The Fabric of Civil War Society - (Conflicting Worlds: New Dimensions of the American Civil War) by Shae Smith Cox (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Shae Smith Cox's The Fabric of Civil War Society examines the material culture of military uniforms, badges, and flags during and after America's bloodiest conflict. She suggests that these objects both represented and influenced the identity of Americans. She also reveals how the study of material culture allows for a better understanding of the war and its commemoration, especially regarding women's roles, the lives of African Americans and indigenous peoples, and the struggles of the common soldier. Cox's study traces the influences of uniforms, badges, and flags throughout the war and Reconstruction as markers of power and authority for both sides. She then shows how sewn materials from the conflict became cherished objects by the turn of the century, a transition seen in veterans replacing their wartime uniforms with new commemorative attire and repatriating Confederate battle flags. Looking specifically at the creation of material culture by various commemoration groups, including the Grand Army of the Republic, the Woman's Relief Corps, the United Confederate Veterans, and the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Cox suggests the ways that American society largely accepted their messages, furthering the mission of their memory work. The objects themselves suggest how starkly divided Americans were and how starkly divided they remained. Studying material culture in the form of uniforms, badges, and flags allows Cox to reinterpret a variety of Civil War topics, including preparation for war, nuances in relationships between Native American and African American soldiers, the roles of women, and the rise of post-war memorial societies. Her work will interest scholars who study the Civil War and its memory"--

Book Synopsis

Military uniforms, badges, flags, and other material objects have been used to represent the identity of Americans throughout history. In The Fabric of Civil War Society, Shae Smith Cox examines the material culture of America's bloodiest conflict, offering a deeper understanding of the war and its commemoration.

Cox's analysis traces the influence of sewn materials throughout the Civil War and Reconstruction as markers of power and authority for both the Union and the Confederacy. These textiles became cherished objects by the turn of the century, a transition seen in veterans replacing wartime uniforms with new commemorative attire and repatriating Confederate battle flags. Looking specifically at the creation of material culture by various commemoration groups, including the Grand Army of the Republic, the Woman's Relief Corps, the United Confederate Veterans, and the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Cox reveals the ways that American society largely accepted their messages, furthering the mission of their memory work.

Through the lens of material culture, Cox sheds new light on a variety of Civil War topics, including preparation for war, nuances in relationships between Native American and African American soldiers, the roles of women, and the rise of postwar memorial societies.

Review Quotes

"With an inventive use of sources and a strikingly original analysis, Shae Smith Cox shows that uniforms, flags, and insignia did more than express individual or group identity in the Civil War era. They provided the means to connect people to broader political ideas and social organizations, with sometimes surprising results. By centering material objects and their power in people's lives, Cox discloses new elements of this oft-covered period in U.S. history."--Laura F. Edwards, author of Only the Clothes on Her Back: Clothing and the Hidden History of Power in the Nineteenth-Century United States

About the Author

Shae Smith Cox is assistant professor of history at Nicholls State University.