Gravest of Crimes

This book is a fictional presentation of major battles, storied events and historical figures pertaining to the Army of Northern Virginia’s struggle for Southern independence with a focus on reexamining a few popular perceptions regarding the American Civil War. Slavery is often the reply of many as to the reason the American Civil War was fought. Many historians would agree even though slavery had been an accepted practice in the New World for 400 years with little social opposition, or moral outrage. But slavery was only one of the concerns influencing Southern secession. There were other major issues such as politics, ideology, economics, state’s rights, oppressive taxes, and perceived inequitable representation in the Federal government that were among the catalysts driving secession. The virtuous cause of granting American slaves their freedom, however, was not the operating force as to how, or why the American Civil War was fought.