“A valuable guide to a number of cornerstones, as well as to many less vital building blocks, of the Confederate historiographical edifice.”—Gary W. Gallagher, from his Introduction

After the publication of Gone with the Wind, many Confederate historians were asked, “What shall I read next?” To answer the requests for further writings on the Civil War era, distinguished historian Douglas Southall Freeman assembled this bibliography of the best narratives, memoirs, and other works—those that tell their stories simply, with wit and realism—that provide a good introduction to literature on the Lost Cause.

In contrast to most bibliographies, The South to Posterity reads easily and often movingly. In eight masterful chapters, Freeman reviews soldiers’ battlefield accounts; vindications penned just after the war; biographies of and tributes to General Robert E. Lee; women’s commentaries; thoughts from foreign observers and participants; and diaries, letters, and speeches; and discusses topics yet to be addressed. A new introduction by Civil War historian Gary Gallagher provides an excellent background to Freeman’s life and work and considers what has been accomplished in the field since South to Posterity first appeared.