Citizens in the southern portion of the state were especially concerned about their proximity to the secessionist influences in Kentucky. ' Ihe fourth chapter showcases documents that indicate how both the Emancipation Proclamation and military events caused the Ohio River border to become a contentious region during the second year of the war. Ile last four chapters of the book successfully depict the transformative nature of war. Dee demonstrates an admirable focus on the war' s effect on the individual, particularly in chapter five, which features letters by soldiers ( black and white) and their family members. Dee's narrative and document selections in chapters six and seven emphasize the growing stratific·ation in Ohio pertaining to allegiances, emancipation , and the war' s efTect on state government and the economy. Chapter eight completes the story of Ohio' s wartime transition by noting that the state's entrance into the industrial age was accompanied by economic hardship and a bitter debate over black suffrage and land redistribution. Ihis collection of documents offers a new way to explore and teach the Civil War in Ohio. Instructors will be pleased with Dee's straightforward narrative and concise introduction to the documents,which 84 01110 VALLEY HISTORY BOOKREVIEWS enhance students' understanding without removing focus from the primary sources. The back matter contains a detailed timeline , selected bibliography, and discussion questions. While the introduction is informative,the lack of a conclusion forces readers to ponder the war' s legacy in Ohio with little guidance. Although Ohio' s southern border receives ample attention in earlier chapters, the final chapter offers no indication of how emancipation in Kentucky and the subsequent black migration affected the debate over black rights in Ohio. Still,the collection is a welcome addition to regional and community history . Useful as a text for courses on the Civil War and Ohio history,Ohio' s IVar Will also be of interest to professional and amateur historians interested in the Civil War in the Ohio Valley. Stephen Rockenbach Virginia State University Richard Taylor. Sue Mundy: A No' uel oftbe Civil War. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky,2006. 359 pp. ISBN 9780813124230 ( cloth), $ 29.95. Guerrilla fighting in the border states poses a special challenge to historians of the American Civil War. ' Ihe atmosphere of uncertainty,the unpredictable loyalties of communities neither wholly Union nor Confederate,and the complex dynamics of winning and losing all muddy the waters ofpedagogy and analysis. Richard Taylor's novel,which examines the experiences of : i young guerrilla in Kentucky,helps to ease this problem by dramatizing the human interactions at the heart of the war. Taylor reveals the war through the eyes of Marcellus Jerome Clark ( Uarom" in the novel), a Kentuckian who fights as a Confederate soldier,a raider with John Hunt Morgan, and then a member of a small band of irregular partisans. Clark is one of several men who may have been Sue Mundy," the female guerrilla. Tivlor does not focus on any of the gender implications of this misnaming , however,but on 1 the lived eXperiellce Of 4, 6#, 1 2 Clarke' s war. 8'] fft«'. At its best, the ]' ' 0* Z* « ' novel recreates a terrif\,-f< INIAjlW. t] ing world of misplaced 1-' 0'4«* 10 "I loyalties and impossible T choices. . i ' aroins inner ililliwijjilifijp' dialogue, in partictil,ir, if'*'=° 131= oi,, 6'* Wir, K.. w* B ft * . 4.* 11* l'15 + 011 emphasi' Les the sense « . 4 Ir, ajp# * 1 of loss that a conflict among neighbors inevitably creates. He struggles with violence and greed, loyalty and innocence. By the time of his execution in March 1865, Jarom has come to see himself as a pawn in the larger game played by the nation. For teachers of history who struggle to transport students to the past, this novel could prove useful. Written by a poet and professor of English, it does not claim to advance historiography or to fit seamlessly into the existing historical an·alysis. Instead, it examines a particular person in vivid detail. Given the difficulty students face in their efforts to interpret history on its own terms, such a focus offers both a personal viewpoint and a chance to step backward. That is, it avoids presentism while inviting the reader to imagine him or herself in Jarom: s life. At times, Taylor's integration of'history and fiction can be mechanistic, and readers may initially struggle to enter the world portrayed by the novel. As an entry in the long list of Civil War fiction, this book does not rise to the level of the best existing work. Still, portions of the book offer clarity,insight, and an enveloping sense of being there. Most suggestive, FALI« 2007 85 ...