The American war and peace, 1860-1877 is a stimulating view of a tragic chapter in United States history. The presentation interprets events in the light of modern scholarship and research. Its balanced coverage contains political, social and cultural insights, in addition to military facts. The book holds the reader's attention throughout and offers an absorbing glimpse of our country a century ago. --From the book cover.

The late unpleasantness -- The old North -- The old South -- The war of the "worlds" -- Armed mobs -- A question of union -- Homefront war in the North -- The Confederate South -- Turning tides-the war in 1863 -- Fight to the finish-the war in 1864-65 -- Restoration, resurrection, reconstruction -- Congress in command -- Epilogue-American unification.