University of North Carolina, the University of Georgia, and Emory Uni-
versity, archivists cheerfully and efficiently aided in the research.

It has been a pleasure to work with Trudie Calvert as a copyeditor once
again. Her excellent stylistic suggestions and remarkable eye for detail
greatly improved the manuscript.

My colleague Doug Nelson gave me good leads in studying the literature
on political culture and even tolerated critical comments on the dense
prose of his fellow political scientists. As a department chair and, more im-
portant, as a friend, he has always encouraged my work while offering his
wry (and occasionally valuable) observations on any number of subjects.

Once again, William J. Cooper, Jr., generously provided comments and
suggestions. In addition, his own important work on Southern politics has
shaped my thinking on many issues discussed in this book. I doubt that Bill
will fully approve what I have to say about Jefferson Davis (or about
Joseph E. Johnston), but he always manages to ask tough and useful ques-
tions.

Richard E. Beringer and Gary W. Gallagher read the manuscript for the
University of North Carolina Press. Their full, generous, and helpful com-
ments proved valuable in the final round of revisions. For both their en-
couragement and suggestions, I am grateful.

Michael Perman may have regretted his generous offer to tackle this
manuscript, but I did not. His penetrating criticism and recommendations
led to several additional but also valuable and necessary months of re-
working and rewriting. On matters large and small, his advice was un-
failingly shrewd and helpful.

For twenty years now, Thomas E. Schott has been a valued friend, and
though he has assumed the onerous burden of reading two manuscripts for
me, he remains so. As usual his comments on both substance and style
(often expressed in acerbic language) forced changes on nearly every page
(more accurately, nearly every paragraph). We have discussed Confeder-
ate politics for almost two decades, and though he does not endorse several
of the interpretations presented here, his strongly held opinions and vast
knowledge have greatly influenced my thinking on innumerable issues.
His intermittent correspondence and unfailing friendship have meant
more than I can express.

George C. Rable
Anderson, Indiana

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