I just finished reading a good Civil War history: Bloody Crimes by historian James Swanson.
Most everyone knows what happened to Abraham Lincoln at the end of the Civil War: Ford's Theatre, John Wilkes Booth, instant immortality. The same cannot be said of his counterpart, Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Whereas every conceivable detail of Lincoln's life is well known by now, Davis' life and death has always stood in the shadows of history.
In this intriguing and easy-reading narrative Swanson brings the parallels of both men to light. With Lincoln the focus is on the 1,600 mile funeral ride from Washington D.C. to Springfield, IL. The raw emotion of the trip are there to be seen and felt - from the anguished people standing along the railroad tracks as the train passes by at night to what emblamers had to do to keep the body presentable during the nearly two-week long procession.
Davis' story at the end of the war becomes part manhunt, part odyssey through a war-torn south, following him on his ultimate journey from reviled rebel to respected leader of The Lost Cause. All this makes for a compelling study of two born leaders, and a fine read for any Civil War enthusiast.
