Name: The Fall of the House of Dixie
ISBN: 9781400067039

Bruce C. Levine

A revisionist history of the radical transformation of the American South during the Civil War examines the economic, social and political deconstruction and rebuilding of Southern institutions as experienced by everyday people. By the award-winning author of Confederate Emancipation.

The Civil War and the Social Revolution That Transformed the South

The Fall of the House of Dixie

Bryan Alexander

A powerful social history of the fall of southern slavery.

Levine focuses on the Confederacy - not its military course, although that gets mentioned; not so much its politics, but its social structure and how it fell apart. This is a fascinating perspective for me, as I'm not a Civil War buff. 

The book provides a great deal of southern voices, both from Confederate supporters and opponents. These are rich, often disturbing, and provide insights into decision-making.

Several leading historical figures take reputational hits in Levine's account. He notes that Robert E. Lee ordered the recapture of black refugees in Pennsylvania, and lied about the war afterwards. Sherman comes across as something of a political and military bumbler.

As a lifelong student of the Gothic, I enjoyed the use of a "House of Usher" concept to structure the book.

Key points:
...Levine argues that the South seceded to preserve (and strengthen) slavery, which ended up hobbling its ability to make war.
...class dynamics helped sap the CSA's powers, as non-slaveholders increasingly resented what looked like a rich man's war.
...It's fascinating to see antiwar politics emerge by 1862, even building into armed movements against the war: Newton Knight's guerrilla movement, or the Heroes of America (212ff). Thousands of southern whites headed north to fight for the union, in fact: a secession from the secession.
...gender: Levine is unsparing in depicting wealthy southern women's racism and classism.

Levine has a gift for identifying telling, brief anecdotes. For example, this instance of northern armed forces losing their skepticism about black people:

"One group of New York soldiers, observing the whipping of recently returned [black] fugitives, freed the slaves and flogged the masters" (129)

[O]n [William J.] Minors other estates... most of the [black] workforce was refusing to follow orders by February 1863. Minor confronted one of them, Isaac Simpson, and demanded that he do as he was told. In response, Simpson took out a knife and began sharpening it on a brick. Minor followed him and asked Simpson what he was doing. Simpson coolly replied that "he was sharpening his knife to cut his nails." (156)

Strongly recommended for any history-minded reader.

The Fall of the House of Dixie The Civil War and the Social Revolution That Transformed the South

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