The dead were those that were remembered and martyred in the South, and the survivors had to do just that - survive. Northern soldiers eventually got some kind of pension as a reward for their valor, but the South was in disarray, and Southern soldiers really did not gain anything for their valor. The reactions to this were difficult to read, because many soldiers turned to drugs, alcohol, violence, and many suffered from mental problems. This is an area not often explored, and it made this book more interesting. It would have been nice if the editors had included even more essays and evaluations in this section of the book, because it was definitely the most commanding of all the sections.
In addition, the editor's seem to favor the northern soldiers, at least there were far more essays devoted to them, which seemed to shortchange the southern soldiers and their experiences. The thesis of the book is well carried out throughout the essays, and the breakup of the book into five separate areas helps organize the essays and the reader's attention to specific concerns after the war. It was also an extremely long book, making it hard to hold the reader's attention throughout all the essays. This is a good history of a part of the Civil War that many people overlook. Most people with a deep interest in Civil War history would probably want to own it, but it is too academic and omits some areas that are important, and so, I would not highly recommend it.
References
Barton, Michael and Logue, Larry M. The Civil War Veteran: A Historical Reader. New York: New York University Press, 2007.
