facts about women during civil war. Not the sweet young things like gone with the wind but having to run the households and slaves and nurse the sickly. They were spies and shuttled needed supplies under their huge dresses. ( )

Tara Revisited: Women, War and the Plantation Legend by Catherine Clinton was a non-fiction book that discussed the affect of the Civil War on white and black women of the American South. This book also explored the romanticized myths of white Southern women and slave/master relations during this time period.

For many, the Civil War holds an intriguing place in our American landscape. Southern belles, popularized by Scarlett O’Hara, emerged as the quintessential representation of all things “southern” – genteel and well mannered, tough and tenacious, and ardent supporters of the Southern cause during the Civil War. Called “The Lost Cause,” post-Civil War writers created this mystification of Southern women to perpetuate the “cause” long after the war ended.

Through her research, Clinton dispelled this myth. While many Southern women were active in the war effort, whether darning socks or assisting at military hospitals, they were impatient for the war to end. Home life without their men was hard, boring and frightening. Instead of yearning for what was, as contended by Clinton, Southern women were more interested in moving on.

The “Lost Cause” philosophy also advanced the untruth that blacks and whites lived harmoniously together with slaves emotionally attached and loyal to their owners. Again, Clinton ruled out this myth, based on interviews of former slaves conducted during the Great Depression. In reality, little love was lost between formers slaves and their white masters and mistresses.

Catherine Clinton, in my opinion, is one of the most approachable of historians. Her writing style was easy and interesting. She relied mostly on primary resources – memoirs, diaries, newspaper stories and interviews – to weave this historical account of an often-misunderstood period in American women’s history.

History is one big story, and Catherine Clinton is one of the best “storytellers” of this time period. I highly recommend this quick read to any reader interested in learning more about how the Civil War marked and impacted Southern women of both races during this era. ( )