cover image We Have The War Upon Us: 
The Onset of the Civil War, November 1860–April 1861

We Have The War Upon Us: The Onset of the Civil War, November 1860–April 1861

William J. Cooper. Knopf, $30 (352p) ISBN 978-1-400-04200-5

In this dry yet informative volume, noted Southern historian Cooper (Jefferson Davis, American) focuses on a crucial five months of political wrangling and behind-the-scenes negotiations leading up to the Civil War. With then President Buchanan and President-elect Lincoln caught in the middle, and the Southern Democrats squaring off against the Northern Republicans, it became obvious that there was a fundamental disconnect among the states and that war was increasingly unavoidable. Cooper leaves no stone unturned as he explores the hard decisions and compromises leading up to the war, beginning with the way Lincoln’s election changed the face of American politics: representing a new party, he was also the first president with no Southern constituency, and, Cooper says, he had little understanding of the South. With the radical faction known as fire-eaters working to encourage secession, and Buchanan forced to make ever more desperate choices, it becomes clear through Cooper’s narrative that the outbreak of the Civil War was not sudden, but the result of thousands of tiny moments. Cooper’s research is thorough and unbiased, assigning credit and blame on all sides. Cooper’s scholarly tone may not appeal to casual readers, but Civil War buffs will appreciate the expert examination of the period. Illus., maps. (Sept.)