The Making of a Confederate: Walter Lenoir's Civil War

New Narratives in American History

by William L. Barney

Despite the advances of the civil rights movement, many white southerners cling to the faded glory of a romanticized Confederate past. In The Making of a Confederate, William L. Barney focuses on the life of one man, Walter Lenoir of North Carolina, to examine the origins of southern white identity alongside its myriad ambiguities and complexities.

Born into a wealthy slaveholding family, Lenoir abhorred the institution, opposed secession, and planned to leave his family to move to Minnesota, in the free North. But when the war erupted in 1860, Lenoir found another escape route--he joined the Confederate army, an experience that would radically transform his ideals. After the war, Lenoir, like many others, embraced the cult of the Lost Cause, refashioning his memory and beliefs in an attempt to make sense of the war, its causes, and its consequences. While some Southerners sank into depression, aligned with the victors, or fiercely opposed the new order, Lenoir withdrew to his acreage in the North Carolina mountains. There, he pursued his own vision of the South's future, one that called for greater self-sufficiency and a more efficient use of the land.

For Lenoir and many fellow Confederates, the war never really ended. As he tells this compelling story, Barney offers new insights into the ways that (selective) memory informs history; through Lenoir's life, readers learn how individual choices can transform abstract historical processes into concrete actions.

Genres: History, Civil War, Biography, American, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2007

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a non-American I appreciate any windows into the minds of Americans at important moments in their history and this one was particularly good because it had both diary entries from Walter Lenoir and letters both to and from him so that you had both his internal comments and what he was saying to others. It was surprising to see how often members of the family commented about the burden imposed by owning slaves and how pleased they would be to lose that burden. Of course the family were not primarily planters and their businesses did not depend on a large crew of field workers. It was fascinating to see the way Carolinians formed their internal standards to fit with the way the Confederacy acted once war was actually declared and Lincoln "invaded" the south. The idea that the war was fought over states' rights is a tale that I have heard here in Canada with the addition that the slavery issue is one that has been added to the history by civil rights activists in the sixties. Memory is indeed a moving thing.
This was a fascinating and compelling read. Truly.

[Tom Harman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review – 3.8/5 stars

The Making of a Confederate by William Barney offers a compelling portrait of Walter Lenoir, a complex and often conflicted figure of the Civil War era. Lenoir’s early resistance to slavery and his interest in moving north to Minnesota add depth to his character and challenge simple narratives about Southern identity. However, once war broke out, he aligned with the Confederacy and remained loyal, even after suffering the loss of a leg in battle. His postwar transformation into an unreconstructed Southerner is both fascinating and sobering.

While the book’s historical detail is impressive and Lenoir’s life story is undeniably captivating, the narrative sometimes feels uneven. Still, Barney succeeds in using one man’s journey to explore the broader contradictions and loyalties that shaped the Confederate South. A thought-provoking read for those interested in personal histories amid national upheaval.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be fair, I was reading this while studying for Professor Barney's Civil War history final exam this past spring, so I was reading quickly and not for pleasure. That said, I did enjoy the book and have recommended it to my younger brother who enjoys reading about the Civil War. I intend to reread the book when I have the time to absorb it better. Professor Barney is very knowledgeable about the Civil War, and I enjoyed his lectures, as well.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm assigning this for my US Survey course, and for that purpose I think it's pretty good and thought-provoking. Mostly, because my New England students will see someone totally different from them, and may empathize with him a little. That might turn them off, or it might challenge them. I hope the latter.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only interesting part of this book was that it took place in NC. Everything else was quite boring, and although Walter Lenoir represented an interesting part of 1800s America—a "reluctant" slaveowner who supported the Confederacy nonetheless—I thought the writing dragged along. It was a good book to read for class, and I think our discussions regarding this book were pretty productive.

[Tom Darrow · Rating 3 out of 5]

A biography of a local North Carolina legend, which provides a pretty good view of what life was like in poor western areas of the state before, during and after the war. The Lenoir family was a typical rich, white southern family in many ways... they owned large tracts of land and many slaves and were involved in local politics. Where they differ from other families is that they lived in the western part of the state, where the land was harder, many of the tenants were poor whites and slavery not as profitable as in the deep south.

The author makes use of numerous personal letters between Walter Lenoir, his family and other members of society. Before the war, he was fed up with being a slave owner and considered selling his slaves and moving north. When the South Carolina broke away from the Union, Lenoir was reluctant to follow, but when Lincoln issued his call for volunteers, he embraced the South's cause with zeal. He joined the army, fought in several battles and lost a leg in combat. Returning home, he spent the rest of his life as a somewhat hermit, trying to deal with mounting debts while trying to create a profitable plantation in the post-slavery south.

Where this book excels... in places, his use of letters gives the book a very personal tone. It also opens up a topic that I was somewhat ignorant of... the divisions between class in the south during and after the war. It is also a good piece of local history and does a respectable job at showing the political conflicts in the south during Reconstruction.

Where this book doesn't excel... The author writes in such a way that he assumes the reader has a good knowledge of Civil War events and people. Luckily I do, but many readers do not, which would make this book somewhat hard for them to understand. His narrative structure is also very restricted by the letters he uses as his primary sources of information. For some periods, he dwells for what seems like an unnecessary amount of time, whereas in other sections he skips over five year periods with the turn of a page. Both of these issues make the reading of this book a little slow and halting.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has special meaning for me because I grew up in the town of Lenoir and have visited Fort Defiance many times. It was an interesting view of Southerners who may not have supported the secession wholeheartedly or supported slavery but who felt obligation to support their state and homeland. The notes at the end offered other sources for reading, particularly about NC in the Civil War. The writing flows well while making it clear that the narration was based in facts and well documented. It was an enjoyable and informative read that shed more light on the culture of the south during and after the war.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting study of the letters of a NC man prior to and after the Civil War. Obtains through the state Library.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book that dives into the life of Walter Lenoir and his family. It sheds light on the history of western North Carolina from 1790s-1890 but especially deals with the effects of southern culture and the civil war on the Lenoir family.